The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-30
Eoening Story
villains and Horse Thieves.


Landlords are villains!" announced
Hilda Crandell with conviction.
81 won't argue with you," returned
Ethel Knnger.
HiIda was reading a letter the post
man had just left Ethel was deep in
a musical magazine.
They're hogs!" added Htlda, as she
read on.
That statement will never start a
quarrel between you and me-" OBJ
served Ethel, turning page OF the
magazine.
They're horsethieyes and murder
i'ers!" raved Hilda~ No owner OF an
apartment house will ever get to
heaven
Judge not that We be not judged"
warned Ethel.
Look here, Ethel!' shrilled Hilda.
rising from her chair and stamping a
foot IT you knew what this letter
meant you would not be so tndiffer-
Ethel laid aside the magazine and
looked up. smiling. She was the smil-
ing kind.
well. what does it mean?" she in
CURED sweetly.
savagely. This is a letter from old
Smithers, and it announces a $40 raise
| in rent. 1t also tells us that no
monographs may be PLAYED in this
| building after o'clock at night and
that young lady tenants must send
young men callers home at half past
eight"
Ethel forgot to smile. Her eyes
blazed.
I've lost my indifference she said.
IT sanction all you have said. Old
Smithers goes to bed every night at
Is o'clock, and that's why he orders
music stopped at that hour. He's an
old crouch that never had a girl look
at him without scowling, so he makes
, us Gust our men friends at the hour
when they usually arrive. l mean
your men friends, Hilda, because /
never have any. 1 have to go into the
bedroom every other night so you
may entertain in the living room.
Just the same, 1 might have beau
some night, so, you see, this latest
edict affects me. You know, too, that
love music, and that l don't get home
from work until half past seven We
might as well sell the photograph.
And the rent-of course. that's the
worst blow of all. 1t makes hun
dred per cenA raise in the last year.
Yes, Hilda, I've lost my indifference.
place to move.'
| Hilda dropped into a chair.
Guess We'll have to grin and bear
it." she mourned. "We'll go without
those new dresses to meet the raise,
and We'll resign ourselves TO single
| blessedness the rest of our lives"
Just so old Smithers can enjoy the
comforts of his grouchy bachelor
hood" added Ethel. "It's unfortunate
that he lives right under US; otherwise
we might forget some If his orders
now and then. 1 wonder how he gets
away with these thinos. He doesn't
own the building, does hep"
| mo; at least, 1 understand that he
doesn't. But that makes no differ
ence. The owners are worse than their
agents. Well, it simply means more
economy for us, so the owner can
have more luxury"
| Ethel agreed, but the very next day
she fell from grace. On her way to
| the car line from the office where she
worked, she passed a monograph
shop with a display of records in the
window. They were all grand opera
! selections, and were offered at n bar
gain. She could not resist the present
| temptation and she spent five hard
earned dollars in the shop, and carried
away five records.
From the trolley car she transferred
to the subway and got into a crowded
car. 1t had scarcely started from the
station before 1t came to a sudden stop
and the cry of fire" went up. In
some manner the doors became
thrown open, and the panic-stricken
| crowd Surged out.
Ethel felt that she would be
crushed to death, for she was short
and those about her were tall. Once
out of the car, however, she detached
herself from the crowd aid started
running along the track, holding the
precious records high in one hand to
prevent their destruction.
Her arm was caught in a firm grasr
and she was jerked backward. A tall
young man with twinkling eyes, was
I holding her.
Just in timei" he exclaimed. :Du
you know, young lady, you were Just
about to step on the third rail? The
| rest of the crowd thought about 1t
panic-stricken tho they were, and
kept clear. Don't you know it would
have meant instant death."s
/ Ethel turned pale.
"Thank-thank you" she, STAN
mered, for saving my life"
"Oh, it's all right assured the
young man. 'T think 1 had better
| take charge of you, tho. Let me take
|