The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-16
EDening Story
Loves Radio.
AOFN . ASN-AAO$
BY CLARISSA MACKIE.

BY CLARISSA MACKIE.
THAT makes fifteen. said Henry
Blake, as he tore up another half
written letter and dropped the frag-
ments into the waste basket. "IH
write one more and if it doesn't pull
thru-Tn quit. But there's a jinx on
nv asking Adele to share my ranch
and rationsi"-
If you had asked Henry Blake why
he didn't walk right up to Adele and
put the question to her pointblank, he
every time he looked into Adelefs blue
ewes he simply forgot everything he
ever knew. Completely razzled," he
would add>grimly.
New he was writing his sixteenth
letter. His fountain pen labored stut=
teringly over the task, just as Henry's
thoughts suffered in hurried con-
fusion.
dearest AdeIe''-"Adele darling
pshawI 'sDearest''- With a rend-
ing of paper the sixteenth letter, fol-
lowerd its fellows. Henry glared at it
maliciousIy. Then, overcome with a
sudden fear that the inquisitive cook,
All Sing might discover and hoard
these scraps of paper, so that he might
pursue his slow study of the Mclean
langwidg," Henry scratched the frag-
ments out of the basket and stuffed
them into his pockets, to burn at the
the top on to his fountain pen, he went
out into the late afternoon sunshine,
determined to find some other way to
tell his love to Adele before one Of his
rivals rode boldly away with the pref
test and most desirable girl in the
sHooray!" crowed Henry, and he
rushed to the telephone. The Barton
ranch, give miles away, was only one
of six on that party line. and as
Adele's voice came singing over the
wire Henry heard four subdued clicks
as the other subscribers listened in.
Hello" sang Adele That you'
Yes" said Henry. hot with embar-
rassment. ST wanted to talk to you
about something
"Oh, yes!" invited Adele.
S'I wanted to talk to you, only
bunch of radio fiends listenin' in
three have hung up, Adele-guess the
other one is bound to he2r-Inust be
Mrs. Fancher-thank you, ma am as
"Oh, Henry-you are too dreadful,
laughed Adele. Let the poor things
listen in if they want to! Suppose
YOU lived on ranch miles from ev-
erybody-"
''Of course-and what were you go
ing to ask me. Henry she inquired
sweetIy. (Henry could not see her
tender smile, nor could he even dream
that she sent him silent kiss into
the mouthpiece.)
TASK you-why, Adele, just want
ed to know if you wouldn't like to
ride over to Red Butte and meet me
at the waterfall. I'll bring over some
roastin' ears and We can have little
fire and see the sunset
'LovelyI" cried Adele. IT will
make some sandwiches now. Suppose
1 start at o'clock, and we will meet
at the trail crossing. So longi"
Henry hung up the receiver with a
baffled look in his fine eyes. st give
up he muttered grimly, as he went
to the corral to get his morse. 81 ex-
pect some honest-to-goodness man,
with a real spine, instead of a weak
kneed, jelly-fish critter like yours
truly will ride in and ask her point
blank and marry her right before my
eyes. Serves me right, TOO" He bent
his head to the black horse, who nuz-
zled his sunburned face lovingly.
All Sing came out with the roasting
ears and coffee pot in a sack, which
he deity fastened to Blake's saddle.
$50 Iong!" said Henry, as he rode 1
'SIoIong-glpod lucx." called tho
Chinese affably.
Henry blushed as he rode out of the 4
gate. He stared straight ahead when
he passed the Fancher place, for Mrs.
Fancher was sitting on the stoop of
the distant ranch house. There WASH
any use in getting mad at folks, he
told himself. They were kindhearted 1
and friends, ana would do
anything in the world to help each
other. He would stop in and apollo
gize to Mrs. Fancher on his way home.
He turned his horse into the old trail
and rode rapidly until he came to the
trail crossing.
"Slow Poke!" greeted Adele from
he shade of a cottonwood.
Henry grinned sheepishly, not aware
.ha1 he looked like very handsome
in his riding clothes. Adele
flashed a glance at him from under
her long lashes as they rode side by,
side. Her soft color rose under the
scrutiny of his sidewise glance.
ct am starved" she said vivaciously-
md lettuce-like 'em, Henry?'
''You bet!' fervently. I've got
-oastin' ears and coffee, and~a box of
chocolates 7 was intending to bring
over to you Sunday night, only
he grew hot and uncomfortable as he
lesitated.
"OnIy what?'' she reproached him
with her eyes. Il waited and wait
"I 30. as far as the gate-I saw
5raham's horse tied out theresa L
Knew you'd have company"
"Goose-Lindy Graham came to see
Ethel. Nobody came to see me-"
GOSH exclaimed Henry, IF that
sn't my iuck!"
Here we are, Henry-doesn't the
ky look wonderful-you make the
ire and I'll fix the corn" They hob
,led the horses and Henry set about
making a small fire on an old camp
ire site-a circle of stones, set in a
shallow hole scooped out of the earth
the blazing fire, Henry
hought of the torn letters IN ms
pocket Here was an opportunity to
,urn them up, while Adele worked de-
over the corn. 1t was one OF
ife's ironies, he thought, that he must
,urn in her presence those suffering
etters that were addressed to her,
md which he was too shy to finish,
no his love for her looked out of his
.vas and filtered thru his most caSuaI L