The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-10
Eoening Story
A Little Bit Shy.
BY RAY LEWIS.

There are advantages in having
three older sisters-and there are dis
advantages. Tonight Thomas Brad
ley Morse was keenly aware of the
latter.
why in Sam HILL" he was mutter-
ing, cant the girls let me alone? 1
hate girls. And why should 1, just to
please a bunch of sisters, get a girl to
tag around after?'
< Suddenly he whistled. Such ON idea
as he had. But before going into that
idea, or rather while giving him time
TO work it out, let us look into the rea-
sons for his unbrotherly attitude, as
displayed Immediately after an inter-
view with his sisters in which they had
severally expressed themselves con-
corning him.
Its so disagreeable." lamented
Belle, ito have a brother whom you
manage finally to drag to a dance,
only to have him stay out on the bal
cony and smokei"
yes" chimed in Elsie, land the
girls are always limiting that it's a
shame to have such a good-looking
brother and not take him around
more. And 1 always tell them that he
may have good looks, but his dis
position is something awful
81 wouldn't care" sighed Janice. "if
could only say, oh, my brother-he's
engaged to a girl out west!" or He's
terribly interested in an out-of-town
girl But to have a brother who sim
ply won't look at a girl-why. it makes
him SO different from the other boys.''
Janice had given him the idea. If
being interesed imam out-of- town
girl would satisfy them, why, with a
little subterfuge. he could manage
that.
The firm for which he was drafts
man expected to send him out of town
for few days, and when he came
ho lob h hi
gagement. When he saw fit, he would
break it off, gradually and painlessly
! Such a scheme would free him from
| all the social obligations which he
hated and temporarily, at any rate
satisfy the ambitions of his family
A week later Tom was sent as he
had anticipated, and two weeks after.
ward he returned. And so interesting
had his trip been, owing first to the
success of his errand, and secondly tt
the attractions of the brown haired
daughter of the architect with whom
he had been dealing, that he had al
most forgotten his plan. 1t was no
until supper was over that he re
called it.
The family had gathered about hin
In the living room. In fact, he wa
suddenly aware that the assembly hat
jail the earmarks of a family conclave
with himself as the victim.
How old are you, Tom. dear?'
asked Elsie tentatively.
sam Blake is to be married mex
month remarked Belle, apropos o
nothing at all.
could not contain herself any longer
there's the incest girl staying at tn
BronsonS-'
That was as far as she got Ton
rose with dignity and gazed blandl
around. She arrived too late. My in
terests are firmly fixed elsewhere!"
Toni" The word was the amalga
nation of three shrieks. Then, "Wh
is she?" Where does she live !?
What does she look like?" wer
hurled at him simultaneously.
well. she doesn't live in this burg,
said Tom grimly.
ct must be Philadelphia" erie,
Belle.
And Tom, rejecting that Philadel
phia was a good big city. let it go a
4 that. Then, as he saw that he nigh
go the whole length, having gone a
all, he gave himself up to it. "She'
nineteen, has blue eyes. brown hair.
slim figure and slender feet" he re
cited glibly. Tier father is "a sho
merchant, and they live in a one
family house in a nice residential dis
i trict and own small car and a motto
boat
Lovely" murmured Janice. 'wha
is her name?'
Now. Tom had forgotten that sh
must have a nanTe, and the question
was SO sudden that he spoke befor
he thought. Had he thought. he woul'
not have uttered the promptings of hi
mind, most certainly. Mary Smith.
he said, then wished it back immedi
lately.
TITS delightfully."- quaint" said Belle
Now. Toms scheme had let him on
of a lot of things to which he ha'
grown more or less accustomed. bu
involved him in new duties for which
he was totally unprepared. All thre
Of his sisters took it upon themselve
Ito see that he wrote regularly an,
often. Men are SO thoughtless abou
little things" they confided to eacl
other, land it's up to US to see that h
doesn't lapse
/ And Tom, committed by his own de
ceitfulness, regularly penned in thei
presence lenthy epistles to the fai
1