The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-12
4 WOMAN HATER
LFro1n the London world.l

naq never Deen IN love honest 4HJuIs
as his brother officers would have said.
They would also have added that when
he did commit that folly he would go
in pretty deep. En- revanche, he was
a Woodworking officer, who got plenty
of work out of his Tommies. and con-
trived at the same time to be popular
with them.
He was not so popular with the fair
sex No man really is who persistently
holds aloof from them, and. without be
ing lmpOlite in their presence, shows
that he can do thoroughly well with
their absence Captain Tunstall was
from their point of view no use at all.
He could not be relied on except for
barren courtesy What, then did IL
matter to any wearer of petticoat
whether he was popular officer ana
had earned the D. S. o. or nOt2 It mat
tered just as little that he was Lord
Amershan's son. and would be peer
one day with comfortable accessories
except that it was eXasperating for II
all TO be out of reach.
It was one time when his battalion
was quartered at Windsor on guard
duty that the great event happened.
Ascot races were just over, and by way
of finish to the week the guards had
arranged a big day on the pretty polo
ground just outside Datchet- The elite
of Windsor and the two counties gath
cred in state to see the sport, and the
froeks and fashion. Captain Iunstall,
of course. was playing in his own team.
He was one of its strongest pillars, and
when victory fell eventually to his side
it was largely due to his rapid runs up
and skllful shots at goal
oh, who is that mantle man who
made most Of the gOals2'' cried girl
with enthusiasm. She was seated in
Lady PhilstOn's carriage which stood
at the side of the ground. Captain Tun-
stall, riding in at the close of the game
came almost straight at the carriage,
and the girl was able to see on closer
inspection what a fine man he was
They exchanged glances.
That is Captain Tunstan" replied
Lady PhilistOn. He is good to look at
isn't he2 But you would be disappoint-
ed if you knew him They call him a
woman hater-Which, ] suppose. means
that he is too stupid to be able to make
himself agreeable to any woman Not
! that he seemed stupid on the only occa-
sion that I ever met him. But if he is
really q WOman-hater. he must be a
fool. Think what he misses,"
He evidently doesn't hate you" said
the girl in a discreet whisper for he is
obviously coming to speak to you
But in her heart she wondered whether
it We're true that the pony's course had
altered just a fraction since the ex-
change of that glance
Dear me, so he is" replied Lady
Phihston in the same tone. He has
viOusly much pleased. He can't really
be such a bear as people make out
] She welcomed him cordially, and
Tunstal responded with (for HIM UNI
usual brightness. Usually he was grave
with ladies. Lady Philiston. who liked
{ big, gOOd-lOOking men. and knew well
/ that Tunstal was not lavish III even
! these small attentions, ratified on for
some time in lively manner, taking
all the compliment to her own fading
4 attractions and pluming herself on
! their effect. 1t was only as an after
thought that she introduced her friend
/ Miss Certis.
The intelligent reader has probably
OWNED by now that it was Miss Certis'
I face, and not Lady Philistons attrac-
/ tons Which had drawn StOnewall Tun-
/ stall out of his ordinary groove as if
| with some magnetic power In truth il
| was wonderful face-not altogether
| regular, yet charming in its Irregular
ity. What fixed the attention at once
were the eyeS-large. dark and lustrOus.
/ They might have belonged to an Orien-
/ tai sultana but for the expression, which
spoke OF the active brain of the west,
not of the sOulless torpOr of the east.
She spoke to Tunstall about the polo,
/ and he replied with zest. He had suf-
/ fcient sense not TO neglect Lady Phil
iston; but how great would have been
| her pique had she known that he re-
! garded her as but the steDping-sto
/ over which a man must pass each time
re &OiuCS ana SOt1S 10 TIE HAPPY Lana
1t does not do to kick it away into mid
stream.
He was so sincerely delighted with
the encounter, so really anxious to
please, that both ladies We're eaptivated
with him.
You must come and see me-" said
Lady Phiiston. "Oh, l know you are
not a calling man, but you must make
an exception. Write and say when you
/ viii come to lunch. Or, better still come
on fra hon
| invitation. We have a few people com
ing. and Miss Certis will still be with
US"
Now, Tunstall always refused lunch
con invitations He said it was such q
waste of time. People who had had any
experience of him in this way had Civ
en- up sending them. Great would have
been their surprise to hear him accept
this invitation readily, nay, with graft
tude.
Capt Tunstal went to that luncheon
party and enjoyed it. Miss Certis was
not only pretty to look at, but charming
to talk to. Opportunities came in his
way, and he used them Nor was the
language of the eyes wanting. Again
and again the twain drew together, and
by manner and glance declared the
pleasure that they felt in each others
society. Curtis Tunstall, who was not
as rule. of an idealistic temperan ent
found himself talking fiuentfy on the
affinity of souls and the natural ran
I prOchement which, on some rare ana
beatific occasions, one feels for another
at the first encounter He did no. act
ually tell her that he had fallen in love
with her at first sight, nor did ne in
tend to. 1t was too early. Miss Certis
however would have been blind if she
had not perceived it. and she was not
blind Her own feelings-wen she liked
to hear it, she wished that he would &C
on, realized only too well that he was
not that kind of man and felt that life
was very hard The worst Of it all was
that sne was leaving so soon. and-i
she had only met him before,
Capt Tunstall did not forget the step
ping-stone. He gave her quite her fan
share of attention.
Yes. I can't tell you how I shall mis-:
her. she said with reference to AaissCer-
tbs, in reply to some remark of his. SHE
is a dear girl / would keep her by
force if I could. But the fact is tina
there is another who has better claims
That is the worst OF dear girls They