The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-05
EDening Story
Nothing in Common.

BY r.. RAY BAKER
Before Mazda began to speak Joe
Fargo knew he was doomed. He could
see it in her eyes-rather Sad eyes just
now, but usually filled with the snap
ping fire of vivacity.
/ Marriage is a business investm ent, -
she began, after a five-minute silence
/ following his proposal. 'tOf course
there must be love, and lots of it,
And in this case there isn't love
] or at least not lots of it % he inquired.
/ That's the principal reason 1 don't
fill the bill, presume
Il didn't say So somewhat sharply.
| "A girl may love a man and at the
same time refuse to marry him. If
she rejects him that is enough. He is
not supposed to demand reasons; but
| I'm giving voluntarily, and it can
| be termed a business reason
There is no gainsaying the fact that
Joe was surprised. He had been in
timately associated with MAZDA for
! two years, waiting only for the time
when he was financially able to marry.
and now when that time had come she
calmly informed him that business
reasons" prevented their union.
LAS 1 said,'' she continued. slowly
pushing herself back and forth in the
porch swing by means. of foot; mar
riage is q business proposition. Don't
misunderstood me The fact that you
I
I'm aware that you have ability and
are saving money. That is not the
question. The big point is we have
nothing common. \ like classical mu
sic and you want jazz. We both like
books but you dote on the masters
and modern fiction suis me better.
Pie plays a big part in your meals
and 1 detest it, You can't eat salads
and 1 must have them. Your favorite
drink is coffee and mine is tea. You
can't live without meat and care little
for vegetables, while with me vegetd-
bles are first and meat is unneces-
sary. I am wild about opera and you
care more for vaudeville. 1 would
rather dance than eat: you would
rather die than dance-and so on. l
have been very observant during our
associations and l find we have moth
ing in common; and therefore We new
err could succeed in matrimo nial VEN
ture, no matter how much love ex-
listed between us"
This bit of impromptu oratory took
a cigar, but stopped, with a burning
match in his hand and scorched his
fingers.
Don't you see that 1 am right,
Joe?" MAZDA insisted.
Joe was not the arguing kind, and
sophicafly, never surrendering, but
biding his time when the occasion
warranted it. He rose, lighted his ci-
gar. and stood while he puffed it
meditatively.
"All right it's as you say, Mazda;
but some day we'll-we'lI find com
mon ground"
Perhaps" she returned "In fact,
L really hope so, Joe"
She watched him swing off down
the path, and her eyes took on an un-
natural glisten. From beneath an
open maga zine on the swing beside
her she took a long, thin cardboard
box. from which she extracted a red
gumdrop. placed it in her mouth and
lay back with an air of contentment
the promise Nof tears fading from her
eyes.
MAZDA could not resist gumdrops.
Chewing one always seemed to help
her forget her troubles and she had
But she had strong convictions. and
she also had the courage to stand by
them.
When MAZDA stepped from the train
at Bears Neck her spirits dropped
like an elevator suddenly relieved of
it's weights. When one starts on a
summer vacation it is nice to have
sunshine for companion, and when
one arrives at a destination, it is not
exhiiarating to be dumped into mud
hole.
Bears Neck resemb1ed nothing so
much as a huge dab of mud. An art
list could have reproduced the town on
canvas by using only brown and black
paint, and he would not have needed
to exercise care against smearing.
Rain was pouring. Mazda stood on
the platform, while several gloomy cit
liens surveyed her. and wondered If
the mud despatched flivver standing
in the road could be for her. She al
most hoped it wasn't, SO she would
have a good excuse to get on the next
train and let Bears Neck slide out of
her life.
But young man attired in a blue
shirt, khaki trousers, puttees and