The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-11
Euening Story
A twentieth Century Proposal.
BY KETURAH VAN lyle.


claimed Ben Marshall. laughing de-
risively, at the same time removing a
portion of the sting from his state
ment by an effectionate slap on his
friends shoulder. Here you are, head
over heels in love with one of the
incest girls that ever grew, reasonably
sure she doesn't dislike you, got a
good job, yet you let a slicker like
Wallie Ebers walk off with the plum
before your very face and eyes!'
He hasn't walked off with her yet,
returned Give Culver with something
resembling a. growl-
mo fault of yours he hasn't. and
if you'd seen him last night after you
left the party, guess you'd say there
was need for speed!"
at takes a pile of nerve for a duffer
like me TO ask for anything so Won
derful as Annette, Ben Why-the
thought of what 1 was daring to do
would choke me on the first word!"
TITS a good thing We aren't all
shrinking violets like you, or mar
| riages would be made in heavenl I'd
write it out and then practice saying
it till I got over being 'old-man-
| afraid -voice'!'
| After Marshall left Culver sat think
| ing over their conversation. He had
| loved Annette Heating ever since their
| first meeting. He always was eager
to perform service for her, but when
| it came to asking favors, especially
so tremendous thing as giving her
self in marriage, he never had been
| able to summon sufficient courage.
| BeE's suggestion that he write out his
proposal and practice saying it had
generated the first twinge of courage
he had felt in many day. Not bad
| idea, that.
| He was aroused from his reverie by
the sound of familiar voices, and going
to the window was hailed by two asso-
| ciates. Were planning a dance for
| Friday night. Give. Want to come ?''
With his rew-found courage still tin
| Cling in his consciousness he answered
iHat the affirmative, at once formulating
| in his mind an invitation to Annette.
-"Oh, Clivei I'm so sorry!' an
! swered the girl, with d catch in her
voice, when Give telephoned his invI-
vitation q. little later. i've just prom
ised Wallie Ebers and can't break q
promisen
81 suppose not, but Ebers must have
been sitting on your front step when
the boys planned the party, to have
asked you so soon"
"Clive Culver, that's the first time
I ever knew you to be hateful!''
Forgive met was churlish-it
won't happen again. Save me some
dances, anyway
Give left the telephone quite unac-
quainted with himself. Instead of his
customary self-depreciat ton, he was
filled with a new determination TO
make Annette his own and-Ben was
right-there was need for speed.
Annette did not go to the dance
with Wallie Ebers. On Friday morn
ing her six-year-old brother Buddie
broke out with measles, and was SO
cross no one but his sister seemed able
to quiet him. For more than a week
Annette was his constant attendant
rr1o
but still confined to a. carefully shaded
room. he, began to long for the outside
world a bit
''Sisi" he exclaimed How I wish
we had a phonosraph like Cuivers
Wouldn't it he fun to have some jazz
stuff while I'm gettin' well?''
why. Buddie! If you'd like it, I'll
phone Mrs. Culver and ask her to Let
Give bring theirs over for a while
after supper
1t was but a short time after that
! the groceryman, delivered the Culver
| photograph at the Heating back door
| with the message that Buddie Nigh.
as well be enjoying it the remainder
of the day instead of waiting for Give
. to bring it over. If a shadow of dis
appointment flickered across Annette s
! lovely face, it was instantly banished
| by Buddie's cry of joy.
Il Begin at the top shelf. sis and
. play 'em all the way down." demand
ed the delighted child.
When every shelf but one had beer
emptied. Buddie was fast asleep, BIZ;
there being but one record left on the
: bottom shelf. Annette decided to PLAY
1t, more from idle curiosity than BE-
r cause she really cared to hear any
more. There was no title on the rec
, ord. AS she listened a voice began to
speak-a masculine voice, which
seemed strangely familiar-it was ad-
dressing her.
Annette said the voice, "Tve
waited for more than a year to tel
you how much I care for you but il
has seemed such big thing to ASK
you to marry me, I've never dared dc
it till now. VIII your"
The bewildered girl shut off the
power, wrapped the record in a fold
of her skirt. made sure Buddie was
still asleep, and flew to her room