The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-12
HER LAST FLIRTATION.
[From the Chieago News.l

Thank you. Col. Macy, always en-
joy my visits with you. suppose you
nave, a houseful, as usual Who is
''Oh, not housefuI; only ten or
twelve. Judge and Mrs. Oliver and
their son, Peter Conway and his two
pretty daughters. Arthur Morrison,
Frank Earle and his mother, Prof. Ali
son and the lovely. Scotch lassie, Miss
Murray, to whom I predict you will
lose your hard old heart
I may sometime lose my heart, Col.
Macy, but never to firt, be she ever
so beautiful
Tut, tut, boy. A girl is not to be
blamed because men will hake fools of
themselves about her.
True enough. But she is to be
blamed if she deliberately sets out to
make fools of men,
The two gentlemen passed on along
the wide avenue between rows of giant
oaks, and a young girl who stood half
concealed beneath a clump of lilac
bushes looked after them with a strange
light in her wonderful eyes
She clasped her hands to gether and
her lips quivered.
Can it be possible that this is the
reputation have won in this miserable
country" she whispered. God knows
l have not meant to hurt American
men are kind and amusing, and I have
permitted myself to be amused
Suddenly she smiled and again the
strange light Shone in her marvellous
eyes-eyes like twin springs of rare old
wine.
And you of all men, DR.. Harold Yer
non, whom have admired so long from
afar off. Well, l promise you, this shall
be my last Irritation"
She went up to her room by way of a
side entrance and dressed for dinner
| with unusual care He is five and
thirty she said to her reflection in the
mirror and then she piled her luxuriant
auburn curls in a wonderful crown
! about her snowy brow, donned her most
| becoming dress and descended to the
| drawing room.
| Earle when Miss Murray entered the
room, and he started visibly. Truly she
! is beautiful" he reflected, "but her
! beauty is evidently only skin Deep
The next minute he was bowling his
| dark, handsome head before her, but she
| gave him only a very distant and
| naughty inclination and crossed the
/ room to where Mrs. Oliver sat knitting.
! AS usual she was soon the center of at
traction but what had come over her?
| No one understood her mood a very
new and strange one. Who had ever
| before found Miss Murray silent and
| preOccupied. And then there was a
| sad little droop to the lips that were
always before running over with smiles.
AT dinner Miss Murray sat opposite
| Vernon and he watched her wondering.
| He could not help hearing some of her
conversation with Prof Allison. Surely
she was too serious to be fiirt. Why,
could he believe his ears, she was ac-
tually saying, No, sir, I do not like
your science: it is too hard and exact.
There is no room for the play of imag-
ination. Two and two make four and
that ends it. Besides, there is nothing
in it for the many ills of life, no balm
for sorrow, no soothing potion for over
worked nerves, no sweet dreams for the
tired brain, no blessed healing for heart
ache"
Then Judge Oliver claimed her atten-
ton and DR.. Vernon found himself mus
ing: Medicine will please her better
than mathematics. But what can she
know about sorrow and heartache and
tired brains? Can it be that in wound
ing others she herself has been wound
ed ?"
This last thought made him so angry
at the possible male fiirt that the pretty
Miss Conway whom he had taken in tC
dinner was startled by the expression
on his face.
oh doctor" she cried. what is the
matter? Have you swallowed fish
bone?" The doctor burst into merry
laugh, which greatly relieved Miss Con
way, and after that she talked so mucf
that he could catch no more Of the con
versation across the table.
During the evening he made severa
attempts to converse with Miss Murray
but failed utterly to attract her atten-
ton. She seemed wholly ignorant o.
his presence.
Now, the doctor was not only hand
some, he was rich and distinguished ant
had always been a great favorite among
women. His failure to interest Mis-
Murray nettled him. Moreover, h
concluded Miss Murray had been basel!
slandered. Certainly he knew some
thing about women. He had watched
her all the evening and had failed t.
discover anything coquettish in he
manner During the week that follow
ed DR.. Vernon became more and NOR
interested in the beautiful Scotch CIR
but his endeavorS to make friends will
4 her were still fruitleSs. She treated hin
4 with cool and distant politeness tina
was positively annoying.
One morning, he with several othe
gentlemen, was strolling in the gardel
t | before breakfast, when Mrs. Mace,
: came running from the hause, calling
t excitedIy: Come to the conservatory
4 doctor at once, doctor, Miss Murray i
S ill.,
r He went Immediately and found hel
/ clad in a dainty white morning gown
o stretched at full length on a sofa, he
e rich, auburn curlS falling over the pill
e low to the floor and one tiny, slippere
s foot peeping out beneath her dress.
Y Frank Earle knelt beside her., hold
a ing one of her hands, love and anxiet
e beaming from his boy1sh face.
/. Grace was breathing heavily and
d faint flush dyed her cheeks.
: "She has complained several time
n lately of a pain in her left side" ex
planned Mrs. Macy and Mrs Earl
added: I'VE were cutting roses for tn
breakfast table and suddenly she place
her hand over her side and staggere
to the floor"
The doctor motioned Frank Earl
away little impatiently and, kneelin
beside his couch. he bowed his hea
over her side to listen to her heart, bu
- his own was fluttering so wildly in hi
ears that it was impossible for him
hear anything. He ordered a glass
: wine and, lifting her head on his arm,
e held the glass to her lips. She swallowe
/ a little and appeared somewhat bette
Presently she opened her eyes and sigh
: ed as if relieved. Then the doctor Wer
away to his room and soon returne
with a powder which he urged her I
take but she protested. Il do not nee
81 medicine, doctor; am better now
But you must take it, he replied
u Z