The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-11
JUST A<GIRL
By JANE PHELPS
MARY A PHILOSOPHER.
CHAPTER 142.

Tom and Mary were prospecting be-
yond their widest hopes. But how
they had worked and planned and
| loved. One never could leave out
their love when talking of them. 1t
was really beautiful-each so unself-
ishly doing everything to make the
other happy. always sweet and
thoughtful, even tho they disagreed
about some things.
i For neither had a cut-and-dried
mind. 1t was Mary's push that made
| them try new experiments, usually
successful ones; it was Toms streak
| of caution that kept them from ex-
travagance. I loved to spend an even
| ing with them, or have them with us.
Since mother came, and then Aunt
| Susan, I had not been to the shop as
often as before; and 1 was amazed at
the improvements they had made.
| Tom had rented the lower floor of the
building next door, had cut an arch be-
| tween, and so doubled the size of the
shop. They had furnished it along
the same lines as we had when we
started. Tom doing all the painting
and other work.
You have tablecloths now!" 1 ex-
claimed in surprise.
yes" Mary answered. 1--WE heard
SOOu IIldHy DeCduS0 the
bare tables were noisy. So we decided
to get the table cloths and napkins
! They cost us a good deal, Zena, but I
guess we had to come to it. . Several of
our regular customers have spoken
about it. One woman even said the
pancakes tasted better"
They had two dainty looking Irish
| girls as mattresses. Yet they both
| helped. A cook had been installed
| with many ofsAunt Susan's recipes, and
l laughingly asked Tim if they would
speak to me when they became mil
lionaires.
Don't. Zenal If it hadn't been for
you, I would most likely be selling
| coffee yet-and goodness knows where
Mary would have been. She might
| even be married to some other fellow!p
No sir! You was meant for me and
| me for you. Don't you believe that,
zena? That people are meant for each
other? That they sort of belong to-
gether? I do. OF course, it was owing
to you that we could have all this-if
you hadn't pawned your ring we never
could have got started. But feel sure
that even if we hadn't had the shop,
| I'd have found Tom"
How about me finding your" Tom
| asked patting her shoulder.
1t wouldn't have made any differ
ence who done the finding, so long as
we got together. would it? But, zena,
don't you think I'm right?''
Il never thought much about 1t.
Mary. But-perhaps-you are right,
In a way. Yet I don't know-people
| don't always have a chance to meet
| others, and,'-
'Of course they don't! And that's
the reason there are so many old
| maids-1 mean bachelor girls, ana
bachelor men. Poor things, I pity
| them. But they are the honest ones,
|
them would be married if they Just
said yes to the first one who came
| along? It's because they are waiting
for the right one that they don't hitch
! up, not because they are so stuck on
their own Society. And it's because
some of them are SO afraid they won't
get another chance that they say yes
\ without waiting to see if Mr., Right
shows up. That's the reason there's
SO many divorces"
Got it all doped out, haven't you.
| Mary?" Tom said with a laugh, vet
with sort of pride also in the look
| he gave Mary.
"Of course I have! You know I
am right, teo-ain't I, Zena?"
| 81 think you are-pretty nearly,
anyway. It's a pretty big subject,
this man-and-woman subject, Mary.
Yet when people are really happy
like you and Tom-it seems 30 sim
ple.'
That's because we really love each
| other. We didn't marry for money
nor for position or good looks" with
a mischievous glance at Tom, but
Just because we loved SO much we
had to-
| Just then a customer came in and
our conversation ended. But all the
way home L thought of what Mary
had said, and wondered if she were
right When told mother and Aunt
| Susan of the improvements at the
shop I also told them some of the
things she had said.
"She is quite a philosopher" mother
said, with an indulgent smile.
she's a sensible girl" was Aunt
| Susan's comment.
| (Tomorrow--A supper party.)