The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-17
Eoening Story
Tom Fishers Bargain.
BY CLARIssA MACKIE.

BY CLARISSA MACKIE.
1t was the large advertisement in
Browns window that was Tom Fish
er's undeing. He was a young man
with large ambitions and small income
and he lived in confident hope that
some day the income would equal the
ambition, but for awhile it seemed i'm
possible for the income to keep pace
with his ambition and his appetite.
IA man must eat" he told himself
ruefuny as he finished his breakfast
and went down the street toward his
little Laboratory where his wonderful
invention was taking form. "a man
must eat and sleep and wear clothes
and have socks!" At this moment he
saw the sign in Browns window.
silk Socks=speeially priced, SO cents
pair''-"Lisle Secks-bargain, 20 cents
a pair"
1.-The invention will be set back by
20 cents" he decided, entering the
shop. f \
He found the socks presided over by.
very demure damsel in a dark blue
dress. There was little white frill
about her throat that made her look
very young and she had delightful
shining hair that wanted to cur and
almost didn't.
Socks? Silk or lisIe-fifty-n or
twenty nine?" she asked in a bird-like
voice.
''Why do bargains always run in
nines?" he asked irreverently.
She flushed I'm sure 1 don't
know, but they do-and sevens and
threes and ones" ..1q 49,
Nine is a a magic number he said
II II take a pair of niRes."
'Fifty-niae or twenty-nine?' she in
quired again.
(which are the cheapest" Tom,
the inventor, the man of science, was
losing his wits, just because a girl, had
such tender blue eyes and hair that
almost did not curl
Twenty nine,'' she said patiently,
without smiling. 'Thcse are Isle
thread
Tn take two-two pairs" he said
idiotically.
Color ?" <9--
'Oh-anything- lust as
long as it's~1iack,' and the wretched
youth flung himself out OF the store
without waiting for his change He
told himself afterward that he needed
that forty-twe cents change-he might
have bought another pairi -
That night he tried on the socks and
found they were too smalna He was a
big young man and generously proper
toned. The socks.must go back again
He wondered if the girl would be there
hoped she. would and hsped she
wouldn't, and she was
She looked quite blankly at Tom,
just as if her heart hadn't quickened
at sight of him-he did not recognize
her. but she had gone to public school
with him three years ago; she secretly
I'm sorry. but these socks are too
small" said Tom, as he stopped before
her.
"You said nines," She remarked, as
she pulled out red box
7 meant tens" he explained.
You also forgot your change" she
said, taking some money out OF a stun
ming little box. ''Forty-two cents"
Thanks said Tom, dropping it into
his pocket.
She took down another box. picked
out two pairs of black socks and
wrapped them up.
THANK you" said Tom dizzily, and
walked out of the. store. At his lab
oratory he opened his bundle and
found-two pairs of black silk socks
He smilAl rapturously- TN have to
take those back" he muttered with a
miserable attempt at vexation
1t was lunch time then. and he
stopped at a nearby cafeteria for. a
bite. Toms appetite was robust, and
he picked up various plates of deleeta-
BILE viands on his way to a vacant
table. AS he set down his trap he saw
SA1de a S4il IAaQ sat DOWN. me eT1fl
with tray containing crackers, a
bowl of milk and a small cake. Bless
her dear heart; she's starving herself"
he worried as he hastily swallowed his
meal After a day or two he went
back TO the store.
The girl was there. She was wear
ing, a little blue ruffle around her
throat. and one strand of her bright
hair had really managed to curl. r She
blushed a little when she saw him.
I'm sorry" he declared menda-
ciousiy. But these socks are sikh
bought Isle, you know"
II made that mistake" she ad-
mitted. as she substituted another pair
for the silk ones. TT is too bad Eou
had to come again.
81 did not mind-not at ALL" he said
emphatically. and this time she smiled
at him, and when she smiled and
turned around to>put the red box back
on the shelf he was reminded of
schoelboy days and a little curly
haired girl facing the blackboard
reaching up to write something. The
chalk had dropped from her fingers,
and he recalled the frightened look on
her face as itfdrepped. But his deft
hand caught it in midair, and her
bird-like voice had whispered thank
you.
: Now he leaned across the counter
with glowing face. "Say.u he said.
She gave him a startled look, sut
she nodded. Nancy Lane, now,'1she
said.
Remember me2"
yes"
IRENE mber the chalk?''
She dimpled a little and nodded
again.
Live in the same house?"
YES"
I'm coming to see youi I know
your brother Sam"
..AI right" she said In quiyering
voice and he shot out OF the store.
nearly upsetting rigidly smiling
| floorwalker, and at the same time
apolegising to a wax figure wearing a
| palm beach suit and minus a head
OF course you want to know how II
turned out. Tom married Nancy Lane,
and of course the invention, was a sue
cess. and Toms income expanded to
meet every expense that came along.
/, The Fishers trade exclusively in
4 L