The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-11
EDening Story
Lora Goes to Town.
BY /. WRIGHT


Lora hurried down the street, her
purse in one hand, a list of errands in
the other and old Mrs Martins UNI
breila hung on her ARA The umbrella
was to be left at one of the department.
stores to be mended.
why carry an umbrella on day
like this?'' called Jessie Meachem,
whose veil proclaimed to the suburb
of Westmont that she too, was going
into the city for the day.
Before Lora could answer a young
collie rushed pell nell up the street,
followed at a slower pace by young
man, with his cap under his arm. The
surgeons case in one hand told he
was a doctor.
Lot of errands to do for every
body in town as usual?" he asked
as he came up to the girls.
Lora smiled.
"Oh of course" answered Jessie
Meachem. Actually it gets SO bad
that 1 sometimes think I'll get up and
| take the milk train into town to avoid
the errands everyone has. Things that
people wouldn't dream of doing them
selves they'll ask some one else to-do
for them. Mark Temple asked me to
bring him eight library books week
before last. He went in last week on
| Thursday and when 1 went Friday he
inquired his reason for leaving them
| when he was in town the day before
and he just laughed. Il don't like car
rying things he replied easily. -
l The young man with the cap
colored. "Help!" he muttered throw
ing up his hands in mock appeal. -
IL was going to ask one of you to
| order some dog biscuits for the pup.
He hasn't one biscuit left and the
grocers here in town don't carry
| them
The train whistle urged the girls
| towards the station and after they
were well on thefway into town the
chief topic of Westmont conversation
the dinner-dance at the club
came up. only the young married
| nounced Jessie Meachem. 'sOf course
the girls will go-as many of them
as there are unmarried men in West
montana you know" she paused
and stared at Lora, YOU know how
many young, unmarried men there are
in SWestmont. Might as we'll hunt a
needle in a haystack as an unattached
| man there"
| Lora added another item to her
pencilled list and laughed as she
! listened. There aren't many" she
confessed. yet at least nine girls
will get invitations to the affair. if
all of the unattached men go. For
my part, 1 don't even expect to go
and so I am settled. If it's nice
evening I'll take Bonnie to the
! movies,
Her voice tried 10 keep disap-
rointnent from the surface but
Jessie Meachem only smiled cynic-
ally. well 1 want to go. If a
be dead socially as far as West
mont is concerned. You know that,
Lora Romaine And I'm going to
tgo to it if I have to ask somebody
to take me-
Lora gasped. "You never would"
eff I didn't think young DR.. Miles
would be off on a hike with that
collie Of his I'd ask him to take
me" said Jessie stoutly.
Lora's cheeks flushed but as the
train was already entering the
union station no one noticed.
All day long Lora rushed from
/ place to place. She had come i'll
to the city to buy some fringe and
trimming for a black lace frock. 1t
was bne that she had had for some
time for parties and which, if she
| were fortunate enough to be asked,
would be quite suitable for the din
| ner-dance to be held in Westmont.
The list of commissions given her
by neighbers SO filled her day, how
ever, that it was we'll after o'clock
when she flew into the trimming
shop for her fringe. She counted
out the even change and picked up
her small parcels carefully. After
having them wrapped together at the
service desk she started to do her
last errand.
i In the seventh floor grocery de-
partment she bought a f,ve-pound
box of dog biscuits and ordered five
more boxes to be delivered. The
five-pound box she carried with her
She arrived at the station in time
to watch the last coach of the 5.51
pull out The next train for West
mont would not leave until 6.42. III
I hadn't stopped for the dog bis
cults she said to herself. Be-
fore she could finish some one tap
DIR. Miles.
| Miss 70" he asked.
| She nodded II meant that she
would miss dinner at home for her
aunt was strict and meals were not
kept waiting for any one no matter
what the excuse might be.
| II just came in and happened to
lsee you looking after the home-gofne
ltrain," laughed Dr. Miles. ~'T had to