The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-06

Loves New and Old.
BY H IRVING KING.

Because Marietta had a birthday
and because Dick was in love with
Marietta, Dick had to give her a birth
day present. That was manifest des-
tiny, and Dick did not seek to escape
destiny, but to fulfill it. But how7
That was the question. For Richard
Jameson was about as near stone-
broke as he could be and not be abso-
lutely SO, and Marietta Davis was not
q young lady to whom one would want
to give any very cheap-looking present.
Nothing that Richard Jameson
tackled seemed to turn out a success,
If he got really good job the firm
employing him went bankrupt, or went
out of business, or took in a new part
ner with a swarm of poor relations
who crept into the best positions, or
something else untoward happened
which threw Dick out again upon the
cold, cold world.
And now he was twenty-seven years
old, out OF job and practically broke,
while Marietta, to whom he had been
engaged for three years, was living in
luxury with ner rich aunt. This aunt
had brought her UP, having taken her
upon the death of her parents who
had died within a year of each other
when Marietta was a small child. Dick
had proposed in one of his short-lived
fits of prosperity. but things soon
went wrong and Dick was too con-
scientious to marry a girl for whom
he could not suitably provide.
That the much-sought Marietta was
really in love with Dick was proved
by the fact that she was content to
wait till the clouds rolled by. So the
approach of Marietta's birthday found
Dick with just five dollars in his
pocket and board bill due Dick took
| account of stock. In the course of his
varied career he had not been unae-
quainted with the pawnbroker, and
fate seemed to point again to the three
| gilded pills, those armorial bearings of
the De Medici. which signify the same
! thing today on the front of Uncle
Simpsons shop in Chatham Square
that they, did when they blazed on the
front of the Florentine palace of Lor-
| renzo the Magnificent! Money te
loan-if you've got the collateral.
| For collateral Dick selected an an
Gent watch, very warming-pan O.
a watch, with gold enough in 1t to sal
a mine. 1t had belonged to his grand
father. After some haggling Dick go
on the watch nearly half what it wal
iworth-enough to buy for Marietta {
modest but presentable souvenir of hel
natal day. Marietta, of course, ex
pressed delight at the beautiful pres
ent, which was just what she wanted.
kissed the present, also kissed Dicl
and mildly reproved him for his lex
travagance."
Dick. had gone directly from tn
pawashop to the purchase of his pres
emit, and from the purchase of hi
present directly to Marietta's, ant
i thence directly home. Arriving a
his lodgings he took off his overcoa
and. remembering, felt in the pocket
for his pawn ticket. Horror! 1t wa
lgonei
He searched the pockets OF ever
poeket-bearing garment he had or
No his dnNU antnd nnVRTtV wa
flying about somewhere exposed t
the pitiless and jeering eye of an
chance finder-and grandpa's waite
probably destined for the pawnbrok
er's melting pot!
Let her go!" exclaimed Dick reck
lessly. This is the last straw. blu
what's the odds!" He savagely caugh
up his mail, which his landlady wa
accustomed to leave lying on litti
table in his room. One envelop'
bearing IN its upper left hand corne
a firm name well known to hin
caught his eye. He tore it open eager
ly and read the inclosed letter almo:
. at a glance. Then he sat down an
read it over again several times.
, was a long letter and he was ponder
! ing it's contents VIXEN he fell aslee
that night.
When Dick called at Marietta's til
next evening there appeared to hil
not Marietta but her aunt, Miss Mar
Dawkins. Miss Dawkins was VI
doubleday an old MAZDA very ol
one. But she did not look the part
nor her years. She was a larg
plump. matronly appearing woman
with the kindest eyes imaginable an
an air of being satisfied with IT
world and all the people in it. ST
had been a beauty once-was one still
for there is a beauty of age no lei
than a beauty of youth.
Marietta will be down presently
said Aunt Maria. Lets see; we wi
give her just ten minutes" And
Dicks horror and amazement the ol
1 lady pulled from the belt of her blac
silk dress Dicks grandfather's hue
: gold watch and consulted 1t. AS I'll
,, young man sat petrified, with his ga1
! fixed upon the golden warming-pal
Aunt Maria laughed.
Yes" she said. ct found the pawI
: ticket on the hall floor after you ha
gone. It must have dropped out {
your pocket when you pulled OF