The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-19
Etening Story
Amateur Matchmakers.
By GRACE SEWELL.

4
| The fire in the CRATE burned hap
pity, purring away Just as IL coal did
MT cost somewhere around $1s a ton
in Kenboro, and Lucille watched the
| thin blue flames that quivered over
the top of the fire like dancing furies.
Roger Frear watched her adoring-
| ly. They had only been engaged a
snort time and each day he discovered
new and enhancing beauties about his
| betrothed. He offered her a bright
penny on the end, of his finger and
she flipped it away and turned bright,
serious eyes upon him.
I'm thinking about Aunt Barbara,
she said. Shes not SO old and she
is still sweet and pretty in her own
/ way-and she ought 70 get married.
/ "Of course she could If she wanted
to-" agreed Roger. who was in the
state Of mind where all of Lucile's rel
atives shone in the girls reflected
glory. ct heard my Uncle Don used
to be sweet on Miss Barbara"
"Really?" gasped Lucille. II be-
lieved I was the only one who guessed
I there was an old attachment between
them. I wonder wha. parted them 2"
| perhaps he was scared stiff at the
| idea of proposing to a girl, and 1t died
a natural DEATH" said Roger, wise in
his own recent experience.
| Were you afraid to ask me, Rog-
! err" asked the girl shyly.
| He shook his handsome head. You
| helped me out a bit, you know" he
confessed.
Lucille stiffened into Ihauteur and
moved to the other end of the old sofa.
IT was unaware that helped one
| teeny bit," she protested. Are you
/ sorry that I didn't discourage you-or
refuse you? 1t rs not too late now!"
| Roger slid along the sofa until his
form. Darling, you were perfect"
| he said, and she knew he meant 1t,
but don't let us quarrel over some
foolish word, and perhaps be like Miss
Barbara and Uncle Don, lonely and
unhappy"
The girls face changed to one of
eagerness. You are right, dear, our
| love is great and we must not fail to
measure UP to it. How can We help
those two old young people to be
happy? You really, really believe Mr..
| Trevor cares YETI"
Seems to, somehow. Banks out
something now and then about her be-
| ing q fine woman, and even said you
did not measure up to Miss Barbara's
beauty when she was your age-rot
| like that!"
| ITS not rot and you know it, Roger
Frear. I am proud to look like Aunt
Bah and / should love to grow into a
| sweet middle age like hers. Suppose
you send her valentine and I'll
send him one-they might think-you
know"
''Fine-let us go down to Mr..
Pottss shop now" Bundled in furs
the lovers walked briskly down the
village street to a tiny stationer's shop
| in the center. Mr.. Potts's shop had
stood there for forty years. and the
little old man had dispensed yalen-
tines and writing paper and other sta
tionery to several generations of his
fellow townspeople. Lucille and Roger
found the old stationer all alone amid
cd of
"The choicest have been selected,
Mr.. Frear," he explained.
| Haven't you got any old ones in
stock? Not last years or the year be-
back-those dear old lace paper
things?" asked Lucille with a winning
| smile.
| Mr.. Potts became thoughtful. ST
dessay have" he admitted. 81 don't
] sell out every year and there's a big
box up in the loft here with a hodge
podge Of valentines and greeting cards
and such: there's cards with silk
fringe all around, real beauties!''
Let us see the box" said Roger.
| 9TH fetch it down, Mr.. Potts"
You'll get considerable dusty" said
the old man, but you're welcome to
pull it down, Go UP that ladder in
the back room"
Presently Lucille and Roger were
porting over cardboard boxes filled
/
found customer. The different lay
ers marked the changes in the taste
| of the people, but at last they came
| to the ones they wanted. Delicate and
! fairylike in structure, with rather
stilted verses, the old love rnissiyes
had a tender appeal. They picked ont
a dozen, and paid lavishly for them.
Mr.. Potts was SO pleased that he put
| the remainder en- his counter to help
out his thinning stock.
! Let us go home and each select
one to send-I hope the dears will be
pleased" chartered Lucille as they
paused in front of the shop window to
Look at the display.
Look there!" whispered Roger as
some one entered the shop. Lucille
stared as the trim, dignified form OF
Mr.. Donald Trevor approached the
counter and poked q gioved finger
among the valentines.
He is! He is buying one-that
Aunt Bah is fond of buttexffies!"
whispered Lucille. "Oh, Roger-see-
it is Aunt Barbara and she is going
| in
| Barbara Near met Mr.. Trevor in the
middle of the shop and there was a
| moments hesitation. and then a little
formal greeting, which seemed to melt
at once, for Mr.. Trevor displayed the
valentine he had bought. Barbara
blushed as he showed her the address
on the envelope and Rugged it close
to her heart. Donald stared incredu-
lously, and then with a defiant glance
at Mr.. Potts. he tucked Barbara's
hand under his arm and marched out
of the store. The matchmakers fled
down the street and landed breath
lessly at either end of the sofa in the
library.
= They won't want our valentines
now" sighed Lucille happily.
Let us send EN- to each other" de-
clared Roger. ''You can see it's never
too late to send a valentine,'
/ Copyright, 1921, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)