The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-13
Et'ening Story
Galloping Dominoes.
BY WILL T. AMES

Dearly did Jimmy Halpin love the
rattle of the dice. When the gallop-
ing dominoes, as Jimmy called them,
cavorted down the clubroom table,
sped by his deft fingers. and came to
rest with a six and an ace showing
in natural" then was the cup of
Jimmy's happiness full. And he was
lucky-very lucky. Jimmy held the
Young America club" record for
naturals; seven in succession. That
was a night indeed. Not only had
those seven naturals cleaned out the
pockets of the rest of the club mem
bership, but they had accomplish ed
that result so early in the evening
that the game was out and over and
Jimmy taking the air on the side
walk with his hat very much on one
side of his, head, when Mamie Hall
came home from her stenegra ply
lesson over at the Union" at a quar-
ter after nine.
Jimmy had had fancy for Mamie
for some time. Mamie, knowing
Jimny's reputation better than she
knew Jimmy, had not, however, been
responsive to his tentative advances.
Mamie had no notion of becoming
involved with a young man who had
earned the neighborhood sobriquet of
"Click-finger Jimmy in Recognition of
a well known attribute of the habitual
crap shooter.
But Jimmy, generously expansive
under the influence of his winning
streak had pumped at Mamie, in the
first half minute of their converse
ton an invitation to go to the Hip
podrome next evening and sit in a two
dollar seat.
"Gee." exclaimed Mamie. She did
some quick thinking and then she said
she'd go. What she thought was that
just going to a show with a fellow
once doesn't bind a girl in anything
steady-and how often does she get
a chance at a 81 seat?
Now it is one thing for a girl like
Mamie to take up with a lad like
Jimmy-just for once; and it is an
other thing to get rid of him. Mamie
had been six weeks now doing this
later thing-or deluding herself into
the belief that she was trying to do it;
and she was no nearer to it than at the
beginning. Meantime she had been to
five more shows with Jimmy, and
twice more had sat in a 50 seat-when
Jimmy had made a good winning at
the clubroom.
Wherefore Mamie had no right to
be surprised when Jimmie, bidding
her goodnight in the hallway down
stairs, didn't let go of her hand, but
instead, after swallowing hard and
with a shade of nervous treble in his
usually good baritone voice, said:
Hey, kiddo, whatya say-do we
make it a go, you and me-for good ?''
If this seems a Grass and flippant
manner of proposal, remember, please,
that over on the east side there is a
word so sacred that it is taboo. That
word is love" 1t is to be intimated,
suggested, proved-but never. spoken.
Right then and there Mamie would
have given much to be able to say,
with a clear conscience, ooh, l dunno
mebbe." But Mamie couldn't What
she said was:
Not SO you can notice it, Jimmie
Halpin. 1 amt marrying any fellow
that's got a bug on crap shooting
I've saw too much of it Two dollar
seats for show this week, and 2
cents worth of cat meat to eat all
next week. You're a sport, and 1
won't tie up to man that's going to
let pair of dice decide whether live
in a flat or out in the park"
The worst of this answer, from
Jimny's point Of view, was that he
knew the girl meant it. His soul
struggle was violent but brief.
Listen, Name" he said solemnly.
1T got two hundred and a quarter in
the bank and forty bucks in my
with mo and I give you my solemn
I'll never take a chance with a nickel
of our money on the worries or any
other way"
Mamie looked at him for a long ten
seconds. I'D you mean that?" she
asked breathlessly.
Sure" said Jimmy. And Mamie
knew he did.
Now, reader, meet Miss Gertie
Shane who lives across the corridor
from the Hall family. third floor back,
south. Miss Shane is but little pleased
at the news of the Halpin-Hall en-
gagement Consequently she is more
intimately sweet to Mamie than here
tofore.
Meet also Father Hall. given name
Edward, who carries a life insurance,
and Mother Hall, name of Caroline.
an indifferent person George. one
year junior to Mamie, completes the
Hall family.
For a month Mamie Hall was the
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