The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-07

primrose on the silver ana cniiia Oh u
break fast table and on the Wilderness
the cloth. below the lawn blinds on
could catch a glimpse of the park trees
As the postmans knock fell upon the
outer door Mrs. Selgrave looked up an
Clio looked down interestedly at ne
plate. A moment later the 1laiu ~, ~
ed with an eXDressionless face . Parce
post. ma'am," she said staldly' an
walking round the table laid a paste
board box beside Clos cup
Mrs. Selgrave smiled as she picked Vi
the paper. Again, dear|' she sald IL
a gently amused voice
Clio blushed With little rustic sh-
rose and collected her half-read letters
then last of all, and with a certain mas
tiness. she picked u the box 81
walked around the table but in passlns
her mothers chair she paused. ana
stooping. kissed the hair that was SUI
as dark and soft as her own Mrs. Sc
grave put up her hand and Datted the
smooth cheek.
IAN women are contradictions Go,
she said: but a woman with daugn
ter is the most contradictory penn
alive She knows that 10 lose her chllo
is-weH to lose the sun. yet she look
forward to that child's marriage VIII
all the ambition that she's got Whel
YOU choose a husband. deaT-choOSe
we'll" She laughed to hide the feeling
in her voice. and shook out the sheets
of her newspaper afresh-
Once in her own room. clio turned the
key in the lock. as she turned 1t she
smiled 1t is hard to enact the same
scene for 20 consecutive mornings With
out observing the humor-
She sat on the edge of her bed, threw
her letters in a heap upon the floor,
then tore off the wrappings of the box.
She expected nothing new, but hei
mothers words had stimulated her ex-
element; her fingers were almost un-
steady as they drew of the lid. There
they lay--the carefully packed Russian
violets, damp and dark and fragrant
as they had lain yesterday, and the dag
before and the day before Her eyes
instinctively Travelled around the walls.
The room breathed of violets in every
variety of size. The gilt bowls on the
dressing table were laden with them,
they peeped from all the vases on the
mantel-shelf; a heap of dead ones
awaited removal in the CRATE.
"Oh, it's aggravatingl" she exclaimed,
and her eyes returned to the box in her
lap. It's ridiculously aggravating!'
For moment her fingers sank into the
GOODNESS of the flowers: then with a
sharp exclamation she arose and the
box fell to the ground. Things were
not quite the same as they had been
yesterday and the day before.
Her lips parted and her hazel eyes
shone. She knelt down hastily, and from
the scattered viOlets on the floor picked
out a little velvet case. She was con-
scious of the most delightful thrill of
her life as she opened it and drew OUT
the object it contained-a sapphire ring
that glowed blue as the viOlets them
selves. With an unsteadily beating heart
she drew the ring over her finger and
looked at it's reflection in the glass. Then
with pink cheeks she turned from the
light and began to collect the fallen
flowers.
with the first bunch gathered in hen
CHI al nd acr CT
the bed9ost.
TT isn't as if one could wondef
vaguely" she said aloud. 1T is so OBJ
vious-as mamma would say. If it ISM
Herbert it must be Max; if it isn't Max
-. I'll just think it through once
more to get my mind straight. 1t was
at one of Sally BeaumOnt's Wednes
days" She laid her first cons gnment OF
yiolets on a chair and began to collect
the next. Herbert was holding a plate
of sandwiches-or was it cake? Any.
way, he was holding something when
Max brought me my tea" She pushed
back her hair. Then somebody started
talking about favorite flowers. and SallV
tried to be more eccentric than usual
and I said that as long as Russian vi
Diets were to be bought I didn't care il
every other flower was swept off the
earth Then I took my cup from Max"
She gathered up the remaining fiowers
and laid them indiscriminately in thei
box The next morning the Violets be-
gan to come, and they have been COM
ing ever since" She arose slowly and
gently twisted the ring around and
around her finger.
1T was all right as long as they were
only flowers. but now An inscru-
table smile parted her lips. Now, OF
course, I've got to find out" With a
sudden blush she pulled off the ring
and walking to the dressing table
locked it in drawer.
There was an at home" at the Beau
monts' that night. Clio dressed herself
with care. She chose a white frock of
silky crepe and wore a string of pearls.
She was unusually quiet as she lay
back in the brougham, but as the horse
slackened speed and they joined the line
Of carriages. she turned impulsiveIy and
touched her mothers hand Mamma. -
she said quickly, when one has to ask
the same question of two people. and
one wants one to say No and the other
to say Yes where should one begin9"
Mrs. Selgrave smiled in the shadow
of the carriage and pressed the girls
hand. Begin with the wrong one.
dear" she said. Zone should always
prepare for appointments. and the
right people see when one gets hurt. :