The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-16
EucningStow
Fifteen Two.

smile OF Self-SattSfaction and triumph
He seemed in EXCEPTIONAL good humor
this evening.
But his daughter Esther was afraid
to approach him. she knew how
quickly that bright smile could be
transformed into threatening frown,
and she hesitated at the door of his
den.
Mr.. Harrows spied her and motioned
for her to enter.
@'Come on in. Es," he invited, land
let me tell you how. 1 won five games
sraight from old Sidney Brown. 1 tell
you it's getting SO there's no one
around here who can make it interest
ing for your old dad"
Esther entered and seated herself.
Her father fondled the bright metal
topped cFtbbage board and chuckled
once more.
"The FIRST game was real exciting
he admitted, land old Sidney was only
three holes from the finish when I
pulled sixteen hand and slid out.
The second gameT beat him by TWEEN
ty-tnree holes and the third by seven
teen The fourth locked kinda bad
for me when he got home to deal,
with me twenty points away from po-
sition, but I peggged twelve on him
with four sevens and then show him
a twenty-four hand, and from then on
rich. I skunked old Sidney on the fifth
game-skunked him! What do you
think of that?"
II don't know much about it, %
Esther faltered.. 81 never could see
anything in cribbage. It's just 5um-
Bile to me-fifteen two and fifteen
four and so on. I really don't know
what ii means
Mr.. Harrows's broad smile became
somewhat modified.
ITS your own fault" he said. 1--WE
urged you to learn, but you don't-take
any interest. I've explained that every
time you can count the spots of the
cards SO they'll make fifteen, consid-
ering each face card as ten, i. makes
you two points. Really. Es, you
ought to learn the game. Maybe you
coulo make it interesting for your old
DAD. No one else seems able to any
r1ic re"
Esther looked out the window into a
starlit sky and. sighed and bit her lip.
This was her opportunity to speak
what was on her mind, yet she hest
tated. She-was afraid.
Father" she began. after pause,
IT have something to tell you, and I'm
afraid you won't like it. lists
about Earl"
Mr.. ,Harrows' smile vanished com
'nletely.
You seen his daughter continued,
Earl loves me and 1 love him, and
I've promised to marry him. thought
I'd better tell you, because
The threatening frown appeared.
You thought right" calculated the
owner of the frown I'll have few
funny. Es-it's really funny. Isn't it
enough for you to love your poor old
dad, who's made a home for you
these twenty years? do you think / m
going to let some young whiffit come
in here and take my daughter away
and leave me to live all alone? l
guess not! Love or no love, you're
going to stay right under this roof
Esther looked crestfallen but I'M
daunted.
"He-he could live here with u.s."
she retorted. He's wiling"
"Oh, he is willing. is he?" her
father observed with fine sarcasm.
HE is willing. Ell? I suppose that's
ideas But let me tell youNit won't go,
I'm not willing, and that settles it!
I never had any use for this Earl, and
1 have less now should have stopped
matters sooner, but they're stopped
now. He'll never call on you again.
and you can tell him so. III find you
husband, when the time comes, and
he'll have some brains"
Earl has brains Esther protested
mildly. Hes in line for assistant
manager of the Mathews store. ana
That's enough" interrupted her
father. According to my ideas he
hasn't any brains, and that settles it
Now, you go on to bed and forget
about him. You've spoiled my whole
evening"
Esther obeyed him, forbearing to
remind him that he had spoiled her.
evening, too Mr.. Tle~rows went about
his real estate office with black
frowns and irritable speech all the
next day, but when evening came ne
donned a smile of expectation; Tor
Sidney Brown had promised to stop in
at o'clock for a three-game series
on his way to lodge. sidney came with
blood in his eyes. hungering for re-
venge but when he left an hour later,
he was a sadder and a wiser man.
Elmer Harrows had'triumphed again.
While E-ther's father sat gloating
over his success there came 1irm
knock at the den aoor.
Come in.''- he called, and a rather
good-looking, slim, weH-dressed young
man entered-a young man with alert
eyes.
"You-you-" he stammered- How
dare you-what is the meaning--
Il just Called announced the Wis
itor, "to ask for the hand of your
daughter in marriage
"Preposterousl' Numbered - Mr..
Harrows. ST told her it could never
be. I'll find husband for her, one
who has brains, one who can
Zone who ca. play cribbage. per-
haps," interrupted the young man
with a quiet smile. 81 presume that
takes brains" He nodded toward the
cribbage board which Mr.. Harrows
had been using TO emphasize his re-
marks.
Yes. one who can play crfbbage"
the latter blazed defiantly. Maybe
you think the game doesn't require
any brains. ,but tell you it does IN
bet you don't know a thing about
cribbage, and you never could learn
not in Thousand years"
Il know a little about it," the in
truder replied, still smiling. Perhaps
If we should play a game We could
argue better afterward."
This made Mr.. Harrows smile.
Its ridiculous" he said, but may
be it would serve as a good oppor-
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