The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-05-05
Euening Story
Window Shopping.
BY r. RAY BAKER.


Lets go home now" suggested
, Ruth Paige. land pop corn, or make
fudge, or something. I've had enough
walk. haven't you?"
Some walk" growled John Gregory,
as they turned corner which took
them off Main street onto a residen-
more than an hour and a half. but
how far have We gone, ask you? BY
the time we get to your home it will
be exactly six blocks--one to get
downtown, four to cover both sides
of the street in the retail section and
one to return. And it wasn't really a
walk; it was just a poke. with you
dragging me to every window to stare
in at the finery displayed"
Ruth's mouth became firm and her
dimples disappeared, and fire flashed
from her eyes.
That's too bad" she said sarcastic
cally. Strange you wouldn't want me
to enjoy myself a little I can't have
all those handsome gowns and things,
but you shouldn't want to deprive me
the pleasure of looking at them. Just
because I'm going to be your wife
maybe--iS no reason you can start in
right now trying to take all the joy
out of my life. I've enjoyed myself
this afternoon, only now you had to
go and spoil everything. 1 dearly love
to look in the windows, especially
when the spring styles are on display.
The trouble with you is you don't ap-
preciate art and those displays are
art, and the men that trim the win
dows are artists. You're too prosaic,
with your dirty old job in a musty
printing office, and you haven't the
finer sensibilities to be affected by the
more refined efforts Of men who dress
well and keep thir hands and face free
from printers ink
Window shopping is a great occu-
patton" John returned just as sarcas-
t1cally. I'm shut up all day in a
print shop, and when I suggest a lit
tie fresh air and some exercise on
Sunday afternoon, you drag me down
to the stores and make me cape into
the windows like a country RUDE
Well, you got fooled at enc place
observation-disclosures they had the
window covered with a curtain
Just the same I'd get a look into
that window if I could" Ruth de-
clared, somewhat savagely, land you
and all the printers in town couldn't
stop me- If you're so fond of exer-
else and fresh air, you can keep on
walking right past my. home, and you
needn't ever walk back this way"
"Of course" John returned, his own
eyes splitting fire, "if that's the way
you feel about it, I'll do just that"
From which it might seem that
Ruth Paige and her fiance were mated
about as well as two positive poles of
a magnet. On the contrary. this was
| their first quarrel during the year they
had been acquainted. They were both
| possessed of stubborn disposition, with
| fiery tempers, but they were genuinely
| in love with each other and had CO.
operated to prevent clashes. 1t just
| happened, however, that John was
! peevish this Sunday afternoon, and his
! peevishness happened to strike Ruth
when she was in an exceptionally ir-
| rita bls mood.
| After each had expressed himself
and herself, they walked in silence the
remaindeE of the distance to her home.
At the entrance to the house they
| paused = ..s==szs.= -ssss- s'
surely you aren't coming in when
| there is so much fresh air outdoors.n
| she said euttingly, unable to resist the
temptation for final fling.
"Of course not" he responded, and
lifted his hat. as he moved off. down
| the street. "Goodby" he called, and
| did not once look back
Ruth stood looking after her de-
parted fiance for a moment, then
walked briskly into the house. In
stead of popping corn or making fudge
| she flounced to her room and held a
| private session with herself, in which
| a few teardrops flowed.
1t looked like an irFeparable break,
for with their obstinate dispositions
neither Ruth ner John would take the
| first step to effect a reconciliation.
| Ruth's makeup was such that she
| would permit her heart to be wrung
dry by misery before she would yield
one jot, and Johns temperament was
| constructed of the same kind of ma
| terial. They were both wrong, but
! they couldn't help it. What was need
ed was a clever mediator who could
| bring them together apparently by
| chance. However, there was little
| likelihood of this, because Ruth kept
4 her own counsel and John was taci-
turn about his affairs. AS an example
| of this he had been calling on Ruth
| for about two months before she even
had an inkling as to his means of
| making a living.
With John out of her life, Ruth took
up with Susie Atterson, who worked
| in the stenographic department with
her at Miller Brothers wholesale
paper house. Every evening at the
close of the days work they walked to-
gether, for their homes were not far
apart and they window-shopped to
something was wrong with Ruth and
John, because the latter no longer
| called for the former and escorted her
home. but rather adroit questioning
failed to bring enlightenment.
Hecksteeth's d part m n { store
| proved a mystery to both the girls.
| The big display window continued
screened from view with curtains, and
! their love for finery and natural sense
of curiosity kept them busy speculat-
| ing as to what new product of the
| trimmer'S skiilful hands was to be re-
| vealed to the pbulie. The mystery
grew on them till it obsessed them.
and it helped to assuage the pain Ruth
was suffering because of Johns exit
from her life.
For two weeks Ruth saw nothing of
John, and it was a long two weeks.
BY this time she had abandoned all
Hope of a reconciliation ever being
reached. and on Saturday afternoon
she wra pped his diamond ring and set
out for the postoffiee to mail it.
Every Saturday afternoon was a half
holiday for Miller Brothers employees.
| The route to the pestoffice took her
| past Hecksteeth's store, and with in
| ell,