The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-20
IN L0ND n TOWN.


of inverted sunsets.
1 was weary with the task and turned
toward a seat with hope of persuad-
ing Adele to rest a bit. when my eye
neara<t us.
Evidently two of London's smartest
set. They had reached a crisis. BY
what ways they had arrived 1 could
rot guess. They were utterly oblivious
of their surroundings. She was
dainty bit of woman. awfully chic in
appearance, very little, pretty, fitted
out better than even Bond streets best
Book Promenade in Hyde park would
find him. He was a man who had
lived. She was a bit gray over the
temples. as if powder puff had been
tapped on either side of the pompadour
above her high-bred little face.
He sat sidewise. his arm over the
back OF his chair: she rested her fore
arm against the back of her chair and
her hand lay in his naturally. as a
lotus bud rests uDon its element The
man did not even close his hand over
hers. The touc., of their souls was too
close for them to need or heed material
contact.
A second. and the eye took in the de-
tails of this living picture 1 gave a
gasp of surprise-of sympathy
whats the matter?' asked Adele.
My eye carried hers to the two.
It's their dilemma" l said
Nonsense. They are too old for ro-
nance" declared Adele with the in
souciance of youth.
They were of my own time and gen
GRAFTON. but then I myself felt some
what the worse for wear
That's the very little woman we saw
yesterday as We came from our sail to
Greenwich. remember the peculiar
shade of that gown
The same woman, but had not re-
called her face until Adele spoke.
1aa not noted the tint of her gown.
somehow the remembrance of the look
OF her face against the gray stones of
the pier made me feel as if 1 were
weaving the web of some story about
the dainty little creature. The thought
in nearby chair.
Adele l said, 'if you are going to
do that Hogarth cuddy yonder go by
yourself. 1 will wait here"
sat thinking of a crisis of my own
to which I had come long ago, when I
heard the little woman say:
1t must end. Hugh. Yesterday when
we came up from the river you know
we passed poor girl crouched on the
stone steps. You hurried me on when
would have stopped to give her a shiI-
ling or two. You said: You must not
even breathe the air with SUCH We
We're gay with our gay companions, all
laughlngly hurrying from the rain. She
do you recall her face? Where do
you suppose she is now? In the river?''
1 recalled the girl Such passive de-
spair. ], having had no one to prevent
me. flung her sixpence or two. But
that gill wanted richer gift than any
in that passing crowd had for giving.
She wanted-Death.
What does the girl matter?' said the
man; what is she to us?
You would not let me give her a
shilling-she gave me"
Gave you?'
Sight of her gave me insight. Hugh.
Gave me sight of myself. I am as she
is
Dorothy The pain in the mans
voice was acrid.
In the sight of our world-in sight
of heaven. Hugh, we have done no
harm, unless loving be so; but, Hugh,
the spirit of the lawI keep saying
over and over to myself, L am as she
is
The man said nothing, but would
not have worn his face then for. a block
of Standard Oil stock.
"It must end, Hugh-we met too late.
Over and over I keep saying: 1 am like
her-like her"
Come, old poke,'' cried Adele, com
ing toward me. for she had done the
shrimp girl and the marriage la mode
series in short order. Take me away
back to that Madonna of Carlo Doici's
with the dear bright flowers, bJt-never
mind, so old. so tired
q swear am but forty.
81 will go with you, will let your old
bones get a little rest
So we went.
AS we went toward the great iron
gates our view of Landseer's lions was
INSTRUCTED by glittering trap. the
attracting notice of the passersby. Said
one:
LADY Dorothy Lumley's.''
1 had a name for the heroine Of my
new story that was a-weaving.
Two days later I read in the. Times:
"Died of heart failure, Lady Dorothy
LumIey, wife of - and the rest of
it.
1t gave me quite a turn and L should
have sat all day with only my pipe for
companion, moaning over the death OF
a woman 1 had seen but twice, but that
Adele had tired of all London had TO
show and craved now a certain Ameri-
can wild flower-southern at that.
l thought knew little shop where,
if anywhere except along it's own Ala
bama brooksides, it might be found. So
we started on our search: Adele, at my
side. teasing to be petted and prettily
homesick for Adele was pretty at any
thing
She found among the flowers new
friends and greeted old. but could not
discover her caIycanthus.
As 1 waited. enjoying her JOY in the
wealth of blooms. 1 heard an address
given: Lord Lumley's, SO Grosvenor
street" Startled. I turned. Was that
dainty little ghost of woman going to
haunt me?
one Of those perfect Wallets, next to
speechless before his employers, loqua-
cious with his kind. was ordering to the
given address heaps of lilies, white pas
sion flowers and what not-an that
could be found in the cold candor of
snowy scented poisoning.
Says my master, says e: Get the
hest Oh, 'e's great 'un. Jpn go
with inf e don't change is mind
first. A day ago it was h-America. and
i'm going to unit mountain lions in New
Mexico. Now, today, it's h-off to the
wars, it is
'e?"
Gentleman goin' south. No change
this time 'E just stopped me in hour
packin' long enough to send me ere.