The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-03-26
EDening Story
A $500 Kermansha
BY r. RAY BAKER.

Armen's black eyes followed the
other until he arrived at bazaar near
the end of the block. The doctor did
not enter the bazaar Instead he
passed thru a doorway which opened
on stairs giving access to rooms over
the store II
Armen was not angry He just felt
sad or rather. he VAS plain Jealous.
| For Re knew Azaad was calling on
AraXia Altoonjian, whose father was
proprietor of the bazaar and whose
home was above it.
| Slowly Armen walked toward the
| back of his store. traversing its entire
| length with a few steps; because it
was only a niche 1t appeared that
| ings on the street had been started at
! either end of the block and that they
| had failed to rect in the middle. In
order to avoid wasting space a. little
twice as wide had been fitted between
the. two wallsJ For space was expen-
sive On the Midway of this Lake Mich
igan summer resort.
The contents of the coop. however,
rivaled thatAof many large bazaars in
intrinsic value, for it was filled with
Persian rugs, so full that Armen found
difficulty in making a path in his
worried pacing of the floor.
Armen's means of livelihood were
I
Araxia's heart. Araxia favored the
professions when it came to husbands.
In her opinion, selling rugs was a
mental existence. Armen, however,
could not bring himself to associate
his life from the business he had al
ways known and which his fathers had
followed before him. He loved rugs
and he knew them as an artist knows
colors.
He could not understand anybody,s
rnC fiT7cr h. f1o Of 1n
cent handwoven fabrics which seemed
to diffuse an atmosphere of enchant-
ment from the mysterious East.
AS he paced the floor Armen stop
ped now and then to caress one of his
beloved rugs which he had hung from
This scheme of display was not salts
factory, but it was the best he could
devise in his cramped quarters.
Il love you," he whispered to the
rugs. Next to Araxia and my mother,
far away in Armenia, 1 love you best"
Finally he seated himself a t the rear
of the store and concerned himself
with reflections on his unrequited
love He hoped no customers would
appear, because he wanted to think
of things more ethereal than business
His sales this week already had netted
him $1,000, and that was sufficient
Armen was accommodating a neat sum
in the bank.
DR.. Azaad BoyaJian was the fly in
Armen's ointment. Before the other
came. back from college with his de-
gree Armen had been making prog
ress in his love affair in spite OF
Araxia's aversion to his occupation
He had almost persuaded her that the
rug business was art, and she had
even promised to look over his assort-
ment some day.
Then DR.. Azaad came home and
spoiled everything. He liked Araxia,
and he was professional man. He
opened an office and set out after a
practice. This came slowly; in fact,
the doctor appeared to be having little
more than no success. But this had
no effect on AraXia'S admiration. He
was a professional man, which it was
better to be, even tho a financial fail
ure, than a rug merchant, no matter
how successful. Besides Azaad was
handsome and strong, albeit he had a
very excitable nature, which Araxia
excused as temperament, Armen him.
self had a rather attractive physiog-
nomy, but he was short of stature.
SO things began to go against Ar
men. Instead of calling twice each
week on Araxia, he was allowed to see
her but once, while the doctor went
three nights-and they were not pro-
tssional calls. Then, before long, Ar
men was left out entirely, for Araxia
always found some excuse when he
asked if he might call.
only yesterday Araxia had been in
vited into the rug shop when she was
walking on the other side of the
street. She had grudgingly consented
to enter the coop and had looked over
the rugs not only without enthusiasm,
but with marked disdain in her de-
meanor. Armen had fairly raved to
her about new Kermansha which
had just become part of his stock.
but she had thrown cold water on his
feTVOr with the remark.
"Oh, sure, Armen, it is nice to look
at, but one of those (pointing to sew
eral hanging near the back of the
storel would be just as good to walk
on. I've seen SO many that I hate
them, and when I have a home it will
have bare floors or old-fashioned car
pets"
This made Armen tear his fair, fig
uratively. The Kermansha was worth
$500, while the those" referred to by
Araxia would not bring more than
500 each.
Then, with polite sarcasm, Araxia
began ridiculing Armen and his rugs
until he reached the boiling point and
was glad when she left She would
not receive another invitation to look
at his precious stock, he resolved. Yet
his love did not diminish, in spite of
her cruel treatment. Rather, it was
intensified
Armen's cogitations were inter
rupted by the telephone bell.
This is Mrs. Tupenning," said a
,woman's voice on the wire. Eve de-
cided to take that Kermansha. 1 have
some friends at my home now, and
I'm anxious for them to see it. VIII
you have it sent right up?" She gave
the address.
Armen was glad of the excuse TO
get away from the shop and the vicin-
ity of Araxia's home. He rolled the
rug carefully-almost tearfu1iy. for he
was loathe to part with it-and went
out to the street
1t was necessary to go past the AL
toonjian apartments, on the other side
OF the street; and he resolved not to
look in that direction, for fear he
might see his idol in company with
Doctor Azaad. Just as he was utter
ing a sigh of satisfaction because he
had got past without yielding to the