The Topeka state journal., 1922-04-19
EDening Story
Charlie Changes His Dull
Evenings.
By FRANK H. WILLIAMS.

Charlie FELTON, was pretty well tired
of his dul1 evenings, and was de-
termined upon changing them into a.
more lively, interesting time. OF
course, he was a stranger in Branp-
ton and was rather shy and all that,
but he told himself, as he sat in his
comfortable boarding house room.
that wasn't sufficient reason to keep
him forever penned in this room in
the evening or taking in a movie o.
show all by himself.
Yes, he most certainly was going to
change duliness to liveliness. But,
how?
For several evenings Charlie pom
dered this problem, which was ex-
ceedingly important to him. Finally
about 1880 o'clock one evening, his
face lighted up as an audacious idea
came to him. And once the idea had
flashed into his mind, he set himself
to carry it out.
Carrying out his ideas was com
paratively simple. All it commanded
was the looking up of the Y. w c. A.
phone number in the local directory
age to call up the institution and ask
for a gir.
But what girl?
Charlie didn't know a single girl
in the entire institution But he
thought he'd like to know a girl by
the name of Mary.
So when a feminine voice answered
his call for the Y. number, he hesi-
tated only moment and then said:
I'D like to talk to Mary. please
Charles voice was husky and
rather indistinct That is probably
why the girl at the other end of the
line misunderstood his last word.
Mary Davis?'' the girl questioned.
There was a delay of a few
moments Then a sweet, clear strong
young feminine voice came to Charlie.
'Hello,' said the voice.
Hello" said Charlie, his heart
! beating considerably faster than usual.
I'm lonesome
In very real anxiety Charlie waited
for the reply to this. 1t came. almost
instantly. He heard the girl laugh.
WHO is this?" Mary demanded.
Listen said Charlie, don't get
mad. want to tell you something"
For just the barest fraction of a
| minute Charlie felt that Mary was
| listening to what he had to say. Final
ly her curiosity -triumphed.
GO ahead, I'll listen" she said.
I'm newcomer in this city," said
Charlie. "and 1 don't know anyone
here except the people I'm working
with. I'm getting awfully lonesome
for some one to talk to. 1 wonder if
you'd let me call You up every now
ana Inen ana Talk TO you
But you don't even know what 1
look like" came the girls voice in
something of gasp.
You must be wonderful-judging &
by your voicel" cried Charlie fer
vently.
You don't have to pay compli-
ments," laughed the girl. But
you'd be surprised to see me- And i
don't know what. you look like"
'Tll tell you" sCharlie volunteered.
curly hair, blue eyes and smoke a
pipe"
oh said the girl, noncommit-
tally.
PLEASE. let me cali you up" plead
ed Charlie.
For quite long time there was
silence. After while Charlie thought
that perhaps Mary had hung up the
receiver and he'd not heard her. Then,
at last, her voice came to him softly
again.
"I'lI let you call me up if you'll
promise not to try and see me or meet
me-" said the girl.
"TH promise" Charlie cried. You
don't know what it means to me just
to be able to talk to some girl. even
if it's only over the phone. I'll call
you up again tomorrow night about
this same time"
"Al1 right" said the girl Good
by
"Goodby.' said Charlie
All during the next day Charlie
waited impatientIy for the evening.
How differently he viewed this ap-
preaching evening from the way in
which he had formerly viewed them.
Now there was zest in the days
work and a real Joy in the thought of
returning to the boarding house.
But when Charlie called up Mary at
the appointed hour he was due for a
disappointment.
''She isn't here" said the voice at
the other end of the wire.
do you expect her soon ?" queried
Charlie, his heart feeling like lead.
''I really don't know. T.
At this point the voice at the other