The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-30
EUening Story
A Successful Campaign.
BY II. IRVING KING.

| PemDertOn JONES' -nAo Drought neE
two daughters to Midway Beach for
strictly matrimonial purposes OF the
daughters. Geraidine-faniliar1y called
Jerry-was twenty; and Margaret
yMargie for jshort-was twenty-three.
While not ravinG beauties, they were
more than ordinarily good-1ooking
girls, well-bFought up. with enough
education for their daily needs. Ger
aldine was tail and dark; Margaret
was petite and blond. Margaret looked
to be the younger. That was because
she was Of the submissive. clinging
variety while Geraldine was decidedly
Of the non-submisslve, self-Feliant sort.
In the midwest town whence they
came, they had not wanted suitors,
| but among them had been no ono
whom they especially cared about and
no one whom Mrs. Pemberton Jones
cared, about at all as son-in-law. But
the good mother set out a war of con-
quest from which she determined to
bring back captives if it took her last
cent and at any sacrifice of health
and comfort. She hated hotelt life;
but Midway Beach appeared a good
strategic position and, like a skillful
general she occupied it. She did not,
of course, explicitly state to her daugh-
| hers the object of the expedition; but
| they suspected it
The season at Midway Beach was a
crowded and brilliant one At night
the great hotel blazed with incandes-
cent bulbs. the band blared from the
pagoda-like bandstand in front of the
hosiery and the fiddles sang in the
ballroom to time the dancers feet. on
the broad piazza young couples flirted
and old couples gossiped, while the
sullen and disappearing ocean pound
ed on the shore andNannounced to the
shivering sands its intention of sweep
ing the whole frivolous place to de-
struction with the first winter storm.
Mrs Pemberton Jones had calcu-
lated upon some opposition to her
plans from Geraldine, but upon none
from Margaret But as the season
progressed the usually plant Margie
developed an unexpected obstinacy
quite equal to her sisters, and as the
season began to draw toward it's
close the girls were, apparently. no
nearer catching rich husbands than
they were at its beginning. 1t must
not be thought that the sisters made
no conquests-they did. In fact Ger
a1dine had the honor of rejecting a
mature millionaire and Margaret re-
jected1 a gilded youth of the best
Wall street standing. after each of
which events Mrs. Pemberton Jones
good woman was in despair and in
Obliged in remonstrances and tears at
the manner in which her daughters
neglected their opportunities. If
ma is so set on marriage" said jerry
to Margie after one of these family
[squabblAs, why doesn't she get mar
TTied herself? Shes only forty-five
and looks ten years younger
But had Geraldine and Margaret
come thru the frivolous and fiery
Not sol
In little fishing shack four miles
away along the shore of the bay, two
young men were roughing it for the
summer. They had a catboat. and
they had an aged negro to cook for
them. They sailed and fished and
wore old clothes, smoked and loafed.-
1t was a life gSod for the health, and
the young men showed it. =,
Most gentleIhanly and attractive
young fellows" said Jerry to Margie
after their first meeting with the
hermit fishermen. They haven't
money, tho, apparently which is too
bad or we might be able to. sootl1e
mothers feelings
How shocking YOU are"' replied
Margaret. "Of course we shall never
see them again."
"Of course not" said Jerry.
This first meeting referred to had.
come about in this way. The girls
took early morning gallops. attended
only by groom. Geraldine's horse
attempted to bolt near the fishing
shack, and one of the young men
sprang into the road and caught it.
while the other soothed the Sisters
fears. When the groom came up, he
found the young la'.ies, who had dis
mounted to recover from tn -ir fright
seated on the porch of the shack, III
animated conversation with the
stranger youths. After that, some
how, the morning rides of the sisters
generally took the direction of the bay
shore road, and generally-but always
quite by accident, of course-they met
the two young men, so that 1t was in
evitable that most friendly acquaint-
anee should grow up between them.
One can't snub a man who has
saved ones life" said Geraldine.
Why. Jerry you declared you were
not in the least danger when that
young man grabbed the horse" ex-
postulated Margaret.
We'll, I've changed my mind" re-
piled Jerry. The groom who accom-
panied the girls on their rides was a
discreet person and a letter in nom
intervention. The young men never
came to the hotel, and the young la
dies saw no eLson why they should
mention their humble and chance ac-
81 did ask the clerk once" said
Jerry to her sister. who those two
young men were who occupied the old
fishing shack across the bay, and he
said he didn't know-some poor devils
he supposed, who could not afford the
hotel"
Several times the girls agreed to
speak of their newly acquired friends
to their mother; but somehow kept
putting it off.
There's bound to be a row." said
Jerry.
Il hate a row" said Margie.
Before they realized it Dan Cupid's
shaft had lighted. When the season
was. waning the yo1ng>men proposed.
Whatever in the world will mother-
say?" asked Jerry as the sisters rode
slowly back to the hotel one morning
As they came upon the great piazza
they saw in far corner their mother
sitting in earnest conversation with a
man whose figure seemed familiar to
them As they ar1nrna chad the cn,rr,Io