The Topeka state journal., 1922-02-01

He SAID BE Understood Women.
BY FRANK H. WILLIAMS.

courtSnlp or pretty Allce Menefee. he
knew that the folks near Alice's home
and, in fact, all the folks in the Lake
side section of Brampton, where Alice
resided, were wondering whether he
would win Alices hand or whether she
would bestow it on his rival. Howard
Brahm.
And Ben, realizing all this, tilted
his chair still farther back and smiled
at his good friend, old Mrs. Ferguson,
thru the smoke of his cigar.
Mrs. Ferguson had been Ben's nurse
when he was a baby. Now that her
husband had become wealthy she, too,
resided in the Lakeside section Of
Brampton. but she had not outgrown
her affection for Ben, and still moth
cred him, having no children of her
own.
You ought to be up and doing
declared Mrs. Ferguson, with asperity,
evidently irritated by Ben's composure.
''Brahm will be running away with the
girl you ought to marry, before you
know it, if you don't look OUT
She'll never marry him!" declared
Ben positively.
Again he puffed contentedly on his
spite of Mrs. Fergusons irritation his
calm assertion had made quite an i'm
preston on her.
Now. why do you say that?t" she
demanded.
because I understand women" de-
elared Ben easily.
Because you understand women!"
Mrs. Ferguson exploded. "a lot you
know about women. You'll see, you'll
see,''
"Well, I understand this one woman
Alice, in particular" asserted Ben.
I,r.ir,c lie .of a ip rr1 a
"And 1 tell you she'll never marry
Brahm. I'm as sure of it as-as-as
anything at ALI"
"But look at what he's doing for
her. Ben's old nurse cried.
Hes always taking her out in that
big automobile of his. And then look
at that big house he's putting up. My
but it's big one! And all the folks
are saying he's putting it up for her.
You ought to be putting up an even
Better one. You can afford it.'
II know I can afford it, said Ben,
''bt I'm not going to do it. 1 tell you
I understand women and I know what
they want Now don't you worry"
He stood up and patted Mrs. Fer
guson reassuringly on her ample
shoulder.
Mrs. Ferguson smiled a bit at this
and caught his big, brown hand in
It hope you're right, do hope
you're right, Ben" she said. want
you to have everything. that's best in
the world and everything you want.
And I know you want Alice"
YES" said Ben, as a wfstfula look
came in his eyes. Il want Alice
bad" PsFs~
, For a moment he said nothing, his
glance distracted. Then he patted
Mrs. Ferguson's s shoulder once again.
But I've got to work things out in
my xx-o1 I1p SeI
right. I'm not going to sit by quietly
and let Brahm walk right over me.
I'm going to do something, all. right.
But I'm afraid you'll not approve of
it." ---~.,s. ~
"what is it?" demanded Mrs. Fer
''That's a secret Ben smiled. "I'n
tell you later"
That night Ben. went to see Alice
and he knew that all the neighbors
were watching closely as he drove up
before her home in his last years car.
and sauntered casually up the steps
to the front door. Hen didn't care
what the neighbors thought or said or
did. If it afforded them entertain
ment to know he was calling on Alice,
and if they enjoyed speculating about
the outcome of the contest between
Brahm and himseA let them keep on
speculating. He didn't mind in the
least.
Alice herself c0me to the door and
greeted Ben with a CHEEKY smile that
made his heart pound loudly against
his ribs and that brought home to him
more forcefully than ever the fact that
he wanted her very much indeed.
Alice was a mighty pretty girl, tho
somewhat frai1 looking. She was the
private secretary to the head of big
manufacturing company and worked
hard all day. So Ben never stayed
lot of oh he n9IIod
her. He knew she needed the rest and
he felt it would be more cohsiderate
to her to go at a reasonable hour than
to keep her up to all times of the
night. And, surely, in this one par
ticular at least Ben demonstrated that
he understood women.
I'm going to a big party tomorrow
night" said Alice, with Howard. l
suppose 1t will be fearfully late and
there will be lots of people there"
'Yes?" said Ben, without much in
terest. "We've just taken the agency
for a. new vacuum cleaner down at
our store,'' he went on, taking a seat
beside Alice on the davenport. 'It's
little affair, only weighs three pounds.
People will use it to clean upholstery
and get into corners and all that sort
of thing. See here. here's how you
could use 1t on this davenport"
Ben demonstrated the use of the ar
ticle as best he could. AS he did so
he looked quickly and thoughtfully at
Alice. What he saw in her face
seemed to please him immensely, for
he smiled delightedly.
'1There'sJa a friend of mine going to
get married soon,' went on Ben,
who's got one of the most complete
little bungalows you ever saw. Every
thing all arranged so that the work
of taking care of the house won't
amount to anything at alt He's
bought a lot of other labor saving de-
vises from our. store, too. s1Fould you
like to look at his bungalow e.
Again Ben looked carefully and
thoughtfuliy at Alice. And again he
smiled as she clapped her hands and
looked pleased.
I'D love to go!'a't Alice exclaimed.
tsI'II come and get you Saturday af-
ternoon," said Ben. Maybe you can
make some suggestions as to changes
that ought to made in the little
bungalow"
Some time later as Ben chugged
down the street in his last years car
his fare hore a broad grin Even fI7e