The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-05

with worried eyes.
you mean-?"
"SaIly and-Lester."
"Oh,' said his vie. sally. Yes,
I agree with you. I'd rather she went
with that nice Weston Burgess, and
certainly have not encouraged Lester.
But this afternoon I decided to let
Sally see just as much as possible OF
hint"
'Helen!" Her husband looked
startled.
But Helen returned his gaze serene
ly. Yes. dear. The old hang-the-
canary-around the neck of the-cat,
Lester, she gets sick of him. Our go
ing down to River Terrace for the
summer will help a lot. Lester can
come out over Sundays. you know"
Sallys father was silent moment.
"AlI right" he agreed finally. "Des-
perate cases, 1 suppose! But you can
always calculate on the human ele-
ment working according to formula"
The following Saturday afternoon
pretty Sally Sayles sat behind the
steering wheel of her fathers car
waiting for the arrival of the train
from the city. AS it pulled in and
emptied itself of ag-laden Weekend
ers she picked out Lester and sounded
the horn. Presently he was beside her
and they were scooting down the
winding road to the shore.
Lester was short and inclined to
stoutness and much given over to
what he believed to be principles"
He was strong for reform"
Don't you think I'm some driver?
shameIessly finished Sally. throwing
him a glance from beneath the turned
up brim of her sport hat.
YES" said Lester, slowly, "only
YOU know how I feel about automo-
biles No one should own them while
there are souls in the land that
starve.'' Lester uttered this sentiment
with a very exalted expression admir-
ably adapted to appeal to the budding
ideals of a young girl.
Dinner that night passed off pleas
antly enough as would any dinner of
chicken and featherweight biscuit and
strawberry shortcake. But after
ward, when Sally and Lester had pre-
empteP the cool Yeranda, Mr.. Sayles
found difficulty in restraining his i'm
patience as. perspiring within, he was
forced to listen to various lofty eX-
pressionS of contempt of all existing
conditions from the argumentative
Lester.
How long have I got to listen to
that rot. and on my own front
porch % he demanded But all he got
for his pains was a frown on his wife's
forehead and hushing finger on her
lips.
"A
sight of Sally Sayles driving Lester
home every Saturday provided too
conspicuous a norsel of gossip to be
passed up by the idle summer col
onists. And Mrs. Sayles possessed too
much of the social instinct not to
know that it was being passed around
that she was rushing that old Lester
Corbin for her daughter Sally. Gladly
would she have endured the knowledge
had she been getting the results she
was after. Il
apparently. the more Sally sees of
Lester the better she Likes him!" she
groaned inwardly.
Then, late in August, Lester tele-
phone / that he could mot get down
until Sunday. Sally got in her first
game OF tennis for the summer, play
ing with Yves Burgess. who had dis
tinctly kept away since the weekly
importations of Lester.
81 say, Sally" he pleaded as they
walked slowly homeward from the
courts. lets manage a game every
Saturday."
But Sally would not promise.
Maybe" she said.
Then when Lester failed to show up
Sunday. Sally all but dissolved in
tears. Mrs. Say1es alternated between
anger at Lester and anger at Sally. |
A letter Monday, half way promising
to be on hand for the water carnival, |
the big event of the season on the fol-
lowing Saturday, somewhat smoothed
the t.oubled waters until Saturday
came and brought with it no Lester.
Sally accompanied her mother, who
was to give out cups and various
trophies, and sat beside her silent
spectator 1t was during a pause IN
the events that Sally heard her name
spoken by a woman standing just be-
low the stand on which she sat. rs
that Sally Sayles over there?"
q from
she could not see. ooh. no! If she's
here she's probably with Lester Cor
bin''
ooh" said the other thouehtfully,
stantly with that dumpy little Simp-
son girl, the one with glasses,"
When Mrs. SayIes looked at her
daughter, Sally was nibbling at choco- |
late cream, herzeyeS fixed pensively on
a smoky plume at the far horizon. AS
Mrs. Sayles walked home she reflect |
ed that her scheme had worked in a |
way, but how differently than she had
intended! Sally had not grown tired 1
of Lester-Lester had grown tired of
Sally! She was afraid Sally would
feel it acutely.
But that evening sitting in the
couch hammock with her mother, |
Sally gave a sudden little sigh. Les |
ter can't stand Yves, mother" she |
said. Says these people that go
IN Wnlge IlanneiS, wasting
their time playing games-tennis, you
know, and all-hold the world back. |
Do you know, mother, wish he's take |
a shine to-oh, somebody like that
Simpson girl, the dumpy one with |
glasses!"
In the darkness sally's mother |
smiled happily and longed to give
Sally a little squeeze. But she re-
Trained, and, as a once familiar step
sounded somewhere in the distance. !
rose. You know, Sally" she said
slowly, Father and I like Yves very
much. He--he had a long talk with |
US last night after you had gone to |
bed" She turned away as the gate |
swung open and Weston Burgess |
came up the walk, canoe paddle in
hand.
Sally" he began quickly as one
who has something to say he wishes |
to get done with. 'sYour father gave
me permission to tell you something. |