The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-01
EoeningStory
A Pair of Shoes
BY LINcOLN RoTHRLIIN

las waxen doll. breezed into her home
closely followed by the protecting and
admiring Jim Reardon. Dolly's mother,
her gray hairs belying the youth and
laughter in her eyes, glanced up from
the bit of embroidery in her hands and
noted a foreboding pout on her daugh-
ters face, wondering as her gaze wan
dered to the flushed countenance of
her future son-in-law. Mrs. Copley
did not like the looks of the situation.
Children, what is the matter now"
the now" indicating that similar in
cidents had occurred before. Accus-
1 toned as Mrs. Copley had become to
the petty quarrels of the young lovers,
any new cause of disagreement evoked
uneasiness lest in their childish tenn
pers they invited much unhappiness
well, who said what?'' she added
by way of an initial conciliatory step.
"Oh. Jim's trying to act silly" said
Dolly.
! You mean. Dolly won't be sensi-
ble," corrected Jim.
First one and then the other" pa
tiently chided Mrs. Copley, laying
aside her embroidery. Now. Dolly,
Well hear from you. and" anticipating
a long recital, "be brief"
Dolly, with cheeks prettily flushed,
removed a large leghorn hat, its
creamy wilderness enhanced by a blood
red poppy stitched to its side. She
seated herself on a low bench before
an open CRATE fire and placed the hat
upon knees cooked up boy fashion.
| Really, mother" came the answer
in tones of insulted dignity, sit is we'll
1 find it all out now. Jim wants a
slave, not a wife" This with a with
ering glance at her prospective mas
ter, or husband. who sat twiddling the
cigarette his impotence would not per-
nit him to smoke.
| Careful, Dolly. careful" cautioned
Mrs. Copley, but Dolly pretended not
to hear
| "The play at the theater tonight was
all about that man who wanted his
| sweetheart to repeat the silly words.
Thank goodness, the table is Set and
| she wouldn't do it (Which / am con-
WINGED was perfectly proper). So she
gave him back his ring. And that's
just what L m going to do because Jim
thought he could make make me say,
| Here, dear, are your shoes
"I didn't say that" retorted Jim de-
fensively, 81 said
"Just moment, please" pleaded
Mrs. Copley, placatingly. Are you
thru with your side of the story.
Dolly?' A blond head nodded in the
affirmative. "Ail right, then, wen
hear what you have to say" continued
| the arbitrator, turning to Jim.
CAV, after the show all I said was
| if I should ask her to bring me my
|
kindly or would she be stubborn like
the girl in the play. And Dolly said,
oh, might and 1 mightn't.' 1 didn't
| like that very well, and I said, Dolly,
let me hear you say, Here, dear. are
your shoes Then Dolly said, Don't
| Dolly, say. Here. dear, are your
shoes Well. the long and short of it
is, Dolly won't say it, and 1 want her
to say it,
And having delivered himself of this
Grafton. Jim Reardon crossed his arms
| akimbo, spread out his legs and de-
fled the world.
"No more of this nonsense, chill
dren," Mrs. Copley rebuked sharply.
| Come, now, shake hands and drop
the matter
But she hasn't said, Here. dear.
are your shoes " came parrot-fash-
ion and with masculine persistency
from Jim.
'"The which I won't say" snapped
Dolly dangerously.
| And the astonished eyes Of Mrs.
| Copley saw the flash of a diamond as
| it whirled thru the air and lay in
scintillating beauty between the angry
pair. In high-handed disdain Jim
stallked from the house. And Dolly
| cried.
! The nigh. heightened into week
and the week into a month, and the
month into double and treble that
number of days. And Time, proven
bal healer of discord and inharmony.
rendered impossible a concession or
pride from either side. Dolly's inter
est in life ceased to center about
gowns. teas and shows, and dwindled
to reading the daily news with its dis
quieting announcements.
| 1t was well into the fourth month
since the unfortunate attendance at
that performance, whose very moral.
| Cd n
| home it's lesson. Jim Reardon moped
down the towns busy street dark
shadows beneath listless eyes testify
! ing to the gnawing canker of heart
sickness within.
For<distraction he Joined the onlook-
ers before a shop window where an
up-to-date business-g etter had sta
| toned his machine to secure the pass
| ing trade. Rubber heels put on while
! U wait" read the legend in brilliantly
silvered letters across the pane The
advertising psychology of the repair
man was good Jim glanced at his
shoes, thought of rubber-heeled com
| fort and saw the excellent work being
performed within the shop. He
entered.
Rubber heels, please" he cour-
teously asked of the gum-ehewing
clerk as he removed and handed him
his shoes He inserted his feet and
twiddIe his stockinged toes within the
spacious confines of carpet slippers. as
vacantly he watched the minute hand
of the clock on the wall make
monotonous progress. The wfiirr of
the electric machinery was peculiarly
soothing to his d:straught mood.
A boy entered and, not receiving the
immediate attention the majesty of his
youth demanded, Topped a coin on the
counter and, grabbing up a pair of
shoes, made hasty exit just as the |
clerk odvanced.
Jim took out his watch and con-
firmed the time of the wall clock. He |
had been there thirty minutes. He
called to the clerk
viii you please see if my shoes are
ready? 1 am anxious to get away"
The gum chewing clerk glanced over
the repair work on hand and puzzled, |
IN the cohhlar