The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-17

Don't f1atter me-" she protested.
Il, fatter" he exclaimed. When will
you learn, Miss Ferguson, that am IN
capable of the art? You have not
changed so much, then, after ALL,
You are cruel if you contradict me-"
she replied.
"And were you never crueI?" he
asked.
Perhaps" she answered. "But I res
pented."
Repentance means SORROW he said.
will you be sorry for me now? have
the blues.''
At this moment Silas Beck came in,
followed by the woodman. and when
Mr.. Scruggs turned to introduce his
friend TO Miss Ferguson she was gone.
On the following day Mr.. ScruggS put
on his overcoat and left the house as
soon as breakfast was over. What this
meant to Miss Ferguson she would not
acknowledge even to herself 1t was a
lonely day-the loneliest that she ever
passed. Mrs. Beck, to be sure, never
cea sed to chatter. but what woman's
talk can fill the emptiness of woman's
lonely heart? When Miss Ferguson put
on her arctics to walk down to the VII
lage postoffice Mrs. Beck spoke of Rob-
ert Scruggs and she sat down to listen.
Directly Mrs. Beck'S gossip diverted it
self to a neighbor who claimed to have
a cousin who married a niece sof General
Grant. and Miss Ferguson rose to go.
There goes Robert now" cried Mrs
Beck, with Ida Gates If that girl don {
49,
She's a tur'ble gab''
Miss Ferguson looked out The road
ran near the house, and she saw that
Mr. Seriggs looked perfectly happy
He was leaning back in the sleigh, and
Miss Gates was driving, chewing gum
and talking all at once.
Miss Ferguson did not speak. She
went to the fire, removed her artics.
selected a book from the table and
read. She read determinedly. She told
herself that she was going to read, and
what Miss Ferguson willed to do she
usually did.
When she had been reading about
half an hour Mr.. Scruggs came hurried
ly in.
It am sorry he said to Mrs. Beck.
but 1 have to return to the city.
have just-now received a dispatch
Goodbye, Mrs. Beck-and Miss Fergu-
son. L don't know when 1 shall sec
you again. Goodbye"
Goodbye, Mr.. Scruggs," she said
naturally, extending her hand.
He took it, pressed it mechanically
and in another moment he was gone
Miss Ferguson sat down by the fire.
She admitted to herself that she was
disappointed Mr.. Scruggs no longer
cared for her. He was happier with
Miss Gates, who chewed gum. But then,
why should she care? She was determ-
ined not to care. She made it a prac-
tice to take things philosophically, and
there was little that ever disturbed her.
She liked Mr.Scruggs, but he was moth
pid-and she would try to forget it
Picking up her book she resumed read
ing where she had left off and spent the
rest of the day with the novel.
Notwithstanding that night her pill
low was=wet with tears. They were
foolish, she said, but they would not
last. and she could put it from her
easier after a little feminine cry. After
that she was determined to have no re-
grets, and what Miss Ferguson wil1ed
to do she nearly always did. The next
day she seemed as fresh as she had
been for a year.
Two days later she received a letter
from the postoff1ee. It read:
Dear Miss Ferguson-I once asked
you to marry me. What / said then [
now repeat with twofold vehemence-
Does the change in you extend to your
heart or is yeur answer the same2
"ROBT. SCRUGGS.'
The answer she wrote read simply:
Dear Robert have changed. The
answer is yes. INDIA F.