The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-17
Ecening Story
No Parking Here.
~ r. RAY BAKER.

! was almost convinced Marina Howe
was going to accept. If she did it
would be a big score in the game of
love he had been playing for the last
SIX months.
The trouble with the game of love
was that it never appeared to develop
beyond the solitaire stage. Dale
seemed to be playing It alone, altho he
was more than anxious to entice
Martha irto the play as an opponent
or partner. The two are autonomous
when used in connection with the
game in question.
/ But Martha was a business woman
of the first magnitude, if you care to
classify her N sidereal terms. She was
/ in the fire insurance business en- her
own account during working hours,
| and at other times she was campaign
| ing for a sister politician in the APP
preaching election Get a girl mixed
UP in business and politics and when
does a mere man get a look-in?
! During the last half year Martha
Dale had lived next door. Befor she
entered politics Dale had considerable
| time with her, but never had he been
| able to summon sufficient courage to
| breach matrimonial matters. About
the time he had succeeded in muster
/ ing the required courage Martha got
| Interested in politics, and now her
would-be wooeP had no opportunities.
Several times he had succeeded in
| getting her into his roadster for a ride
as far as her office, but that was too
\ short spin for proposing purposes. If
he tried to drive slowly the traffic cops
were sure to urge him to greater speed
| in order to keep the lanes clear.
| But today Dale felt reasonably sure
! of success, because it was Susan B.
Anthony's birthday anniversary and he
knew Martha, ardent suffragist that
she was, had proclaimed it holiday
as far as the insurance business was
concerned. So Dale was careful to
have his machine waiting. and to be
tinkering in the mood, when Martha
! tr1pped down the steps of her home.
But he was doomed to disappointment
again.
Thank you. Dale, but I can't. This
/ is holiday as far as business is con-
cerned, put not in regard to politics
I've some lists to go over at the office.
| IN the interests of Mrs. Slocums can
| dloacy; and what more fitting than
the transaction of such matters on the
| anniversary of the woman who took
the step that won us the vote? But
III pc glad to ride to my office with
you, If you care to take me-"
| IL was an ultimatup, and he could
| do nothing but yield to its terms.
TIL propose in jiffy. even if it is
only a three-minute ride he told
| v.
! But the chance didn't cffer, because
traffic was heavy, and he was obliged
to attend strictly to the business of
| driving.
Other business offices paid no
need to Susan b. Anthony's birth
day and cars lined the streets at every
ayailable parking place, and moving
vehicles Progressed in steady streams
along the streets. There was an open
space in front of the building where
4 Martha's office was located, and Dale
| was about to drive into it when his
4 eye caught the police sign:
| mo Parking Here.'
Dale swung back into the stream of
| cars and continued Down the street.
| III have to park somewhere else
| nearby he told Martha, and turned
/ the next corner. There were two va
cant spaces in the block, one on each
| side, but those formidable signs loom
ed up and warned drivers away.
| can't find place" Dale remarked.
| so 1 see" said Martha. why not
| drive around the block? Maybe some
| parked car will leave in the means
| time
But the situation was no more ia
vorable as Dale and Martha again ap-
preached the latter's office.
| "T1l stop here and take a chance. ,,
he said, heading for the mo parking
space.
Better not" she warned. 'sThere's
policeman there watching. Drive
round the block again."
By this time Dale had come to the
| conclusion that the fates were with
him. He decided it was his chance to
pop the question which he had held
back so long.
Martha" he he said, keeping his
eye on his course thru the crowded
street I've been wanting for a long
time TO say something to you. You
must have sensed how 1 felt
Look OUT she warned. "See that
big machine"
Missed, but pretty close" he OBJ
served, then resumed:
You must have sensed how felt,
because 1 couldn't hide it. How have
longed for an opportunity to have
you'll run over that old man." she
cried. NO. he's lodged back
How L have longed for the oppor-
tunity to have you alone just once" he
resumed, turning a corner. mo place
here to park; guess I'll have to keep
going"
You might let me out on the next
corner she suggested. mo, that won't
do either. The policeman wouldn't
stand>for it with this heavy traffic. -
81 have felt" Dale declared, THAT
1 must find some way to speak to you
but you've been so busy with business
and politics that I've never had the
Gee, that was close shave. I al
1 most forgot the semaphore, and it's
red. There, the ways clear. Nope.
every place is taken except that one,
and it says no parking Martha, you
could make me"
Dale stopped talking right then, for
he got caught in a melstrom of auto
mobiles and it required concentration
to work his way out.
Starting on the third trip around
the block. Dale resumed
Martha, you COULD make me the
| happiest man fn-Good night, The
motors stopped"
Whats the matter?" she inquired
as he headed the car, u..der its mo-
menttm, for a space which was mark
ed NO Parking Here"
| "Out of gas, guess" he returned.
as the inside front wheel struck the
curb. Il intended getting some and
forgot it. Well, the cops can't kick
when I explain what's the trouble =
I'm still a whole block from the Of
/ fice'f she observed but she still was