The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-30
FRIVOLE And AlIARYLLIS.

7 am going to the Astor library this
very minute, and the next time Mr..
Van Schalk comes to see me he VIII not
go away and tell that horrld dowdy,
Nell Denham, that I am a pretty little
featherhead.' Oh, deari Oh, deari If
he had only said it to any one else in
the world but to that girl who still
wears fOur-in-hand ties and big sleeves,
as Noah's family did when it came out
of the ark and doesn't know this year
style of sailor hat from last year'sl"
And SO she hied herself off to the
Astor library.
Frivolve arrived. She didn't have Fri
vole's rose and cream complexion or
| Frivoles merry laugh But FTivole
didn't appreciate her blessings that
morning The first thing she did was
to begin to sob.
''Frivole, dear, what is it2''
ooh. nothing, only I wish-I wish 1
could have a little wrinkle in my fore
head like you, and then people would
say 1 thought sometimes"
Anaryllis rang for tea
Pm SO discouraged, Amaryllis.'' And
she rolled her handkerchief into a bah
and dabbed each eye.
I want to be sensible and serious,
and don't know how I want to be
clever and improve my mind. want
to be like you'll" And such a picture of
appealing misery the silver teapot had
scarcely reflected before.
AmafylllS looked mortified
Mr.. Van Scnaik, the awfulIy clever
one, who writes books and is a lawyer
and is going to congress and all that
you konw-well, he called once in
awhile, and he said I was a f-feather-
head Oh, what q dreadful wOrdr'
And you wish to please this gifted
creature2" said Amaryllis, dropping 4
lump Of sugar into F'riVole's tea. Sup
pose you read some Take up a course
of history Dolly Madison is a fad just
now. Read up Dolly and the war of
1872 War makes good small talk these
days, and if he is going to congress-
at sounds very hard,' faltered the
ambitious one. but I'll try"
That's right, dear. Now III condde
in you F'rivole, want TO be frivOl-
GUS"
"Oh, Amaryllisr
I'm tired of being learned. I want
to kOnw how to be attractive and
pleasant when people are tired as well
as when they are fresh and ready to
You. Now, tell me how You never
weary people or task their intellects or
upset their nerves. You amuse Them
and refresh them
''Oh, talk nonsense and wear pretty
dresses and when the atmosphere is
sad just curl your hair all overt
think you are awfully foolish, though
don't know much about anything else.
but mamma always said a hirt was
born fiirt, and I think you would not
be half so nice if you were frivolous,
Amaryllis"
So they parted.
1t was fragrant and softly gloomy in
the lamplighted music room, and Fri
vole, looking rather white and anxious
sat bolt upright on the piano stool.
All day she had been studying liter
ature" and improving her mind"
Kings and queens were to her as SO
many puppets. Paganism and civiliza-
ton were mere words to play with. She
was well up in literature. It was nov
el position for Frivole. and when Mr..
Van Schalk was uShered in he was sur
prised. She didn't run into the hall to
meet him with some absurd welcome
which he heard, misunderstood and an
alyzed as charming. She didn't laugh
and shake her hand vigorously and
then sit down with a cloud of frills
around her and chatter TO him.
Alas, she did nothing OF the kindl He
awOze her from a. scene of carnage
when he entered, and she raised two
brilliant eyes and flushed face from
her book. advanced with intense suf-
fering depicted on every feature and,
wringing his hand, said.
"Oh, Mr.. Van Schalk. how glad am
to see you! Wasn't it perfectly dread
full about poor Mary, queen of ScOts?"
1t was very unkind OF him. but Mr.
Van Schalk went away to the noun
tains next day He declared that his
nerves We're completely shaken up
grily, and Frivole allowed two mean
dering tears to caress her pink cheeks.
well, it's q consolation anyhow,
Amaryllis, to know that you were not
a success"
Thanks" said AmaryIiis
What did they say when you tried
to be like me2"
.syven, don't like TO seem rude Fri
vole, dear, but the family wouldn't
listen They simply abseonded- The
girls all said I had turned into Dodo-
You remember Dodo in the book, who
talked about her baby as a landed pro-
prietor and wished she could be a
Christian martyr, SO that her fingers
would curl uD like bacon when they
burned her at the stake
laugh all the time, Frivole-WeH, my
laugh scared Bob so that he knocked
over a vase which father brought from
Egypt and they all concluded that
was hysterica1 and had better take a
vacation"
Poor Amaryllisl I'll go with you if
my gray frock comes home
And what did Mr.. Van Schaik say
after you tried to open the converse
tion2"
Say? Why, he almost tainted and
well, I don't think he appreciates
clever, cultured women. 1t all depends
on what one is used to. I suppose"
And then they drank some more tea
The little son OF Harvey Myers. Of
Belleville, Kas., put his eye out with a
piece of wire last week, and is in To-
pelSa for treatment