The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-14
Eoening Story
His Girl.

His Girl.
| BY LAURA REID MONTGOMERY.
! ST canot see, Leonard, what you
are waiting for. Why do you dawdle
500"
! Lens calm blue eyes pIacidly re-
turned his mothers piercing scrutiny:
! well, there is no use in being too
hasty; Rose is young yet
i Mrs. Ross moved so briskly that her
darning-egg rolled out Of the sock . ana
she was twenty-nine her last birthday?
| You are three years older, and yet you
go about placidly as tho yoH were
/ both eighteen years old. Haven't you
seen Tom Briggs going into their yard
every single day? Do you know that
he took her flowers yesterday and
candy the day before? He'll cut you
out, yet"
| Len flushed: ''Why, thought Rose
/ liked ne stopped and stared at the
dapper figure of Tom Briggs who
passed at that moment. There was
confident smile on the dark, handsome
face of the young man who had re-
turned to his home town for a few
weeks on business.
Liked, yes-but do you suppose
she's going to pass up a chance like
that in case you might, sometime, get
up enough spunk to propose? Tom is
a wealthy man, he has had advantages
! that you've never had He talks
| French like a native and his suits
well, you just ought to hear the girls
| rave about his clothes"
| NO use of mans being a sissy"
commented Len, rising and standing
| over his mother. When he was stand
| ing Len looked like blond giant with
| his thick fair hair, and large, serene
| face
| mo use of a man being afraid to
speak out" Mrs. Ross smilede down
into her Inending as she heard his
half-suppressed ejaculation. He is
| just like his father" she thought with
| inward amusement, hard to start but
no holding after he's once started"
The whole village had been fluttered
since the coming of Tom Briggs. AL
| tho he owned the handsome brick
| cred to open it up for his brief stay.
! At the hotel he had taken the best
room and his queer city ways were
the unfailing topic under discussion
whenever he was not present: did
you hear?" Ariminta's faded eyes
I sparkled as she spoke. when he fin
| ished his dinner he put a quarter in
| Daisy's hand. When she asked him
what it was for he just glanced up
| from his newspaper a minute and said:
| Why, that's your tip. Isn't it enough
Think of such thing! Tipping a girl
| he had known all his life"
perhaps he didn't think" Old Mrs
| Grey tried to put a kindly construction
on the objectionable act.
Time he was athinkin'," responded
| Ariminta. DAISY said he never looked
at her when she set down his food
| before him--just ate and looked dis
satisfied with what she brought and
| you know her mother is n prime cook"
Guess he's making Rose set up and
| take notice" piped in Gale, who was
cleaning her white shoe on the porch.
| He took her a five-pound box OF
candy all tied up with ribbons. Len
would never waste his money like
that"
LENS a steady fellow. He has his
farm all paid for now and Ben says
hes bought liberty bond. Tom spec
ulates in the stock market. In the
| city, boasts of having made two thou
sand dollars in one week"
Yes, but he doesn't mention the
times he's lost. I'd hate to see a girl
of mine marry a gambler" Even Mrs.
Gray could not forgive the specula-
tons
After his early supper that night
Len gave his thick. fair hair an extra
brush and changed his coat. Then he
went slowly down the street toward
Roses home.
"'Nother feller's calling on your
girl" tainted Sam and lodged back
| behind his fathers hedge
| Len began to think seriously. Tom
was a good-looking man.
Rose was working on piece of
crocheting, altho the dusk was ap-
preaching swiftly. Tom, a picturesque
| figure in white silk suit. was sitting
well forward in his chair and talking
/ in low, earnest tones
Len slowly pushed open the gate and
went up the walk. Rose greeted him
quietly and nodded toward another
chair.
Don't you get pretty sick of this
small-town stuff, Len p" Toms dark
eyes studied the others face.
mo said Len, replying to the UNI
spoken but implied taunt; guess it's
just about my speed. They're all my
home folks and I wouldn't feel salts
fled anywhere else"
But" objected Tom. flicking the
ashes of his cigaret with white hand,
there are no opportunities for big
deals here"
! Len followed the flash of the jewel
on the effeminate finger: maybe not.
I'm making more every year and that
satisfies me-
Tom finally took his leave. He knew
Len of old and did not try to outstay
him as he would have done with al
most any other fellow
Think over what I said" he had
bent over Roses chair and the words
were mere whisper, but Len heard.
Rose" Len had waited until the
click of the gate had sounded after
Toms departure, 'are you going to
marry Tom?"
The porch was very quiet, the cries
| of children in the back street could
be heard but family, then arose the
hum of crickets, but still Rose failed
Ave- A 81, r., n