The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-01
INTERFERENCE.
[From the Tatler.l

| riage. You either made the match or
unmade it, / don't know which
Il didn't make it,
"Then why did you break it off? 1t
was a splendid opportunity for BOTH
| one side, family on the other, and love
| felicity"
"Pn whisper you all if you promise
| not to tell. Jack is a particular friend
| of mine, you know. When I learned
| that he had dropped into a serious en-
morrow, followed him at once to the
| country house to which L had been in
| vited also. 1 got into the drawing room
| at a moment when Miss Minnesota was
| entering it by opposite door,.
| ''She is beautiful, isn't she?"
| 81 don't think her beautiful but she
| has the kind of looks that affects people
| with agreeable surprise, just as VIII
| does. At dinner 1 never once perceived
| a look exchanged between her and Jack,
/ who was sitting beside me. All the 9TH
| er people seemed concerned about them
| and delighted with them; only they two
| appeared oblivious of each other.
| about 1 o'clock a. m, when Jack
| and 1 were left alone, the last of the
smokers in the smoking room, l said,
| My boy, / came down here expressly
| to congratulate you
| 81 Sudden deathY said Jack, and drop
ped the big end of his cigarette into the
ash tray.
IS that a joker asked.
| 81 looked at him.. You know Jack has
| a particularly boyish appearance even
| for his youthful years. He hung his
| head and looked pitiable. What under
| heaven do you mean, you young duff
| fer?' 1 said.
Just this. don't want to be mar
| ried; never wanted to be marrled,and
I am going to be married.
Then you don't
I like her well enough. I admire
| her up to a point; but there's half a
| dozen girls I'm ten times more spoony
about, and 1 don't want to marry
them
Then how did it all come about?
IS oh L don't know, SO how can L tell
you! 1 informed that she had ac-
| cepted me. and L hadn't the cheek to
| say that 1 had never asked her. When
| l didn't say it at first l couldn't say it
| afterward. How she was got into be-
| lieving that had made a proposal I'm
I sure 1 can't imagine. She's reticent |
| creature, and 1 hate a shy woman. We
have exchanged no condolences, yet here
| we are. booked
/ II smoked a few moments in silence,
and then said, abruptly, Why don't you
| break it OFF,
:" Impossible he said; my honor is
| pledged. And BESIDES, added, sheepish-
| ly, she's dreadfully in love with me-
Are you sure you are not in love
with her?'
with her if 1 hadn't got to marry her. !
She's too much of a person for me to |
take about with me always
She's as young as you
But she's twice as sensible. and so
awfully rich People are always talk
ing to me of her gold mines.
1--WE smoked a while in silence, and 1 |
said at last, Would you really like to |
have this matter ended-say, if the |
breaking off were to come from the |
lady?'
wouldn't do it
'Humph.' 1 said. Will you allow me |
to try if 1 can manage it?'
The wedding cake is bought, the |
trousseau is on view, the wedding !
guests invited, and she has given me !
a ring made of a nugget he said mo-
rosely.
1.-The next day I transferred my par
ticular attentions from Jack to the lady |
who was known among her friends as /
Minnesota had to approach her with
great cunning, for she was, as he said, |
a shy, reticent creature; clear shining |
eyes under a broad brow, which seemed
capable of saying great deal more
than her tongue and yet maintained
also a certain reserve; a child of
prdiries, mines, rocky mountains; while |
Jack, you know, is a product or Bond
street and the ante-room to the house
of lords. | began to understand how 1t
might be that, young and simple as she
was Jack felt her too much of person
to take about with him.
Il had ascertained Jacks state of feel
ing; my efforts We're now directed
toward discovering hers, which was not
half so easy. [ began by praising Jack,
and she remained unmoved. For two or
three days I devoted myself to her as
much as was SeS1Qly, ana neT reserve
began to thaw and her silence to melt
away. At last progressed so far as to
tell her what an awfully lucky fellow 1
believed my friend to be.
"tOf course 1 know he thinks it him
SELF she said bluntly, but it does
puzzle me to understand how he could
fall in love with me so terribly in
twenty -four hours
" Half the time would be enough I
said CALAMITY; but she only gave me
cool, disappearing look from under her
level eyebrows.
g And your I ventured to say, if I
may dare to ask-how long?'
They hurried me too much They
ought not to have told him consented
before / had had time to think it out
g But if they had given you time.
what then?'
II shouldn't have accepted him.
You are not happy in the engage
ment? Why not break it OFF,
Her eyes flashed. An altogether diff
ferent Minnesota sat before me- For
moment the light of liberty was in her
eyes. 1t was but the lightning from
heaven, there and gone
loves me too much. And I couldn't ruin
him, for he wants the mines. l don't
want anything, and it doesn't matter
what becomes of me-
1.-The quiet despair in her manner ,ris-
ing to a touch of desperation. surprised
and alarmed me.
g i can imagine Jack a very ardent
lover said carefully.
They say he feels it too much to
put it into words, and 1 suppose he
does Some who put it into words don't
feel it much
Then she suddenly colored all over
her face, as if conscious of having made
some involuntary admission.
IF you will allow me to advise I
would say think of your own happiness
and let other matters take their course
q I can't. It's not my way: I never
could treat another person badly
''She stood up and moved away with
an air of determination that reminded
me that she was the daughter of an in