Phillips County herald., 1923-07-12
CALEB WINS
BY DOROTHY DoNAHuE
"
20 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,)

CALEB started the car and stepped
~ back to regard the quivering,
choking, consumptive but useful little
animal--with dubious eyes.
Caleb's son, Lonnle, came to the
door of the little cottage with frown,
always inevitable when he heard the
smooth, steady hum of the motor.
There were three things upon which
the elder and younger Evans failed
most dlsturbingly to agree The first
was Lonnle's name. Mrs. Evans had
most decidedly wanted girl and
But the desired girl had turned out to
be decidedly q boy, and Mrs. Evans
had substituted an &c" for the "a and
achieved Lorne. Later, with the com
pliments of the village youngsters, he
became Lonnie.
Caleb always addressed his son MS
Lonnie, but he always thought of him
as John or Bill
The second cause Of many discus
sion was the car. Lonnie wanted a
better car.
Lonnie had girl The girl was an
other innocent subject for deep
thought on the part of both-father
and son. She wns pretty, blonde,
round-eyed and giggllng. She had con-
tided to Caleb that she adored candy
and Lonnie. Caleb had decided right
then that she could keep the candy,
but not Lonnie. He needed Lonnie
He knew, too. that Lonnie was too
young for marriage. Lonnie was nine
teen. The fair Gwendolyn, at any
rate. would never do.
LonnIe had bought the new machine
1t hadn't cost so very much more than
the other car, but IL was brighter
color and as yet unscratched. The
motor in II did not hum so pleasantly
as the one in Caleb's, but Lonnie
didn't notice that. Gwendolyn liked
It and he was going to take her for
rlde-out in the country. He told
Caleb about Ii us he stood In the door
way looking at the battered machine
and wondering why on earth his ia
ther didn't sell tor give 1t away.
After Lonnie had gone in Caleb
planned.
Out in the country. after miles of
struggle In deep, soft mud ruts, the
brand-new car of Lonnle's gave it up.
Weary, from the top OF its cheap
black top to the mud-caked tires. aud
delicate In constitution to boot. ii
wlfeezed painfully-and stalled Lon
nile smiled at Gwendolyn. A car that
wouldn't 20 meant not thing to-
Lonnie-wlth the girl OF his heart so
! near. But Gwendolyn surprised him.
She didn't smile back She frowned-
little.
Gwendnlyn twisted i'm Irer- seat and
flushed angrily hut did nothing useful.
She fnnlly could stand the monotony
OF waiting no longer
n Tonnie Evans, Don't you know
anything bout u carr Anythingg-
Lonnie looked up at her She had
shrieked that last 'Anytning!'' II
might have been the unharmonious
voice OF sieep.provoking rat. Under
ordinary circumstances Lonnie would
have spoken softly and consolingiy.
I'm In no hurry" he sntd evenly,
his eyes unwavering in their boldly
direct gaze into hers
= Really Gwendoiyn- offered. her
head high Blue. ftrioux, bfic eyes,
swept the car aud the snsierf I.onnIe-
scathingiy. Gwendoiyn- had not been
to the movies for nothing. Her ex.
preston was fanitfcsx
Lonnle glanced at her again, secret.
iy, and wondered why his father
hadn't told him that Gwendolyn was
sugar-eoatei only. Pulls are sugnr.
coated: but, even In his anger Lonnle
could not refer 10 Gwen IA such. He
was sure, though. that Caleb had seen
through the candy coating 10 the bit
ter and dlstnstcful substance beneath
Caleb had way of fintfing out things
like that. hut usually he waited until
ionnle had seen II before they talked
II over.
"Go ahead and walk" Lonnle said
ungallantly and abruptly.
Then Gwendolyn famed unbecom
lngly. She stood up in her seat and
delivered n lecture concerning the
conduct OF Lonnle nni the car Then,
probably becnuse Of Lonnlcs lack OF
response. she slnmped down Into her
seat nnd beat her fats On the icnthcr
cushion. Gwendolyn was nm only
child, so wns I,onnle. He told her to
stop before shc wore the finish com.
pleicly on.
Then Caleb cnme along. HIs car
was tiiting merrily over every rut In
existence and didn't ,are. Caleb had
nXcd Lonnles cnr so that II wouldn't
90 very far. lie looked Mt Gwendo.
lyn's flushed and ilmgreenble countc.
nance nnd ut I.onnic's sober, dlslllu.
stoned one. and decided that tho cnr
would be sold the next day and he
and Lonnlc would begin search for n
dark hnlrcd Girl with aYeet win, ovea