The Topeka state journal., 1922-11-09
EOening Story
Getting Rid of Old stackpole.
BY II. LOUIS RAYBoLD.

when you could just as well come and
live with me in the city. But you
don't make any profit-carrying along
roomers that don't pay for their
rooms and feeding people that don't
fork over their board, like that old
Stackpole, for instance"
well, maybe agreed his mother
mildly. I'm sort of an easy mark,
but when-you come to know people,
how hard up they are and what mis-
fortunes, well, 'taint so easy to turn
'em OUT
'I know, mother" went on William
patiently. 'Only, well hang it. mother.
that old Stackpole~ gets my goat.
Hasn't done a stroke Of work for
years and-had he ever paid you a
cent, mother?"
claimed Mrs. Greeley triumphantly.
up until lately, he's been real
prompt"
You must get rid of him, somehow
before come down again" william
uttered this ultimatum with determi-
nation. 'If he's still boarding here
when 1 come again, I'll insist on your
closing up and coming with me-
william spoke sharply, partly thru
irritated affection for his mother,
partly because OF his own private trou-
bles. This rundown boarding house
had long been a source of provocation
and had played n very important facto
in his love affair with Miss Kitty Ben
ware store for which William was
purchasing agent, delaying his decla-
ration of love.
How could he ever take the grace
full Kitty down to that environment
of shabby has-beens and never-would-
be's? What a contrast the girl would
be to his mother, unnecessarily dowdy
and plainly attired?
The annoyance to William was that
such a condition was needless. His
salary, coupled with the small income
left his mother by his father, was suf-
ficient to maintain the two of them in
simple but wholesome comfort and
even admit contemplation of a third
in the menage-if Kitty could be
brought to consider such a thing.
Kitty, on the whole, had been rather
discoura ging; occasionally went out to
dance or to the movies with William
but never threw out any of those in
formal, Drop round some night and
we'll make fudge in the kitchen" in
vitations which young men welcome as
signs of a desire to exhibit domes-
ITCHY.
This time, on Williams return from
the country, he resolved to play the
man and propose to Kitty. If she ac-
cepted him, there would be somewhat
of a delay, presumably, before the
wedding, and not until on the way
back from the wedding trip would it
be necessary to run down to Evans
Vile and Mrs. Greeley's Homelike
rate old Stackpole. the sharpest thorn
in his side, would have ceased to board
there.
William fingered some time in the
vicinity of Kitty's cage before collect
ing sufficient courage to speak what
was in his mind.
At last, kitty" he said desperately,
I've just got to see you alone some-
where. where we can talk comfort
ably by ourselves
Now Vas Rittv,s moment TO saw.
How about running up to the house?''
Instead, she hesitated and fingered
her bill file. 'sWell, where can we?"
she asked at last.
'I didn't know-how about my call
ing tonight?"
There was a moments silence "AIl
right said Kitty at last you know
my address? All right-around eight
second, rang Kitty's. bell. 1T was a
very shabby little house, not at all
the sort of setting one would have |
chosen for girl of Kitty's pretty |
opened the door without a word, is
sued a hubbub of sounds-noisy |
laughter, serapping of chairs, phono-
graph.
Mothers roomers," said Kitty.
NOW you see how much chance we'd
have of any privacy. They're a noisy
lot, mostly actors from third rate
theaters, half the time out of a job.
Md lONGS little IdChSls L IH0dUy ana
theater talk. She-she acted. once
herself, you know. But I get so sick
Of the noise, William, and I couldn't
bear to have you come and put up
with it all. The cluttered, crowded
parlor, the smelly dining room-thats
why love the store so. It's big and
cleani"
Dear little girl" said William ten
lerly, -get your hat and coat and we'll
go to the park. That's big and clean,
M nd s1 v0fr 20 hafs
A few short weeks and William and
Kitty were married, slipping away
after hours one day to a quiet little
where the solemn ceremony
was performed which united them
for life" as William whispered.
A brief honeymoon and then Will
lam took his bride home to meet his
mother. After the first greetings were
over William managed an aside to
''weu, mother. hope you haven't
9ld Stackpole aroupd as boarder
isN-no,''~ said his mother nervous
y, IT haven't"
How'd you manage to get rid of
him ?" he asked curiously.
'T1-TH tell you later" and his r
mother vanished indoors, ostensib1y to
zee about the mixing up of biscuits.
But that night as William smoked
on the porch waiting the call to sup
Ser familiar old figure came up the
steps and sank into an old Morris
chair as one who belonged there.
Fine nfght-bit warm he said
Old Stackpo1ei Rising, william
sought his mother. Thought you'd
got rid OF h4m!' he told her indig-
lantly.
'I didi'' said his mother. ."as a
)oarder. You see, I-I-married him
And you wouldn't expect your-your
ather to pay board, now, would you,
Iearie?'
Copyright. 1922. by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
Dinner Stories /