The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-22

Jack had talked with her very gently.
and she had answered every argument
with bitter protest. He answered her
sadly then:
You are young. dear might havs
known that love would not fill your life
now. When you are as old as I am you
viii know that it is all that really mat
tef's Besides working and doing one s
duty. ] win give my consent to your
going Tor all live for is to make you
happy"
Jessie Joined the company and was
acting small part in a pretty, uncul-
tivated voice. She dressed with half a
dozen other girls who smoked and used
slang and in. the guise of friendliness
made her up to distort the beauty Of
her dark brOOding face She learned
the disciplinary value of the stage, and
she learned the real hideousness of sell
fishness. But she told Jack none of
this.
one season passed-two-she was soon
to begin her third. She was getting on,
but slowly. One evening she was moved
by one of those impulses that seem to
come from without rather than within,
to run home and pay Jack q visit. The
rehearsals We're over. There was no
reason why she should not go home for
week. She would surprise him.
She drove out from town in the early
morning. The mist wells were rising
from the hill tops, melted by the burn
ing kisses of the sun. The evergreen
forests on the hill sides were SO cool, the
great wall of earth so restful She Won
dered why she was not afraid they
would topple upon her now. Was it
that she was beginning to yearn for
what they typihed-strength and fdel-
ity, the greatest and best things in life2
The little house had been done up, she
noticed as she drove up, and Jack had
coaxed the rose vines quite to the roof
by now.
The door was omen There was no
fear of tramps in that region, and she
rfe To l,nH 17a
the threshold softly. Some one was
stirring within, but he was too absorbed
to note her soft footballs
Her old blue skirt hung upon the wall,
and her husband, looking older and sad
der, but still with that vast strength of
patience in his face, stood looking a it.
She wrote the rest to her one friend
in the company.
It walked over quietly and stood
beside him. He was still so busy look
ing at that foolish skirt that he didn
know I was there. But after awhile he
turned toward me, and when he saw
me the look that came into his eyes
made me cry.
.'Wen. I've resigned. When I saw
poor old Jack Worshiping that blue
! skirt of mine that 7 had thrown away
/ as worthless made up my mind that
there are only a few things that are
really worth living for, and stage life
isn't one of them, and the companion
/ ship of a stanch, splendid soul like
Jetih - anu 50 We ietl Gnu II 80
ing to wait and work with Jack for
the better days that I know are COM
ing
"He is getting on in his profession
and the-did 1 call them better-the
other days are nearer. But I wonder
if they will be better, the days when
/ Jack and [ are rich, and so many peo-
pie viii know US and make demands
upon our time and so separate US af-
I ter 4 manner? We were both wonder
j ing tOdav but we are going to enjoy
4 the time before that. and meanwhile
that old blue skirt still hangs upon the
wall. Jack insists upon it. He calls It
his restorer.' New York News.