The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-22
EDening Story
The Ham Sandwich.
BY I. WRIGHT.

from his cramped position over the
engine and rubbed his greasy hands
down the tan overalls he wore. az
tell you, Dave" he said with a sigh,
."Im going up to that house and ask
for a drink of water. need a little
something after three hours, of this
work"
the car snorted: &C, wan, then" he
retorted shortly. Were not going to
call a garage man in for this little
job if it takes all day.
mo. that's all right with me-but
I'm going to have a drink of water.
right now-what I wouldn't do to i'll"
For a civil engineer with a nice,
new diploma>from college and a pretty
fraternity pin that no girl ever yet
succeeded in getting away-well, you
sound like hungry tramp" And the
man in the road turned over on his.
side and stretched two fingers up into
the motor and said something softly
under his breath.
4 up at the house on the hill a girl
with soft golden hair and violet eyes
stood on the porch, watching the prog
ress of the man coming up. His
figure is like Merwit's," she whis-
pered to herself. But Merwin-"
she sighed a little and sat down at
the white kitchen table, which was
spread. with two large loayes of bread,
butter, mustard and pretty pink ham.
'May-may I have drink of
water?" asked Merwin Palmer a mo-
ment later. This heat is frightful."
The girl with the violet eyes did not
look up from her bread cutting. THE
pump is there and the dipper is hang
ing in the apple tree directly above.
Help yourself' Her voice was low
and her tone cordial. y
he 11ol f.rr ,al k1
the pump she looked after him. Afraid
of tramps$ she was somehow fasci-
mated by his figure-a figure so SINH
lar to the college man she had met in
the city. His shoulders dropped as
he pumped, and he looked very tired.
When he called out Thanks" she was
again looking at her bread.
If he stared at her queerly she did
not know it, for she was not even
glancing his way.
Maybe tramps are lazy lot and
don't deserve anything" she said half
aloud, but I'll bet a san wieh would
taste good to him. Sa3i' she called
out She did not know how to address
him, and SAY" seemed~to be adequate
He turned.
Would you-care for a ham sand
wich?"
He turned and hurried toward her.
For a moment she was startled She
had heard dreadful tales of tramps
knocking girls sense1ess and going
thru the house to take everything of
value, she had heard of one place
near the next town where a tramp
had set fire to the house. She almost
regretted her impulse.
II don't know that you're hungry %
she said timidly. He looked SO large
now that he was coming up the porch
steps and In the screen door. But
thought ham sandwich
Why" he said cordially in boom
ing voice, I'D commit murder right
telling my pal down the road that a
ham sandwich" =
She -paled;' he had a pal down the
roadside did not dare look at him.
May 1 help myself" he asked as
she made no effort to hand him the
She nodded; her throat felt dry and
hot and she wished that some of the
family were home. 'tYou-you might
take one along to your-pal-'' she
said in a very little voice. s
.Fine-" he said eating the sand
low who sweafs as he does doesn't
deserve anything as good as this. II
seems to me that you have met
me" he said and then stopped
short
Her face famed; why had she called
INN OclSh WbSIl ne WdS OH HIS WAY
out of the yard. She dared not look
at him. Panic overwhelmed her.
aren't you Faith Darrow?" he
asked.
She looked at him now in surprise
Yes
You're never Merwin Palmer 2" she
gasped.
He nodded p1acidly. I'm glad yor
remembered. 1 thought you didn't
and"
She laughed nervousIy: We'll. why
why didn't you say so at the start
Lthought-you-thou you were g
tramp-in those Clothes
He stared at his tan overalls. 1.-THE
car broke down and Dave and ]
thought we'd fix it ourselves"
There was a strained silence as each
followed Thoughts concerning an even
ing where there was dancing, a bal
cony, certain words-and then the in
terruption of a crowd of dancers.
~ know" it was Merwin Palmer
who broke the silence. As he spoke
he was christening the shoulder strau
of his overall, revealing a well-cui
suit beneath. " know. always had
notion, Faith. that my fraternity
pin would look better on you than on
any one else in the world; suppose
We" he was holding out the pin
which had never before been out OF
his hands.
A snort made them turn around
SO this is what you call getting a
drink OF water while lie under thai
car and sweat?" 1t was Dave, hot and
tired.
Here's sandwich and there's the
Upper far down the yard there by the
pump. G'wan and get a drink" urged
Merwin Palmer with more cordially
than he had ever before shown
h1rc
Copyright, 1929, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicafe.)
II TTTCT EnY re