The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-21
EUening Story
The Fish-Hook Curl.

Ralph Barker stared at the dark
hair, brushed smoothly back from the
broad forehead and then at the fiat
curl above the left eyebrow.
you look-like-" he hesitated.
Say it right out" sobbed Dorothy
with bitterness.
"You-Iook like the very dickens!"
exploded Ralph.
'-Th-thank you-here is your ring
don't come near me- never want to
see you again. breathed Dorothy pas
sionately and tossing the flashing dia-
mond toward him she whisked out of
the room and, as she intended, out of
his life.
Ralph stared at the ring in a rage.
How little it meant to her-she tossed
it aside just for mere quarrel. He
wondered how he could ever have
dreamed they would be happy to-
gether. There were many other girls
who would gladly have accepted his
attentions, but he had selected Dor
othy because he honestly loved her.
If his thoughts fled to other girls now.
, it was because he was so desperately
hurt.
That evening he met Josephine
Hart.
Josephine understood men. She
was sympathetic, a good listener, and
other girls said she actually purred
when she had her own way, which
was equivalent to saying that she
scratched when she did not have iR
Ralph was attracted by her vivacity
and her quick intelligence. That she
was very pretty as well only added to
his pleasure. Her fair hair was fluffed
over her ears and drawn down over
her forehead, and her blue eyes
looked at him thru this tangle of curls
with alluring charm.
II have always wanted to meet
you" gushed Josephine frankly, after
a while.
''Why-why-' stammered Ralph
Because you were engaged to a
girl I used to know at boarding
school,
rising to- his bronzed face. You know
Dorothy Faye?" he asked.
She nodded brightly. How very cute
she was, only he would have liked her
better if she had not worn so much
jewelry, and he would like to see her
forehead--if she had any!
You are staring at me, rude man"
she pouted cutely. Am l such
wonder because know Dorothy?''
Forgive me- was surprised for a
moment. What shall we do, Miss
Josephine Shall We dancer"
Il would rather talk, please. ] want
to ask you about Dorothy-she used
to be so pretty at school. Is she
Ralph regarded the rug at his feet.
Pretty - he repeated. '.I think she is
very lovely" in a. strained tone.
rs she fair2"
81 remember-and it was soft about
her face. like a dark mist. Does she
wear it that way now?''
A vision of Dorothy's broad, white
forehead and the saucy curl over one
eyebrow came to tease Dorothy's late
fiance.
She wears it very plainly he said
with AN effort.
Not in a psyche?'' she shrieked.
II don't know what you call it. but
she wears fishhooks."
''FishhCokS?"
He nodded. -'HorribleeIittIe curl at
the side over her eyes"
Josephine smothered a laugh.
DO you like them ?" she asked
'sThey are idiotic." he blurted forth.
"Oh! Did you tell her that?"
Something of the Sort
How she must deteSt YOU" MUIR
INJURED Josephine, suddenly sorry for
the foolish girl who had quarreIed
with Ralph Barker over the way she
wore her hair. The way she wore her
hair was right If it was the way he
liked it. Even in a bum" said jose
phine firmly.
"a bun?'' he repeated. searching
for her misehievous eyes. He was
rather tired of trying to find her eyes
in the thatch of fair hair over her
forehead. Suddenly he seemed to see
Dorothy's sweet pale face, as he had
last seen it, pure and serene in its
flawless beauty, with the dark hair
snoothed softly back and the little
curl hooked invitingly over her eye
broWs.
1t wasn't so bad after all
Dorothy certainly looked at lot bet
ter than these matched ladies who
peeked at him so roguishly from be-
hind their fringes- How many of
them were there? Only one, after all,
Josephine herself
so you quarreled over the fishhook
curl ?' insisted Josephine
Yes, if you must know" he said
rudely.
You poor thing, I am so glad I met
you" murmured Josephine.
Why"