The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-23
four DANCING FEET
TOM AND GERTIE BUY A
unDTrEErAvrTN
BY JANE PHELPS


The doctor Immediately approved OF
Tins going
1T will do the boy a world of good.
Mrs Cummings" he said And II L
am any judge of character his stay
with that young Norris will be help
to him in every way"
so guess I'll have to let you go,
minnie, his mother told him, wink
ing back her tears, ever ready to flow.
i ii miss you somethin' drea dful tho"
Don't cry, Ma! You'll git used to
bein without me-" Tim replied, even
the canousness of youth penetrated
Just bit by her reluctance to have
him leave her. Gee! But 1 can't
wait. ne ended with a boyish whoop:;
Gertie had seen Tonne had
brought her home, but the kiss had
not been repeated. and their talk had
been principally of Tim 1t may be
that the presence of Lilly had pre-
vented the caress. altho Len O'COnnor.
who was with her, had shown no such
delicacy and had kissed Lilly openly
with much gusto.
Only a week now remained of Toms
visit. Twice he had taken Gertie to a
matinee, and she had gone with him
into the country again. He had called
at the Olympic several times to take
her home, and occasionally had
watched her dance.
He had been told of Lilly's engage
ment, and one to-be-forgotten
shopping for a wedding gift for her
The intimacy of looking at the things
together the asking of her advice as
to what was both pretty and suitable,
had seemed to her to bring them
closer together than anything else had
done. 1t took them some time to de-
eide between a lamp and a picture.
Gertie had begged he give her some
thing for her home.
Lilly will always get other things,
n n1 ha had Lot "A 70.
Tom, who had suggested a fur for her
neck. ''She's the kind that has clothes
Finally they decided upon the lamp.
A very handsome one, altho quiet
and subdued as to shape and color of
the shade. When Gertie heard the
salesman mention the price she
gasped. But she said nothing; Tom
probably was used to paying such
prices for things he bought.
Tom noticed her tactfulness, and it
raised her in his estimation. In his
thought he always had felt her re-
markable in many ways, considering
her environment, but even so he was
constantly being surprised at some
new characteristic, some delicacy OF
feeling.
If he noted curious looks cast at
them, he looking every inch a man OF
the world, she, SO plainly dressed, so
unstylish. so naive in her remarks, he
cared nothing. Tom Norris was a very
in the west had made him, if anything,
more so. In as far as he could he did
as he pleased. Gertie saw nothing.
had no eyes for anyone but him. Su-
perior smiles, knowing looks passed
over her as If they had not been. And
when, their shopping finished. he took
her to luncheon in one of the fashion
able Avenue restaurants, she still saw
no one, thought of no one but him.
The next day was Sunday. They
were putting in a new floor at the
Olympic, and for the first time since
she had danced there she would have
today and evening off. The place
would be closed.
wen take a, long ride II it is pleas
ant" Tom told her over the luncheon.
then we will go somewhere in the
evening"
''Pd love tot" she said shyly.
Since he had not repeated his kiss a
certain shy feeling had possessed her.
The feeling she had looked for because
of his caress, and had been surprised
when it did not come. He had per-
haps concluded he didn't like her well
enough to want to repeat the kiss. she
thought, and the thought tinged her
Then that's that" he said heartily
They fingered over their luncheon,
then he took her home. She felt dis
appointed that he could not see her
that night that he could not come to
the Olympic after her. He had ex-
planned that he could not that an en-
gagement for the evening would pre-
vent. Then she scolded herself for
expecting more of his company in one
day. He had taken her shopping with
him, to luncheon. She was terribly
greedy. So she thanked him prettily
for her nice day when he left her. and
hid her disappointment
(TomOrrow-A day to remember.)
haef nav 70