The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-04-17
As KNIGHTS OF OLD.

AZ AALU1AN VE VLDs
From a long course Of novel reading
Clarice Rector had graduated into q
permanent if self-generated. atmos-
phere Of romance. She parted her
hair madOnnaWise and cOiled it low on
her neck. with creamy camellia peep
ing from above one pink ear. She af~
teeted violet tints and chnging gowns,
and after five Of her favOrite heroines
had been described as possessing
svelte figures, Clarice took to Delsarte
and vigorously denied herself sweets.
Frank Hostman had graduated from
the high school into his fathers store
and promised to become what his
father termed "a business man from the
ground uu." He wore ready-made
clothes and banked part of his salary
every week. He called Clarice's cameiiia
a rose and asked her whether she was
not afraid of tripping over her long
frocks.
Whereupon Clarice decided that Frank
was not her affinity. A man who cOuld
not differenUate between the flowers
worn by his sweetheart and those
chosen by other girls, who preferred
nOunces to slender. alluring lines as
her favOTite novelist described the cling
ing, shOrt-waisted gowns in which she
and the aforesaid her0nies appeared.
was certainly not the man to make hea
happy.
Further. Frank had never said that
he wanted to make her happy He had
marking. as he took the Rector order
over his fathers counter:
It planted twenty more at the First
National yesterday, Clafice. I think
we'll build in the spring"
We-indeed.
And 20 have man remark casually
i'm broad daylight during the homeward
walk from church that he hoped she
would always have red geraniums in
the dining room. like Mrs Deems. the
seamstress, was not exactly Clarice's
ideal of love-making- She wanted
moonlight, or pickering freight, with
tender pleadings on Franks part ana
nutterinS uncertainty on hers. She re-
called. with growing dissatisfaction
that Frank had never really proposed
TO her He had taken it all for granted
it seemed 20 her, from the first day
that he had carried her books to school
They and the idea of marriage had
somehow just grown up together. All
HinborO understood it, too and was
counting on the wedding as soon as
Frank had established his right to a
partnership in his fathers business.
Therefore, all Hillboro was greatly
amazed. in fact, properly shocked. when
Amy Judson told Carrie Fravne that
Clarice had told her that everything
was over between her and Frank: in
deed, that they had never been really
engaged-just foolish boy and girl
love affair-that was all
And it certainly did look as if every
thing were over between the two. Frank
had come to her bubbling over with de-
tails of a little transaction that meant
much for his prospects Clarice had
looked first bored. then irritable, and
finally had said she was tired of petty
business affairs Frank had followed
this up with a remark about their COM
mon interest In his future, and then
the deluge.
White faced, but with a certain dog
ged look in his blue eyes. Frank had
heard her out then rising, had faced
her, his HANDS clasped behind him. that
ire
I suppose you know what you are
talking about, Clarice" he had said,
but I am not sure that ] do This
much, though. I will say: If YOU ex-
poet me to go down on my knees like
those fire. caters in velvet cloaks and
lace rufies, or to hang over the back OF
your chair like the leading man in the
play, you're mistaken. / love you
and there was an odd break in his voice
- don't think any man will ever love
you as do, but I won't be made a fool
OF, even by you. Why-why-I always
supposed that you understood"
"Indeed2" Clarice had responded with
an ineffective attempt at sarcasm.
We'll / am no mind reader. and YOU
kept your sentiments locked close i'm
your mind. Perhaps it is just as we'll
because I now realize we could never be
happy together And she handed
him the little ring. two interlocked
hearts of twisted gold. which had been
his valentine gift the year before their
graduation.
Before twenty-four hours had passed
Clarice reached the decision that the
romance Of a lovers quarrel was more
admirably depicted in books than in real
life. According to all the teachings OF
her faVorite writer's she should have
shown such signs as an interesting pal
Tor and 1agging steps. when in realitv
she had only headache and a very red
nose. The day had started out wrong
when peeping through her shutters, she
had seen Frank stalk stolidly TO his
work without a glance in the direction
Of her window or without hearing his
CHEEKY robins note. which had never
failed to greet her every morning fol
But then one must take her stand
some time, and if Frank was too proud
to propose, she was too proud to be had
without even the formality OF the ask
ing.
Two weeks later Hinboro was scan
dalized at the news that Frank Horst
man had taken Judge Lafian's stenoe.
rapher Nella Webb, to the Knights Of
Pytbias dance at Ames Junction Mis-.
Webb was what the Hiuboro boys call
ed 2 "stunner." Frank. still stingins
from Clarice's petulence, said to hirnseI
that Nella Webb was the right sort
She openly laughed at love. vowins
that what she liked was a jolly gooC
chum. She wore, smart, snug fitting