The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-02
Eoening Story
Reforming Jimmie.
BY LILY WANDEL.

Alvipa had fallen in love with Jim
mic O'Toole and the whole town held
its breath.
"she'n fall out of love as quickly as
she came in, Jimmiell see to that,
prophesied her younger brother,
George.
ITS an awful disgrace" walled her
sister Marie. 1.-THE very idea! We, Of
the best old family in the county. the
aristocratic Moreheads-and Jimmy
O'TooIe, the black sheep of even such
a family as the ORIOLES! Besides
he's younger than she!"
utterly incomprehensib1e to me-"
declared the mother gravely. ''Alvina
has always been SO conventional, al
most too much, and SO very particular
with whom she associated.
The door opened and the family
looked somewhat embarrassed as a
slim young woman, her refined sweet
features fairly shining with happiness.
came into the room.
''Oh, you've been discussing me;
don't deny it," she laughed.
MY dear, the whole town is dis
cussing you," her sister depIored.
ST don't care!" Neither does
Jimmie!" With defiant good humor.
"Oh, Jimmie O'Toole, he's used to
notoriety.' n
If AIvina WINGED no one noticed ex-
cept her mother. MY DEAR said the
latter gently, Il am very much con-
has not the best of regulations and I
cannot see how such a marriage will
bring you any happiness. I'm not
saying that he is a bad sort, just that
you two do not fit; there's too much
difference
May I add a words" asked the
brother and, without waiting for per-
mission, you'll never marry him, be-
He's flattered at present that, he has
been able to bowl over the most con-
sentative girl in town"
Alvina's quick eyes went from one
to the other. You all have forgotten
one thing-that we love each other.
There's another thing, too, I'm going
to reform Jimmie. We've talked it
over and he's promised faithfully. No
more talking to his old cronies, no
more cigarets, no pool p1aying-Oh,
there's a whole list of things she
smiled at them trium phantly.
Things went along beautifully for
a week or two, Alvina glowing with
happiness, the town and her family
still skeptical. Then one evening
Jimmie missed an engagement and
Alvina waited in vain.
1t was George who brought the bad
news. Well. Jimmie's fallen off
knew it, with a grim laugh.
"Of course, I did, too" came AL
vina's surprising reply; ''he is no
angel-its difficult to break bad
habits all at once. I've been quite
prepared for one or two slipbacks!"
The family only sighed. The next
day Jimmie appeared repentant, full
of new promises.
There were several more slipbacks
and Alvina's face became slightly
drawn and anxious She was very
stanch and loyal tho; would not listen
to word against him and redoubled
her efforts to reform him. She
dragged him to the best concerts.
nudged him when he showed signs of
falling asleep, bought the best maya
zines for him, left him classic gems,
even read aloud to him by the hour
and fed him candy when he became
restless almost irritable.
Jimmie's calls became less frequent
and the family felt that the end of
AlVina's love affair was near, when
Alvina herself grew pale and pinched
looking.
1t happened one evening when AL
vina waited with growing nervousness
for Jimmie. They were to hear a,
lecture on thought-control, and he
had promised faithfully to be there at
nervousness famed by the famiIy's
remarks. The clock struck eight,
eight-thirty and no Jimmy in sight
At nine O'Clock A1vina burst into
the door.
II think she's writing him a letter
breaking the engagement, re-
marked her mother to the other two:
poor child, and she loved him so
mdchl"
The next morning different AIviDa.
came down to breakfast Not a trace
of nervousness, anxiousness or hurry
IN her manner. She surprised the
family by eating a hearty breakfast
and afterward, instead of playing her
usual half hour of scales on the piano,
launched into a gay song and wound
up with a bit of jazz.
After an hours shopping she called
up Jimmie and asked him to take her
for lunch.
Jimmie" Alvina was saying at a