The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-15
"a TWISTED AFFAIR"
A Story Written by Mrs. Myra
Williams-JarrelL
READ At THE ENTERTAINMENT

Church Last NighC-A Clever sketch
in society Life.
The following story written by Mrs
Myra Williams-Ja FARRELL, was read at the
literary entertainment at the First Chris
tian church last night:
''But don't you think a woman has a
right to show man she is not Indifferent
to him? 1t pleases him, and he begins
thinking about her good judgment, and
the rest is easy"
She was leaning back indolently in
great armchair, scanning with half
closed eyes the tea grounds in her cup.
Her hostess, seated opposite her, thor
oughly wide awake. and looking what
she was, a clever, practical woman, gave
her long scrutiniZing look before she
replied irrelevantly, with another ques-
ton.
"What is on your mind now, Mildred?
Have you adopted a new method to win
some man? l suppose you have pro-
posed to him"
Not exactly. But when a woman is
in love"
"Nonsense! interrupted her friend
Mildred Hamilton showed no signs of
resentment as she answered sweetly:
II knew you would say that, dear.
But am sure of myself this time. Con-
graduate me, Mary am in love-"
81 will do no such thing. l am grow
ing tired of cOngratulating you upon the
antics of your peculiar hear. believe
that is the twentieth time you have told
me the same thing"
81 expected you would receive it in
just that way. 1t is so comforting not to
be disappointed. But this time it is
really serious. Please try to believe me,
Mary" said Mildred, with more anima-
ton than she had shown before.
Show old are you, Mildred? Twenty
fve?" asked her friend.
"Precisely. What good memory you
have" lazily answered the girl
During the five years you have been
| in society you have met with great sue
cess. You have charmed every
eligible man toward whom your feeting
fancy turHed. You have thought you
were perfectly honest each time. You
have confided to me every time that you
were truly in love. You never have been,
and never will be in love. You are not
capable of a lasting affection for any
| one"
Except for you and myself, DEAR"
corrected Mildred.
81 admit you have not been tickle so
! far as we two are concerned. That is be-
| cause I am a necessity to you. No other
woman would have borne your conf
dences with patience" said Mary Mich
OILS, with some warmth.
81 don't know what you call patience,
Mary. l certainly would never have
known it by such name. Now l am
patient, for 1 hear your attacks with IN
failing good nature" and Mildred smiled
so sweetly at her that Mary melted and
said:
"You certainly are very magnetic.
Mile dear. get so angry with you,
and then you smile, and 1 forget all
about it and only remember how attractive
you are. But seriously, Mildred, your
character is very incomplete. Superfici-
ally you are all right, but that does not
compensate fory your fickleness and insta-
bility. Every body loves you. Men and
women, children and dogs fall beneath the
glamor of your smile, but not one of
them could honestly tell why they do it"
she concluded rather lamely.
"If anyone but you talked to me in
that way | would not stand it. No one
but you can say such pretty things and
such ugly things in the same breath. 1t
is a gift, DEAR" and Mildred opened wide
her beautiful golden brown eyes and
looked admiringly at her FRIEND.
'Now want to know who the man is,
and what tactics you have used to beguile
him." said Mary abruptly.
ut is John Millspaugh, but I have not
beguiled him. He is quite Indifferent to
me. Last night after dinner l gave him
rather plainly to understand-delicately
of course,-that l was not unmindful OF
his presence. That is all, except that
love him"
s"That, of course, goes without saying.
knew that it must be he, because you
have had your filtration with all the
others, and have loved them each il
turn, in your lofty high-bred manner
And now you must try and charm grave
specialized, scientific, unsophisticated
John Millspaugh! But you won't sue
coed. He is invulnerable, for I have
seen him resist the destinations of hand
somer women than you who were taken
as you are, with his Indifference, anC
his severe beauty. If you were a rock
or rare plant, he might love you, or il
you were even fossil, he might en-
thuse over you-but as a woman-never
You may as we'll give it up, my dear;
, and Mary smiled little maIiciously.
Mildred smiled inscrutably and rose
! without answering. When she reached
! the door, she turned and waited dainty
! kiss toward her hostess, and left the
: room
This conversation took place in ths
: private sitting room of Mrs. Rober
: Nichols, who was entertaining a party
of her most intimate friends in her sum
: mer home in the White mountains
She had known and loved Mildred
Hamilton for years, and she claimed thu
exclusive right to lecture and abuse tn
, girl, who had been her room mate at col
= | lege, her bridesmaid when she marriet
: and at all times her especial torment ant
n | delight
y She sat just as Mildred had left he1
: thinking of their conversation, until sh
: was aroused by short quick rap at tbs
door,
She arose to open it, and found job
: Millspaueh standing in the hall, with
perplexed look on his handsome face.
"May I come in?" he asked, and ad
vancing into the room, took the chat
Z just vacated by Mildred.
9 81 have come to say" he began rattle
: awkwardly. "that 1 think must leav
Z this charming spot I have bushes