The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-09
E,ening Story
No Crime to Change Your Mind

he thought some one was calling him
he couldn't explain. Perhaps it was
/ because he feared it.
Sure enough, Mrs. Mckinney Shrek
ed up the stairs and told him he was
wanted so for the present he aban-
/ doned the task of maki--S; a refractory
bow tie look presentable, put on his
smoking jacket adjusted the collar
around his bare neck. and went down
gripped by a feeling of foreboding.
Hello Mel" said the sweet voice
of his bride-to-be. Say, Mel, I can't
marry you today"
The worst had happened. The fore
| bOding was well founded. For two
years Melvin had been trying to marry
Evelyn Meyer. and up to two months
ago he never had succeeded in even
proposing. Always something had in
tervened at the psychological moment.
On one occasion, when he was endeav-
oring to tell her how dismal life would
be without her, the house had caught
fire and caused postponement of the
attempt Another time, in the woods
during a spring ramble, a snake had
rustled in the bushes and caused Eve
lyn to flee while Melvin was framing
sugar-coated sentence Again, they
were padding a canoe, which began to
leak while he was preparing to unfold
his hearts secret But at last he had
succeeded in unburdening himself.
Evelyn had made him joyful by con-
senting, and the marriage date was
set
All the time Melvin was apPrehen-
sive that the, Fates would interfere. The
cause of this apprehension was his
knowledge of Evelyn's volatile moods.
She was forever changing her mind
about things. She had intended going
to conservatory for a finishing
course in music, but at the last mo-
ment had given it up. She had a trip
to the Pacific coast planned, to visit
a in pnrf1
ton, with the ticket in her hand, had
decided not to go. 1t was Evelyn's one
big faut, this changeabless, and
Melvin feared it would intrude on his
matrimonial program.
But the day of the ceremony
dawned with a bright sky and every
thing looked serene. The wedding,
which was to be simple with only close
relatives and friends attending, was
scheduled for high noon, and the bride
and groom were to leave Jefferson
City shortly after for Chicago, there
to take a steamer for Mackinac Island,
Melvin having obtained a summer po-
sition as wireless operator at the new
station at the famous resort. The boat
trip and the summer on the island
would be the honeymoon.
Yes, everything seemed serene at
last. until the telephone bell rang.
But Evelyn, what's the matter ?"
Melvin protested. I'm all dressed"
I've just changed my mind" said
Evelyn sweetly. IT'S no crime to
change your mind, is it? This is Fri
day, and it's unlucky to start anything
on Friday"
Melvin actually was on the verge of
tears when he returned to his room.
He felt sad, exasperated and angry all
at the same time, with each emotion
striving to Guido the others. He tore
the bothersome tie to shreds, stripped
off his best clothes and threw them
into a suitcase, and put on a business
like checked suit. He was undeter-
mined whether to take the train with
out going TO see Evelyn, but decided
not to.
She was sweetly adamant over her
decision against marriage at present.
I've just changed my mind, that's
all You'll have to go to Mackinac
alone. and I'll follow after, and we'll
Nget married up there-maybe."
Melvin gave up argument and recon
ciled himself as best he could. He
couldn't postpone the trip without los
ing his job, so he left that afternoon.
The weather was perfect for the lake
trip, and he would have enjoyed it If
only Evelyn had been with him.
I've a good mind to give her up"
he told himself more than once. She's
too changeable. 1 can't get used to it.
When I decide to do a thing 1 do it,
come what may"
For several days after his arrival on
the island Melvin refrained from writ
ing to Evelyn. He did a lot of thinking
and came to the conclusion he had
been too lenient.
"She needs some bossing," he de-
cided, and he sat down and wrote a
letter in which, among other things,
he said:
1.-The Mohawk leaves Chicago next
Friday morning and will arrive here
Saturday. You are to be a passenger
on the Mohawk, and there's no argu-
ment about it. These are orders,
see 90
After the letter had gone he worried
considerably for fear he had made it
too strong, but two days later he re-
ceiYed a telegram reading:
Am leaving Chicago Friday morn
ing on Mohawk, as ordered-Evelyn."
With a pronounced sensation of
triumph and satisfaction Melvin re-
read the message and folded it care
fully and placed it in a pocket for
future reference.
She'll know who's going to be
boss" he said.
But Melvin's triumph was short
lived, and his feeling of satisfa ction
was superseded by, dismay and mental
misery. He awoke Saturday morning
to find a fierce storm raging, and as
far as he could see across the straits
white-caps were leaping.
a 1luC udN LOT neT Trip, MeINln
unused dolefully, as he went to his
wireless station. Scarcely had he
donned his headdress when his ears
picked this startling message from the
air:
IS o. S. S. o. S. Cot off course.
struck rock, sinking, fifty miles off
Frankfort. S. o. S. S. o. S"
An icy hand seemed to clutch at Mel
wins heart and stop beating. For
several minutes he was powerless to
act
I'll relay the message broadcast"
he decided, and was preparing to do so
when out of the sky came an answer
to the cry of distress:
Mohawk, picked up you S. o. S
Rushing to rescue. Iowa, 100 miles
off Milwaukee"
Then came another:
"On way to help Mohawk Mani
toba, twenty miles off Traverse City,
Quickly came this flash in response:
Sinking fast, all pumps working.