The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-15
Euening Story
Daniel Wade as Cupid.
BY LATIMER J. WILSON.

monious music of typewriters. When
their "click-clicking' ceased to pour
from the hundreds of windows at noon
and at o'clock, the numerous eleva-
tors filled to overlooking and crowds
massive doors of the skyscraper.
Streams of humanity they flowed
down from the lofty heights to swell
downtown Broadway.
1t was barely one hour before the
opening of the noontide floodgate. The
ante-room office boy, that Individual
in uniform and buttons who demands
your name and your business, had
grown restless. During lull- in BUSH
ness he poked his head into the room
of No. %, where Miss Maybelle Kin
ney performed the duties of stenog-
rapher In years she was less than
twenty-five. while the office boy, her
aided merely as Dan, tho his name
was Daniel Howard Wade, tipped the
scale of years at fifteen.
"Z-z-z-s-t!" he significantly sound
ed in kind of tongue whistle. Has
Mapes asked you to lunch with him
today?"
Get out of here and mind your own
businessi" commander the girl threat
eningiy.
"I'll bet you're going to lunch with
him. Gee. Won't you look fine when
you're Mrs. Mapesi You'll get along
Mapes takes off his lid. Why, May!
You can curl your hair and paint your
lips in the reflection from his shiny
top whenever his hats off! OUGHT he
screamed in a whisper when the ham
die of her paper knife raped his
knuckles. Steps were heard approach
ing the door from the adjoining office,
and the boy quickly ducked back into
his own room.
The door opened and a tall. slender
young man, somewhat older than
Maybelle. came in with a handful of
letters. He was not at all bad look
ing, but the top of his head, the very
top-was shockingly bare.
Here, Miss Maybelle. you can look
after some of these Mr.. Mapes
was about to say. more when he sud-
denly discovered that he had left
something important in his office.
Just as the door closed behind him,
office by the little call button indica-
tor at her desk. AS she started out Of
the door Daniel poked his head into
the room.
"Ta-tai You're going to lunch with
Mapes, I'll bet!" he whispered loudly.
The girl Redeemed and scowled at him.
When she came back into her room,
about half an hour later. she brought
more letters and found upon her desk
the one Mapes had gone back to bring.
There was also little note from him.
asking her to lunch today. He said he
would come by for her at noon.
Maybel1e could think of no plausible
excuse for not going to lunch with her
fellow empIoye of the office staff. She
had not thought enough of him per-
sona1ly even to dislike him until young
Wade began to tease her. Then she
,ontrlH nothing h11f Mr. M1nps'S de-
pleted summit every time she sat OPP
posite him at the crowded table of the
restaurant. His fiery gaze of affec-
ton was futile in its attempt to melt
the icy unconcern of her manner.
He was hopelessly in, love. tho she
had not imagined it until Wade point
ed the direction of the wind. Now
Mapes's attention irritated her and she
wanted some polite excuse for refusing
him. She walked over and looked out
at the maze of windows in the wall OPP
posite-
In her dust-dry garden of business
routine the girl longed for breath
of youth and companionship, but
Mapes fell short of the mark. She
decided that whatever happened she
wouldn't go another time with him to
a picture theater or a restaurant.
Absently her gaze fell upon a win
dow directly opposite her own, but on
the floor below. A young man stood
III pld1Il VIEW iOOhlAS SlI aASIAt ct iiC2
and smiling. In his eyes at that mo-
ment she thought she read the ro-
nance of moonlight, springtime, youth
and adventure. There was no mis-
take. He was looking all of those
things right at her.
His hair was reached back in the
most genteel style. His brows were
arched exquisitei1y above his dark
eyes. which now sparkled with merri-
ment. He was surely smiling at her,
and she looked away abashed at first;
then back at him with an answering
but inuuisitive expression. She saw
him reach across his desk for sheet
of letter paper, upon which he printed
in large. clear letters with a pen:
EAST DOOR AT NOON"
She had never seen him before. but
from that moment he was new and
intense interest in the routine of Elec-
trio Square Maybelle decided that
she might as well trust her noon hour
with him as with Mapes, and he was
so much better looking than the latter.
So she nodded yes" and adjusted her
pearl bead necklace while she smiled
and biushed.
Just then the door opened and Mr..
Mapes came in.
Miss Maybelle-you read my note.
1 suppose. Well, here I've come Tor
you. VIII you let me have the plea :
ure ?" He seemed to take it for grant
ed that she would go with him.
Thank you very much, Mr.. Mapes-
have other plans for my noon hour
today, and cannot accept your invita-
ton" was her businesslfke refusal.
He was plainly surprised, and with
the instinct of jealous natures at once
suspected the cause.
I'm sorry, Miss Maypelle," was all
he said.
Following her few minutes later
he saw her hurrying toward the east
ern doorway of the great building
where she met and timidly shook
hands with a young man. Mapes lost
trace of them in the swift current OF
the crowd.
Don't you think we ought to be in
troduced?" Maybelle asked her escort
why, I hadn't thought of that We
already know each others names. I'm
Romeo-so-youre Juliet, don't you
know?" he laughed
She did not exactly understand, but
persisted in her own way