The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-21
Eoening Story
Romance and James.
BY DORA NOLAN.

|
scieptious-I can't. James belonged
to the seriously good-looking type. He
! was dark, almost to swarthiness. Back
of him, undoubtedly, was an Italian
ancestor, but very we'll plastered over
| finger down thru the crust of Puritan
| constraint and there was a bubbling
well of romance in James.
| First there was Miss Merritt in the
| office-and right here we must own
up that there was a flaw in the dark
/ eyes of our hero-he was a trifle near
sighted and would not wear glasses.
Still it was not entirely due to that
unfortunate fact that Miss Merritt had
! worked within ten feet of James for a
month before he discovered what a
really nice girl she was.
She was so negative in appearance
| that one missed her fine points at
| first. The highest paid writer on "Ad-
vice to business women" could but
| have approved of her dress. Spec
tacles, yellow tinged, gave to her eyes a
greenish tint. Her light brown hair
| was severely coiffed and cheeks were
guiltfess of color, either natural or ma
| turalized.
First accidentally and then inten-
tionally, James formed the habit of
| walking with Miss Merritt TO the cor
ner, where, after business hours, she
took her car. 1t followed as a matter
OF course that he called. Then he
came regularly twice week. Sitting
| in the dim gas light of the stiff board
ing house parlor their conversation
ranged from the latest increase in troll
ley fares to the League of Nations.
James decided that Miss Merritt, was a
most sensible young woman and all
his sober judgment could wish for.
But there were evenings when-so
Der judgment and James had nothing
to do with each other, when the desire
for romance dubbed up thru the
cracks of his reserve like the luscious
juice of a huckelberry pie is apt to do
even when concocted by the most
careful of cooks. But of these eve
nings he spoke not at all to Miss Mer-
rit.
Then James would HE himself to a
Bohemian tea room much frequented
by fashionably gowned young women.
Over his supper he would reYel in the
life and gayety of his surroundings
without ever joining in. tho the way
was made easy for him as it always is
for lone young men of interesting ap-
pearance. Then picture featuring
some beautiful star would lure him.
Afterward James would return to his
room with deep-drawn sigh that he
was but spectator at the romance of
life.
That is, he did until the night he
met Pauline. Colorful Paulinei PaU-
line of the big blue eyes and wonder
full marcelled hair, softly pink as to
cheeks, wildly red as to lips, with a
kfppy little close-fitting hat and be-
quilting VEIL. With skirt (James decid-
ed with a blush that the plural of that
word could not be used in describing
Pauline's appareD not too far below
the knees, and flimsy blouse, generous
in the matter of revealing her fine
white skin, covered by the luxurious
fur wrap which fastened up to the
spot where in the memory of oldish
men, girls used to wear their ears,
Pauline had floated into the tea room
and after a leisurely glance around
had calmly seated herself opposite to
James.
1t began by his passing her the salt
and ended by his taking her to see his
fayorite film star. Somewhere early
in the evening James had ventured to
mention his name and Pauline had
murmured softly but without the least
hesitation. IT shall call you Jimmie
And Your" questioned James
eagerly
Call me Pauline" she answered.
Pauline echoed James Unbid-
den there came the mental picture of
another girl-a girl who wore she'll
trimmed spectacles and severely plain
clothes, who never used his given
name tho they had been friends for
months. Miss Merits first name was
Pauline, too.
1t passed, that evening, like a rap
furious dream. They parted in front
of the theater, Pauline insisted that
Jimmie leave here there, limiting
nysteriously at reasons why. Yes, she
would try to slip away on the same
evening of the following week And
she did.
So it went on for month. Pauline
grew more and more beguiling, and
lost nothing of the air of mystery
which concealed her identity as COM
pletely as the fur-trimmed wrap con-
cealed her figure, and meanwhile Miss
MERIT grew more interesting and COM
panionable.
Came a Sunday when the Temporal
ture fell into the icy arms of the arctic
winds and that part of James's Italian
ancestor which had survived within
him crawled down into the depths of
his nature and fell fast asleep. But
his Puritan principles were right in
their element. They decided that new
er. no never, would James be happy
with any one as frivolous as Pauline.
1t was in this frame of mind that
James went to call on Miss Merritt that
evening.
That seventh sense, which warns all
women when a man is about to pro-
pose, was on the job and Miss Merits
reply was prompt.
MIR. Manning" she said calmly, "tare
you sure you would rather marry me
than any other woman in the world?
will leave you for twenty minutes
then I shall return and ask you. the
same question again.
James Manning gazed at the door
thru which Miss Merit had passed
until the sound of her footsteps ceased.
He hid his face in his hands. How did
she know? Then deep within him
something stirred and there a great
longing for Pauline-Pauline who, soft
and fragrant and elusive in her lux
urious garments, tyDified all that Miss
Merritt lacked. He would find her. He
would take her in his arms and tell
her how he loved her. James raised
his head, stood up, stretched out his
arms involuntarily to the vision and
some one entered the room and
walked straight into them.
Would you rather Marry me than
any other woman in the world, jim
mie?'' The voice came with muffled
sweetness from James's shoulder.