The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-16
A COMEDY Or LOVE.

Lucinda and Eunice Ransom were sis
ters. and they lived in an old white
house which had belonged to many gen
erations of Ransoms. 1t looked straight
out on the Dawson place-and to watch
the goings out and comings in Of the
Dawson folk had been Lucinda's great
interest in life for the last fifteen years.
For Lucinda was a cripple and her
interests were few. She and Eunice
were good types of the New England
woman. They were both stiff reserved
and strong natures, fond of each other
10 q cCid. self contained fashion. honest
and truthful, but hard on sinners and
religious in a painfully austere manner.
Eunice had the weekly distraction of
chapel, an occasional tea party at
neighbours, the excitement of sewing
bees and the great annual picnic-also
abe had the care of the rambling, lux
uriant garden and the large roomed old
house But between LUCINDA ana eler-
nal mOnotOuy there was only a strip OF
road and the Dawson back garden; the
garden where the endless comedy of lit
tie things was played out daily, this
garden wa tched by Lucinda from dawn
60 sunset
Eunice"-Lucindas tone was sharp
with interest," Patience Dawson has
had her beau with her all this while
well, since supper anyway" The Grip
PIE did not turn her head as she ad-
dressed her sister, all her attention be-
dng focused on the two dim shadows in
Aue EdLGtM ODDDolLE- EIi4 WHO was
sitting on the step at the back door, the
tall. heavily built boy bending over her
'Lor, Lucinda-what an interest you
do take in the Dawson lot" The others
voice had a certain good humored con-
tempt ia it. She moved backward and
forward with heavy tread putting the
parlor tidy She was large woman Of
about SO, few years the elder Of Lu-
Lucinda flushed all over her thin.
pinched face
well ii you sat here all day" she
began weakly. 'youd be mighty glad CT
something to look at, and think about.
] guess" Then, with a sudden change
Of tone and manner My gracious,
Eunice. he kissedl I saw him.
"Wen, If ever did, Lucinda Ransom.
Why. you are just as excited as ever
you can be-and over what2 Just that
silly Dawson girl and Abram Norris
young fools BOTH The voice was hard.
Love to Eunice was only another word
FOR foollshness, and she had all the un-
married woman's prejudice against the
pretty folly of courtship. To her puri-
tauical character there was something
almost indecent in the eager way her
sister was watching the lovers and she
seized on the first excuse to light the
little evn-smelling lamp and to draw
Lucinda sighed. Her picture book was
shut up now tin tomorrow.
1T must be very lovely-for Pa
tience." she spoke wistfuly. half aloud.
Eunice iaughed-her mouth fun of
cracker-her coffee cup in hand. What
ever has come over you, Lucinda? My
goodness, but You do look queer-what
is SO lovely for Patience"
"Oh, Eunice, she's got what we have
both mlssed-lOve. All YOU may laugh,
but I guess I'm right. It's something
we both ought to have had and can
never have now" There was a pane
of great regret in the voice
Eunice flushed augrily. She squared
her wide shoulders in the brown cotton
hloT- mi nd rrn4f11
mentlv.
well, I should just be ashamed 81
myself II I spoke like you. Love. in
deed- guess never wanted It'll
guess no man ever found me thinking
az him. What's this fine love of yours
worth VIII it give Patience a good
house like this of ours. and food to put
Ut ntr mouth and clothes for her back
Love. indeed"' Eunice tossed her head
Lucinda looked at her steadily. Some
inward force seemed making her speak
We been watching love close for the
last year, Eunice, seeing it grow VI
like a flower in the hearts of those tive
young things-and somehow the per
iume Of it has almost reached me here.
she smiled slowly, to herself. hardly re
alizing the poetry of her speech. 't'S,
seem" She continued, ethe change come
into their faces-such wonderful
change Why IT scares me sometime!
Just 20 watch that pretty young thin.
when she looks up so loving and tendc
and he bends over her like as if he cOulC
not shelter her enough, and there thel
stand SO silent that the great whit
butterflies don't even fear them. bu
brush quite close and the night come
up so soft and gentle-and I feel RICH
here. she placed her hand on he
withered breast, that I could hav
loved just as we'll as Patience if any on
had cared for me that way Sh
ended her long speech with d pathetic
half nervous laugh
Never let me hear YOU speak Xix
this again. or I shall think you hav
gone crazy, Lucinda Ransom" TIL
elder sister spoke with a rare rush q
Indignation. Il he other inclined her. hea
under the storm of words that follow-ef
but a faint smile lowered around he
lips. and she felt in some dim fashio
that she had gone more into the hear
OF life than her practical. busting sis
ter, and her meek spirit took comfort
Lucinda grew learned in the story
love, and she learned to appreciate f.
more than the lovers themselves the d
hcate mysteries of their moods. TIL
lonely bedridden woman-she whom /
man had loved-understo far bett
than pretty Patience why on some slo
summer nights. she and Abram cOu
hardly find words to express their lov
so heavy it lay upon them. while
other evenings Ii was matter for swe
Jest.
So. during the long summer of pc
fume and beauty Lucinda followed
but in all humility-the flaming stel
AN u