The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-08
EDening Story
When Jack Lost His Rudder.
BY CORONA REMINGTON.
Eyes I'd love tn do il hut father

Eyes, I'd love to do it, but father
doesn't approve"
Jack Stamford! Isn't it your $4,000
you want to put into this business,
and aren't you of age, and haven't
you enough sense to do little think
Sometimes you make me so mad I
could cry"
Vivian Shippe jumped up from the
davenport where she had been sitting
beside her fiance and hurriedly
dabbed at her eyes as she started to-
ward the door. In one stride he was
beside her and had her in his arms.
"Oh, but you don't understand he
pleaded. I'm all dad has, and he's
watched over me and cared for me,
and advised me ever since I was in
kindergarten. 1t would kill him If I
went against his wishes. I always
consult him about everything"
II Sc eyou do" she answered driiy.
quietly.
They were nearer a quarrel than
they ever had been, and in a rush of
penitence Vivian put her arms around
him.
Forgive me. Jack; I'm little cat
today. I know how hard your posi-
ton must be. but he isn't fair to you"
Hes wonderful to me. He's the
finest father a chap ever had" SIAM
ford defended
well, even If you lost the money,
I'd rather you'd plunge in and see
what you can do for YOURSELF 1t looks
like a good chance to me even If I
don't know much about business"
Almost imperceptibly the man
shook his head and sighed. IT don't
know what to do; heaven knows I
don't. Well, I promised dad I'd be
back by ten. He wants d game of
chess tonight, and his old crony at the
clubs gone back on him."
Reluctantly they parted, and Vivian
went up to her room more depressed
and discouraged than she had been in
weeks. What sort of man was Jacks
father, anyhow, she wondered. She
only knew few people there, and she
had always lodged when Jack had
suggested bringing his father around.
Somehow she dreaded this man she
had never met. He must be an over
bearing, domineering sort of creature,
she reflected. or he wouldn't try to
rule his son the way he did.
What could be done to break Jack
loose? AS things were now he would
never be a man. How she would love
of him! AS the idea flashed thru
her mind her lips Strengthened out into
a grim little line of determination.
The next morning at breakfast her
family noticed that she seemed to be
preoccupied, and just little excited.
I'm going uptown" she told her
mother, after breakfast.
What for, dear?"
"0h, it's a secret mission-some re-
form work." she answered lightly.
A moment later she was deftly back
ing the little green car out of the
garage and planning her campaign.
AS she stopped in front of the tall
office building her courage almost
failed her, but she went bravely in
and let the speeding elevator rush her
to her destiny
"Mr. Stamford she began, as she
confronted a rather handsome middle
aged man in the presidents office of
the Longace Iron Works, I'm Vivian
Shippe, Jacks fiancee."
Jacks what? Why, he never told
men calculated Stamford senior
ST don't blame him." answered the
girl, coolly, feeling her composure
coming back, land that's just what
I've come here to talk to you about
You are simply running Jack. He
hardly dareS to breathe without your
consent, and he has about as mucn
initiative as three-year-old. He's a
mollycoddle, that's what he is, and it
isn't his fault, aeither-it's yours, all
yours. You think you're a devoted
father, instead of which you're leech
sucking the manhood out of your own
son. He has no worse enemy in this
whole world than his father
Stamford, red and Spluttering,
silenced him with a look and went on:
HE wanted to start out in business
for himself, but you discouraged him.
What if he did fail and lose a few
thousand? Id rather have a man pen
niless who had tried and who had a
backbone of his own than one who
was scared to venture anything. I'm
going to marry him because I love
him, but I'd almost do it if it was only
to save him from you, his devoted
father.
That's all have to say she end
ed. IT don't care how much you hate
me-that'n do you good, but think
over what I've said, will your
With a nod she was gone. once
back in her car an outburst of pent-
up emotion swept over her and her
hands on the steering wheel trembled
so that she could hardly drive. Reach
ing home, she rushed up the back
stairs to her room and locked herself
in. Two hours later the telephone
rang.
Say. dearest, got to see you right
away. Coming now
In a flash he had hung up and the
girl had just time to dab some pow
der on her tear stained face and
straighten her tousled hair.
''Whoops! The best news. It's a
corker. Dads a trump-alwayS told
you he was-called me up and we just
had an interview and he told me he'd
reconsidered the matter about my go
ing into business and thought it was
good plan. Just as If that WASH
knockout enough he calmly handed
me a check for $4,000 SO as to give
me a good start"
What a perfect dear he isl" ex-
claimed Vivian.
Eyes, but he acted awfully funny.
I was a little worried for a while.
After we got thru he said, Son, if
you have a best girl or anything of
that sort, tell her that love is often
blind, but not always incurabIy So I
I tried to get him to explain, but he
just laughed and put out his hand"
1.-The dear" said Vivian softly. ct
believe I'd like to meet him now. 1
just know I'm going to love him.
Copyright, 1922, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)