The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-26
EUening Story
April Showers.
BY BEE MCDONALD.

bang, jammed his hat down on his
head and started for the door.
Better take your slicker. Mr.. Den
tom suggested the office boy. cts
raining like the dickens
Denton halted in his mad rush,
right thanked and walked over to the
window. 'Humphl" he commented
bitterly. half to himself. Mature
weeping for her sinsi"
Ordinarily Denton wouldn't have
thought of venturing out in such a
downpour unless it was absolutely
necessary. but today the weather
seemed thoroly in accord with his
exercise, so he took the boys advice,
donned his raincoat and left, forget
ting his umbrella.
At the corner he met Byther, I'M
doubtedly the best friend he had on
earth, who pulled him under an avn
ing to say, For the love Of Pete cheer
up, boyl You look like a cannibaf
about to devour some unsuspecting
| missionary. What's wrong, old man %
Nothing you can help; thanks just
the same, Jim. It's only tn I've dis
covered l can't stand this everlasting
pickering with Gwen any longer, and
l can't live without her, SO what's
poor devil to do?"
"Quit this tommyrot and talk sense
for one thing. Gwen is just like all
women. Your can't give them their
way 100 TfluCn- WkLnOuI bpOllnS ILStIl.
WHAT'S the trouble this time 2"
Same old thing-Jerry Blaine's
wedding. I promised to be best man
and Gwen. objected because they pair
she cordially hates, and she refused to
go to the wedding. We've quarreled
about it every time we've seen each
other since. I can't disappoint Jerry,
and it would be perfectly silly to ask
his fiancee to change the whole lay
out of her wedding party just because
of a capricious girls whim.'
"Silly is right. Take my advice and
come with me to the wedding regard
less I'll guarantee everything will
come out all right"
At this point the keeper of the store
came out to pull up the awning and
they discovered the sun was shining
brightly. "AprH showers" comment
ed Byther jovially. '"rhey bring May
flowers, so the saying goes. Take
courage, Jack"
Denton hadn't the lease idea what
Byther was driving at when he gave
his guarantee that everything would
come out all right, but he knew his
friends reputation for resourceful-
ness, and somehow it gave him the
courage, when he returned to his Of
flee, to telephone Gwen. Friday, the
18TH" he nuttered, but here goes.
I'm leaving tomorrow for Blaines
wedding" he told Gwen. Sure you
won't change your mind and come
with me?''
i've told you what I'll do and that
ends it," came the reply. "If you
want to march down a church aisle
with that hateful Polly Ackers hang
ing on your arm, laughing up her
sleeve because it isn't I, you can go
right along. I'm thrul'
Denton went to the wedding and
played his part faithfully, confident
he was doing the just thing, but he
was miserable every second of the
time. When he reached home he
found a registered package, for which
his mother had signed. and he knew
without looking that it contained the
last remnant of his engagement to
Gwendoline Spurlock.
For a week he neither saw nor
heard anything of his former fiancee,
and while his heart was heavy, he
kept going over in his mind the fact
that good old Byther had guaranteed
everything would come out all right.
In the meantime Byther, seeing Miss
Spurlock coming his way on the oppo-
site side of the street one morning,
crossed over and contrived to meet
her.
why, good morning. stranger" he
greeted cheerily. II didn't see you at
Jerry's wedding. Your splendid fiance
was quite the handsomest piece of
male property present. You'd better
put him in chains from the comments
those rich Merely twins made about
getting whatever they go after. But
they were no exceptions-all the girls
were quite crazy about him. Polly
Ackers announced her enga cement at
the wedding; romantic, wasn't it?'
Perhaps Byther noted Owens stony
silence and icy glare, but if he did
he gave no such signs. He rambled on,
exclaiming suddenly, Selling her by
the arm, "Quick, under the awning,
it's beginning to rain!' Had it been
any other time Gwen undoubtedly
would have hidden him curt good
morning and gone her way, but the
heavens proceeded to open - con-
veniently. for the man-and she had
time in telling everything nice any
girl ever had said about Jack Denton.
By that time the rain had ceased and
the sun smiled with Byther as he said.
flowers. so the saying goes. Glad to
have seen you,~Gwen."
Poor Gwenl Her heart and mind
were filled with chaos of emotions.
Here was a man whose sterling worth
everybody i'm the whole world seemed
to recognize and she had repudiated
him for what she now realized was
bit of foolish. unwarranted jealousy
Surely She could not so far forget
maidenly reserve as to ask him to take
her back. In the midst of her guam
dairy she walked on, noting neither
distance nor direction, until she found
herself in the park.
She sat down on a bench to collect
her scattered thoughts and was lost
to things about her until a splash
on her hand announced the return of
the rain. She looked about helplessly
for shelter, but there was nothing in
sight. A particularly black cloud and
a peal Of thunder heralded another
downpour, driving Gwen to the pro-
lection of a spreading tree, under
which a man with a large umbrella
held well down over his shoulders had
just taken refuge.
Perhaps he will ask me to share
it, thought the girl. Hope he's nice"
She coughed a little by way of an
nouncfnR herself and the man lifted