The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-17
EUening Story
Thanks to Percy.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD

Bully good ideal Bully Soou
ideal" smith Taylor, genial proprietor
of the popular Crystal Inn, slapped
his thigh resoundingly. Thei one
great lack of summer resorts isN un7
attached-and attractive-young fel-
lows. It will be money in my pocket
to hire some chap for the season,
just to play guest. ana who'd be the
wiser?" He scratched his fringe or
hair and put pencil to paper, with the
following prompt resulS:
Wanted-personable young man
for pleasant and remunerative oc-
cupation. Must play golf and tennis
and have snappy outfit of clothes-
Now, Iet's see if that doesen't
fetch 'emi" he exclaimed trium-
phaDt1y.
Fetch 'em it. apparently did. for
Taylor received many replies which
he carefully sifted until but one re-
NAMED, and that the most satisfactory,
except m one particular. Percy Jones!
Nope that name simply wouldn't do
didn't fit athe part he had mapped
out for the applicant.
wen fix that up, however" he
decided easily, and wrote long letter
of explanation, terms of contract and
SO forth to the unfortunately christ
ened young man, emitting, however,
all mention of his name. mo use
prejudicing him." thought Taylor.
HE may be partial to what he's been
called all his life. Time enough when
he gets here"
Transportation to Crystal Inn is
long and involved. necessitating many
different kinds of conveyances. As a
result, guests arrive IN punches and
the few moments after the arrival
of the tri-weekly steamer are invar-
1ably busy one. particularly the day
before the Fourth. Smith Taylor,
with a thousand and one details to
attend to hampered by effusive greet
ings of old patrons, had but a moment
to spare for the tall, broad-shouldered
young man who swung down the
gangplank aud stood looking about
for moment in the midst of his bags
Clerks got your room for you,'
cried Taylor, rushing up and grasp
ing his hand. Make yourself com
Portable and by the way here he
looked apxiously about, then. strain
ing on tip-toe, spoke in the others
ear. IF it's all the same to you,
I'm Tn,,, going to change your name,
Suydan1. IS it all right?''
He was away before receiving an
answer, but the young fellow was
regarding his busting figure with toll
Grant amusement. Sure he'd be Van
Suydam. What odds? And certainly
this strange and unaccusromed ven
ture was proving interesting right
from the start.
The interest dill not slacken. That
very evening Smith Taylor saw to it
that, unobtrustively yet definitely he
met every one Of the say Bevy. of girls
and attractive women who clustered
on the broad verandaS OF strolled the
shaded paths that bordered the lake.
That is, all but one.
That particular girl, oddly enough,
seemed to Ivan Suydam" the most
alluri1lg of them ALL Later he was to
Taylor'S only cherished daughter.
And Taylor was not minded to waste
the attentions of an expensive expert
ment on his own child.
f71re ge low -lner. ., I'D
OF pleasure. Much to his concealed
amusement, Taylor tipped him off
frequently TO which of the guests
deserved especial consideration.
rich old girl, will stay on here for
weeks if she likes it here. Humor
her bit. my boy, in the matter of
tennis. Plays like a COW, of course,
but And that Watson girl--her
people come every year.
Two things Van Sdydam regretted.
That he had so little time and en-
ergy to devote to THAT he considered
his chief business in life, writing, and
that by the very nature of things he
saw SO little OF Ellen. She proved
strangely elusive and, for that reason,
all the more provocative. He gathered,
furthermore, that the one sure way to
bring a frown to Smith Tay!or's brow
was to let him find them together. On
the other hand, Taylor said nothing
about the matter and Van Suydam
resolved presently to pursue Ellen |
more persistently.
One week from the day of his ar |
rival, Van Suydam sought out Tay-
lor in the office, seeking him rather |
than the clerk. as Taylor attended |
personally to the cashing of checks. |
whats my ACCOUNT" he asked |
pleasantly of Taylor. who was rip |
ping open an envelope. II like to /
settle up weekly"
You do, eh?" Taylor, paused in !
the act of drawing out a letter and |
regarded Van SuydaIn over his
glasses. "Well-1et's sec. I agreed
to pay you twenty dollars a week
and board, wasn't that it %
PAY me?" said Van Suydam.
What the deuce"
At that moment Taylor, who had