The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-07-01
CROSS AND HEART.

$50 some people say that all men ara
not towards by right of their sex. For my
part, I cannot entirely agree with this.
towards are only folk who have not such
sense of personal dignity as their more
fortunate fellows. -
''Yet, for all that, women admire cour-
age more in a man than any other quail
ity."
Precisely They know how ridiculous
ly stupid they are themselves and how it
is hardly possible for them to find courage
where it exists as it is to find a modiste
with new ideas.
There were four or five of US seated in
the little yellow tearoom, and it was the
time of twilight, SO the lamps were not lit
and no candle flame was reflected in the
Venetian girandoles. And the freight
fickered, and the scent of the Mentone
roses in the big bowl mingled with that of
the strong Pekoe, and we were hipped and
dull and distraites and all the rest of it.
YES said our Constance, the Con-
stance the guide-I don't mean profess
sional lady guide, but the amateur kind of
thing, which is not, after all, always the
more pleasapt-the philosopher, for she
has read Comte and actually laughs over
NJ Arouet de Voltaire, which is very
wrong of her And, friend, she never
wants to rob any other woman of any
thing. She has got plenty of her own,
good looks included, and has no occasion
to be jealous. Happy compositionl Bet
ter than that Of any Nine Rachel to make
the face look pleasant.
81 once knew a brave man.
"But did you know he was brave when
you knew him or only until after2''
fancy that when this question was ask
ed our Constance moved uneasily in her
chair, for though she is a widow of not
the least maria geable tendency and with
the best of jointures, she is not always, as
a matter of course, cOmposure its very self
She put the Burmese hand screen before
her face, although she was not nearly near
enough TO the fire to feel the heat uncom-
fortably.
Eyes, I did know a man who was brave
once 1t was long time ago. How well
I remember it all He was one of those
rosy faced subs that are such favorites with
our friend Rudyard Kipling
Here some one must needs break in with
On the road to Mandalay.
Where the old hotilla lay.
Constance kept quiet for few seconds.
''No he was not bound for Mandalay,
though it was at Shepheard's, at Cairo,
where met him last. We were taking the
Journey easily. He was on the rush to join
the One Hundred and Fiftieth up on the
hills.
II think I see him now. He was rather
Ghickset as we'll as chubby faced, and he
the buttons were burst of. They said he
passed very well in the competition, and
that he was a good drill and all that sort
of thing But, as I said BEFORE he was
chubby faced, he was thickset, and the but
tons would come off his gloves. What girl
of IS could possibly submit to that''
There was a chorus: OF course nOti
Much too absurd an idea altogether
Eyes, I suppose the idea was too absurd,
but, at any rate, for a girl of IS. Besides,
he blushed dreadfully, and that of itself
was sufficient to create a revulsion of feel
ing. I think see him now as I sat under
one of those hideous white umbrellas, and
the servants moved to and fro, and the
puggaries fell down fat and limp i n the
breezeless air.
"'Iam going, Constance, he said May
I call you Constance, as it is the last time
I may speak?'
you have done so without asking, I
answered. IT'S really too familiar, but as
you are going on a fighting expedition per
haps may overlook it OF course he NUT
tered something about loving me better
than his life, and all that sort of thing, but
one expects that sort OF thing from the rosy
faced sub.
90 Perhaps this may be the last time I
may see you. may be shot
- ooh, really, don't be too sentimental
1t will make such a difference to your rel
atives. Think of your parents or unc1es
or aunts They won't have to mako you
an allowance any longer.
''He sighed and walked away. A year
after I took up The Times one day and
read a telegram from Afghan. He had
been severely wounded, cutting out and
saving a brace of Ghoorkas had been
recommended for the Victoria cross. -
''And so he came home a victorious
hero9''
mo, he lies in that very damp cemetery
by Simla.''
but suppose some of his people were
pleased at his getting the Y. C.?'
He had no people to be pleased -
4 wonder what became of that Victoria
CROSSE
'Oh, don't be so dis1nally sentimental.
Have a nice little piece of music, " said
Blanche Fitzroy, and she sat herself down
in the dark to the piano, laughed and
struck up the fNarche Funebre -
Constance moved in her chair and let
the Burmese fan fall on the carpet.
81 wish you wouldn't do that " And
the pianist, who is good natured If stupid,
left off.
About a month after I was looking
through Constance's jewel case, and in
one Of the drawers I came across u Vic
toria cross, ugliest bit of bronze metal,
and faded carte de visite of the chubby
faced sub, who looked half choked with
his collar
Il do not like any one playing with
those. Put them down, my dear. 3"
After all, I think he had the womans
tears that should fall at La Mort d IN
Heros. -
He sleeps at Simla
She cannot always sleep without the
help of choral
When she lies awake, does she ever think
of him?
You see. after all, he was hero, though
he did burst the buttons off his gloves.
Exchange.