The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-29
EoeningfStory
Eyes and Voice.
BY r. RAY BAKER.

At least Roscoe had never heard of its
equal.
He was in love with two young
women. Nothing remarkable about
that, you will say; it's more often that
way than not. There's no disputing
that. The fact that he was in love
with two girls-or thought he was
was not the remarkable thing about
Roscoe's romance.
Here's the thing about il: One of
the girls Roscoe had never seen. and
the other he had never heard speak:
and he could not tell which of the two
was the more desirable. AS for that,
either case.
Roscoe was better acquainted with
Voice" than with Eyes In fact,
he did not know Eyes at all. Voice,
of course, was the one he talked wfefl
over the phone, and Eyes was the one
that worked in the same building with
him. He had tried in various ways to
meet her. but unfortunately the girl
was employed in an office entirely
separate from the one in which he
had a desk, and he had not been able
to find one among his fellow workers
who knew any of the girls associates.
Eyes had smiled at him when he
met her on the stairway for the first
time some ten months ago; and SUBJ
seQuently when he met her. which was
frequently, she had greeted him the
same way. But it was just a friendly,
comradely smile-not the invitation
filtration kind-and he was graf
flied it was that way. Roscoe had
liked the girl from the start, and dur
ing the months he saw her come and
go from the building he became con-
WINGED that he loved her--or would
love her if he had half a chance.
However. he was quite the opposite of
forwardness-notN exactly timid or
bashful, 5 but rather reserved. you
might say.
Roscoe's acquaintanceship with
Voice started a year back. 1t was
case of wrong number" The girl
was calling up a newspaper office to
get the baseball scores-for it devel-
oped she was a "fan"-and had be-
come connected with Roscoe's desk
instead. He was a fan" himself, and
had the scores at his tongues end, so
he furnished her with the desired in
formation.
Then he took one of the boldest steps
of his life. He told her he would give
her the scores every day if she would
call him up: in fact, he offered to call
her. but she refused to give, her num-
Der. She accepted his invitation. and
soon they became quite friendly in
their telephone associations, which at
first dealt mainly with baseball dope
but later widened their scope to other
subjects, altho never descending to the
plane commonly known as kidding"
Roscoe fell in love with the Voice.
not in silly way, but seriously. He
was a sentimental youth and the now
city of the situation appealed to him.
Still. he was handicapped by his re-
serve and could not muster the cour-
age, or whatever the missing ingredi-
ent might be, to ask the girls name or
seek to meet her.
months later he began meeting Hyes;
and he went up in the air. so to speak.
Eyes eyes were as beautiful TO look
upon as Voices voice was to hear. and
he felt that either of the girls would
fit in with his ideas of the ideal
Roscoe was not a particularly hand
some young man; still he had his at
| tractive features, one of which was his
immaculate appearance. while his
featureSe were clear-cut, and he had a
couple of dimples that stamped him
| as having a genial disposition. Yes. it
was entirely possible for girl to get
in, love with Roscoe at first sight, al
tho he did not flatter himself on that
score and did not suppose Eyes gave
him more than a passing thought.
AS to Roscoe's voice. 1t had tones
that were pleasing enough; at least,
| there was no harshness connected with
his speech. He realized, however, that
he labored under no delusion that
Voice had fallen in love with him or
was more interested than one enthusi-
astic baseball fan might be interested
| in another.
About the time Roscoe had decided
| he cared the most for Eyes, possibly
| because she was more tangible than
Voice, and perhaps because of his fear
that Voice might be quite the opposite
of beautiful to look upon, and maybe
because Eyes seemed the more elu-
sive, one of his fellow workers came
to him with this discouraging informa-
ton:
! It found out who that girl in the
red coat is. Her names Pearl Dixson
and she's in Dearborn's office up
stairs But you haven't a chance
Ros. She's already in love with a fell
low. I met her chum last night and
she told me So
+ Roscoe was disheartened, but
! frightened up when he learned that
| the next afternoon was to be a halt
opportunity of the season to witness
| a baseball game.
Roscoe owned a small roadster which
had not yetpassed the cranking stage.
and in this he motored to the ball
grounds. The game was so exciting
! that he forgot about his love affairs
and after its termination he fingered
! to discuss with umpire with whom
he was acquainted a technical point
on a ruling that had arisen during the
diamond conflict,
When Roscoe left the grounds the
/ crowds had vanished. all except a girl
! in red coat. who stood outside the
I gate looking about as tho in search OF
1 some one. She was Eyes, and she
1 smiled with them when she saw Ros-
coe.
Roscoe's heart beat violently as he
approached her, amazed at his own
temerity, lifted his hat and inquired;
Can I be of service? ,"
! 81 don't know" she replied. I'm
looking for my aunt. We got separated
in the crowd and Pm afraid she's
taken the trolley car thinking ] also
was on it. and there isn't another car
for half an hour
Roscoe stepped into the breach.
cdh be glad to- escort you home in
my-ny alleged automobile"
III be equally glad to ride in it. l
Ice II, xoyl ~,