The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-21
LADY CONNIE'S PLUNGE.
-ICIo. Graves. n The sketeh.l

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What chances'' gasped Lady Connie.
taking her fair. disheveled head out
from among the cushions of her bou-
doir lounge, and drying her tear stained
eyes with an absurd little gossamer
handkerchief; what chance has girl
"a mere girl, who has only been out
for a season and a half-against a
married woman like Mia LIE Quesne2''
None at ALL" said her friend a
rather plain. sensible young woman,
with sporting tastes and tailor-made
garments. Not the ghost of
chancei''
Yet, she's over thirty-and makes
up," said Lady Connie viciousIy
Men prefer women over thirty said
Molly VerdOn sententiously. and an
inclined to believe that they lean to
makeup
Her waist is at least six inches
larger than mine Connie persisted.
dant type, 1 grant you" returned her
friend; but men like that, too"
Her boots are fves and her gloves
sevens-"
drives fourth hand. Men adore that
kind of thing" returned Molly. light
ing a cigarette My child. what per-
feet tobacco
Captain Lorriker gave me the box
when he came home invaded from
Africa, and"
You got SO chummy2"
"He-he was laid up at his aunt's in
Belgrave square, and-I visit there,
you know
OR you did just then. and you used
to drop in and spend the mornings and
afternoons and sometimes the even
ings, reading and singing and playing
TO the wounded hero" Molly made a
little bit of a grlmace.
1T was only Christian charity. said
Lady Connie with dignity. He had a
splinter of shell in the muscles of
his ribs on the right side
And little Connie thought that an
arrow, skllfully implanted in the left
side, might serve as a counter irri-
tant." Molly exhaIed thin blue cloud
of Turkish vapor and smiled at the
watercolors upon the wall. Now, Cap
tain Lorriker is well
Almost; only he gets awful attacks
of cramp. and turns blue
Does hep
Every now and then It has some
thing to do with the water in South
Africa. He vows he will never drink
another drop as long as he lives"
It's the kind of oath you can really
rely on a mans keeping. But, tell me
one thing. While you we're playing,
not Sister but Cousin-in-Mercy, where
was the lie Quesne2"
In the Riviera. And Fred-I mean
Captain LOrriker-admitte to me that
there had been what he called a slight
ENHANCEMENT, and promised TO steer
clear of such things for the future"
And you believed him2 Goosei"
And them" went on Lady Connie,
rising to her feet and beginning to
walk up and down over the Morris car
pets Of her sanctum, her pale Liberty
draperies trailing. her gold hair dis
heveled, her cheeks and eyes flaming
with Indignation and her fingers nerv-
ously wrestling with the clasp of her
Egyptian silver girdle, then she came
back. Oh, it was degrading! She just
held up one Of her fngers-gave him
one look, and"
And he fell to heel like the well
trained retriever he is. The lie
Quesne is fam Gus for breaking in men.
/ rather admire her for it
do you2 Well. if you're going to
lunch with me at the Dips club you
viii have the pleasure of seeing them
together. Both are members, you
know"
7 thought the rules separated the
sexes at feeding time2''
"Nomina1y. But after the soup they
draw the curtain that divides the
ladies' restaurant from the gentlemen's
Fusion is the word. should like
of all things to see it. Why did you
never ask me before2'
Because never Joined until 7 went
in for swimming -. retorted Lady Con
ME.
And now you're one of the cracks.
aren't your"
I've seen some races and gain
ed a bracelet for the high dive
Does she-I'n call the LIE Quesne the
Ogress, because she has such an en-
dearing little way of crunching eligi-
bic young men up, body and bones
does she natate, as the Americans
say2"
Swim? Like a bladder of Iard!'' said
Connie disgustedly- ..Walloping is the
word for it. See herel" She pulled out
her fair cheeks and waved her arms,
and gave on the whole a not too eXag-
gerated imitation of the acquatic frolics
of ahe lady in question, and Molly
shrieSed with laughter
Women are never humorous unless
they're jealous, she said Wiping her
trimming eyes when the performance
was over
jealous DO you suppose Pr Con
ME was beginning, when the other cut
her short
'Jealous2 OF course you arei And if
YOU want to cut out your hated rival
do it in the water. Don't you have
aquatic show Off days, when the male
club members race in the big swim
ming bath. and the women sit in the
balconies and bet on the favorite; and
vice versa, when the women splash and
the men look on2" Molly's eyes twin
kled as she stopped to whisper in Con-
MES ear Pull her under-duck her
make her appear an idiot when Freddy
LOrriker is looking on, and she may
hold up her finger until she perishes, 1
after that, without getting him back. |
Trust me. 7 know menl" said Molly.
oh you dear, darling, clever thingi"
screamed Connie, falling on her
friends neck in rapture. And they went |
together to the Dips" club, and lunch !
ed at the very next table to Mrs. lie |
Quesne. and she was very kind and con- !
descending to Lady Connie-so much |
so that Lady Connie would have given !
worlds to be able to hurl outlet at her /
rivals head and challenge her to a duel |
with pickle forks Then. just before the |
second course, the curtains dividing the I
Gentlemen's Grill from the Ladies'
Restaurant flew apart-and Freddy
Lorrixer arose and drifted with the tide /
in the direction of his enchantress' |