The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-12
Eoening Story
Fifty-Fifty.
BY DORA NOLAN.

BY DORA MOLLAN.
Ted Joy came into the family dining
room doing out the morning mail and
commenting on the external appear
ance of each letter before parting
with it. Here's one for you from
Aunt Ann, mother; the ever unwel-
come little bill for yours, dad; two for
yours truly, and only one for you,
Sally. What's happened to Chet?-
! skipped you two days now" He
paused TO scrutinize carefully a large,
square, brown envelope, ignoring his
sisters outstretched hand while he re-
marked: Says 'Fifty-fifty' in the
corner-and some address-sounds
like a tooth paste"
"Or a lottery number" added his
father. 'Give the letter to Sally. Ted;
you're worse than a country postman."
Sally was glad to hide her disap p
Chefs familiar scrawl by appearing
interested in the one bearing the cryp-
tic number. Quickest way to find
out is to open it. 1 suppose" and Sally
suited the action to the word.
CHANGING at the first few lines, she
turned over to the signature, eXclaim-
ing in a surprised tone: why. it's
from Chefs sister. Elizabeth. They've
taken a little house out in Browns
vile. It's on a river, and it's hardly
finished yet"
Then, reading along, They've taken
it by the year; expect to stay there
most of the time. They've named it
Fifty fifty She wants me to come
down over the week end"
Believe in being original, don't
they?" commented Ted. II like Eliz-
abeth: she's a good sport"
"A clever little woman. and her hus-
bands a brilliant fellow-always en-
joy his stories. Come, Ted, or Wen be
followed by Ted, walked out of the
room and out of this story.
Mrs. Joy turned to her daughter:
sally. haven't you and Chef made up
that absurd quarrel yet? If you don't
look out you'll lose him. And then"
Mother" Sally interrupted calmly,
looking up from the letter she was
still reading, "Chet and L have not
quarreled. It's merely a difference
of opinion"
persisted. cit amounts to the same
thing. When I was young a girl was
glad enough 10 give up her work when
she married. You're a mighty lucky
girl to get man with a salary like
Chefs"
Mother, it isn't the money-but
what's the use of arguing? just can't
make you understand. Listen. EliZ-i
abeth says that their new home would
just. about fit into our living room and
that it has five rooms. She is fur
nishing it according to the ideas she
absorbed in Greenwich illage-paint-
ed furniture, in bright colors. She
says it's a dandy bluff to put up when
you're broke, to pretend to prefer that
sort of thing to solid mahogany. She
wants me to come down and help her
decide on some of the colors. She
asked Chef, too, but he can't get away.
So I'll go, mother, if you don't mind.
can't do any more up at Mrs. Bar
lows until that cretonne comes
When Sally Joy alighted from the
f,-ai ~, Of BRO
raining steadily. No one was there to
meet her. She ran inside, but the lit
tie building was empty. Thru the
window she could see q dilapidated
buggy standing outside and Ford,
with curtains tightly drawn, came
humping down the road. 1t stopped
with a jerk and a man jumped out.
The long, yellow oilskin slicker and
SLOUGH hat pulled down would have
disguised him from his best friend,
thing, perhaps his brisk movements,
Sally recognized him instantly.
Something sang in Sally's heart,
Its Cheti It's Chet," but she deter
minedly squelcned that something and
presented an unsmiling face to the
young man.
Chester Radiger seemed oblivious to
her GOODNESS. With much gallantry
he took her bag, complimented her on
her appearance, helped her into the
car and kept up a running fire of con-
versation during the three-mile drive.
He described his sisters house in an
amused fashion. commented on its
name, and, to Sally's question, why
Fifty fifty?" answered that he would
leave that to Elizabeth to explain.
"Of course thought Sally inward
iy this is all for the benefit of the
jitney man. He's making a show of
treating me like any guest of his sis
ter. I'll be just as nonchalant about
it as he is"
When the car stopped and Chef
pulled back the curtains Sally beheld
a tiny house, hip rooted and shingled,
nesting close to the country road.