The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-15
E0ening& Story
Business-First Josiah.
BY DORA NOLAN.

the face, had told him so when he was
very young. But she gave him this
consoling advice: Always look well
to the freshness of your linen, my son,
shine your shoes, scrub your ears and
you will be acceptable in any COM
pdny"
Tho Josiah's mother had departed
some years since to that land where
| the good book t0llS us-at least in
ferentiaI1y-there is neither shining of
shoes nor starching of collars. her. son
never forgot her sensible advice Also
during the two decades which passed
while Josiah was growing to man
hood, as the pendulum of fashion
swung from skirts which maintained
intimate terms with the ground to
skirts which looked down on terra
firma as something far beneath them,
so popular fiction changed its favorite
adjectives, when describing its favorite
heroes, from "dashing'' and "hand-
s o m e' to rugged" and well
groomed." Wherefore Josiah had a
better chance in the feminine world
than his mother had foreseen for him.
In fact Josiah Smithers had won
the girl OF his choice, and not without
competition. But also he had chosen
to give her up-and quite voluntarily.
That was during his second month in
the employ of big Man" who
possessed a talent for hiring brains
and squeezing therefrom many dollars.
just by the subtle flattery of placing
ever increasing responsibilities upon
| business became the A and z of
Josiah's existence. He aimed at def
| mite success. And he was convinced
that everything else, especially fun and
| friends. must go by the board until
success was attained.
Josiah's chum, Vernon Butler, yet
| remained to be told of the unpleasing
fact that he was doomed as sacri-
flee to the goddess of the eternal dol
lar Perhaps because Josiah missed
the girl so much more than he had
deemed it possible, he had put off
splitting bitches" with Vernon longer
| than he intended. For the deed he
chose a popular coffee house.
When, after their second cup, Jo-
sfah did break the news. his compan-
ion earnestly demonstrated. But can't
YOU See" Joe answered harshly, that
I am bound to get ahead and am will
ing to sacrifice everything to it?" Yer
non stiffened, "Oh," he answered
shortly. IF that's the way you look
at 1t, 1 have nothing further to Sayi'
Followed a silence between the two
friends. Butler, directing his interest
to his surroundings. took note of
man and a girl who had seated them
selves at a table across the aisle The
man he knew by sight as a wealthy,
INSCRIPTIONS "poseur:" one who af-
fected democracy particularly in the
case of young and pretty girls. The
girl Butler was sure he had seen be
fore-but where? 1t puzzled him until
her evident interest in Josiah recalled
that it was in the latter's company he
had once seen her. Subsequently Fsi-
lied on the subject, Joe had admitted
that the girl was pretty good pal OF
his. Then she, too. must have been
included in the everything" sacrificed
on the altar of business!
hot he
girl across the aisle is trying to at
tract your attention, Joe" Joe glanced
| around, answered the girls animated
greeting with a constrained nod and
, turned away again. But there was
flush on his cheeks and a trifle of un-
steadiness in his voice. Who is the
| MANI" he asked.
Beverly" answered his companion
you've heard of him, surely? Bad
repW Josiah, scowling, turned to look
at the man again. He was much older
| than the girl, and handsome. With
| insinuatingly caressing manner he
| leaned across the little table, SEEM
| ingly obIivious to all else save his fair
companion.
Tentatively Butler put one or two
questions to josiah, questions which
| had to do with the all absorbing topic
| of business, but it soon became plain
that Josiahs thoughts were engaged
| in team work with his eyes, and that
the latter were occupied with the
| couple across the aisle.
| Then, as tho from sheer impulse,
the girl suddenly deserted her COM
panion and came and seated herself
beside Josiah. Her escort trailed
along with no very good grace. Intro
ductions all around were in order, OF
course, Sc Vernon Butler learned sew
eral things. One was that the girls
name was Eba Sibley; another that
she and Joe possessed many memories
| in common which she now brought
up, in contrast with other memories
which. it seemed, she held in common
| with Beverly.
It became as plain as the nose on
his face to Butler that Eba. Sibley was
cleverly playing part. Taking no
part in the conversation himself. save
when some polite rejoinder seemed
| interest. Then, abruptly, the curtain
fell. The girl stood up, exclaiming to
Beverly, why, we shall be late for
the Follies! It's midnight now!"
Turning to the others. she added.
Won't you come along?"
| Two things were evident; that Moth
| ing this side of the horizon could keep
Josiah from accepting that challenge,
and that Beverly would prevent him il
he could. However it seemed to But
Ter that, in loyalty to his friend, he
himself must refuse. And his fidel-
it% received this much reward. that
Joe flung back over his shoulder in
quite his DID, pre-business-first man
ner, "See you tomorrow night, old
| hoy-and tell you all about1it."
So Butler hoping that his chum's
words bore a double meaning-for he
was not IN the least curious concern
| ing the Follies, having witnessed that
performance no less than four times
already-said his adieus and de-
parted.
OF the three only Eba seemed to
! really enjoy the show. Josiah looked
| about as cheerful as a dyspeptic who
must sit in at a nine course dinner.
| Fair, fluttering femininity. arrayed
| like lilies of the field, seemed know
ingiy to flaunt in his face the fact
! that without It this would be a drear
old world indeed-and that without it
business would lack the incentive
which created It. Grimly Josiah con-
fessed to himself that he had thrown