The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-07

the name of Romance, a monarch to
whom these two young men at birth
had sworn secret allegiance. Her ma
tionality must remain forever I'M
known. For them, she was born of a
Dresden poet-workman's dream, and,
like true art. she transcribed racial
distinctions.
From the day Dolly was discovered,
sought her first of all upon entering
the restaurant. and there were few
breakfasts eaten elsewhere. On the
second morning Dolly would not so
she gave to the waiter the buns they
ordered, which they ate with senti-
mental relish, declaring her fingers had
sweetened them. They agreed that she
was something of a coquette not ad
hitting the possibility that they had
not interested her on the previous day
And they were not far from right for
on the third day she blushingly smiled
upon them; and from that day on, with
craft1ly placed times if Indifference or
GOODNESS, she greeted them with her
adorable smile or nodded her captivat-
ing head over the pile of sugared buns
or course as they sat at breakfast.
Dolly became the object of their
Chances and the subject of their con-
verSation, which before had been fixed
on the prettiest chance customer They
soon found that she had two young
companions behind the counter beside
the fat cashier, who turned out to be
a tyrannical ruler of her small house
hold. There was a girl of about Dol
lys age, rather tall and angular, who
was dubbed THE Farmers Dauob
ter" and one a little older. ro>
tund, haxen and jolly, who from her
apparent occupation became affection.
ately known as THE Bookkeeper."
Finally. in a moment of inspiration
when the fat cashier was rappins
sharply on her DESK they called her
Speaker Reed" and the family was
completely named
The breakfast conversation during
those blissful days. had it been over
heard, must have sometimes seemed to
those around the acme of insanity Two
well dressed, intelligent young men.
sitting down to their eggs and coffee
would enter into an apparently bitter
dispute.
oh" one would exoIaim. Dolly is
perfectly divine this morning. and she
looked at me and smiled She didn't
smile al you"
she did," the other would reply.
You are always appropriating every
glance meant for me. If l weren't here
she wouldn't look within mile of this
table"
'You!" the other would contempt
uously remark. why, even The Far
mer's Daughter laughs at youi"
But the careful observer would have
noticed that both OF them, in perfect
good will, looked then at Dolly, and
two faces lit up happily if she smiled
back impartially on both. Indeed,
their testing quarrels meant nothing
but a desire in each to cover up the in
fluence that their little Dolly was ex-
erting over him. Every morning, on
rising, they FASTENED eagerly to break
fast, cheered by the thought that they
should see her glowing, girlish pretti-
ness, and sweeten their day with the de-
lightful thrill that came to them across
the bakeshop in her smiling glance of
recognition. Sometimes, as they drop
ped off to sleep at night. one would ask
the other, DO you think Dolly will
wear the pink or the blue waist tomor-
row p Perhaps she win have a new
one" the other would hopefully reply
And one day, when she appeared with
her hair done down her neck, after the
latest Rialto fashion. they were greatly
displeased, and told her SO by eloquent
gestures. She ran out her little red
tongue at them; but the next day the
hair was arranged in the old, ideal
fashion, Neither openly expressed to
thes other how much this pleased him;
but the whole incident was a theme of
converse ton between them for days.
It would be indeed strange if by now
some reader had not asked. well, why
didn't they speak to Dolly, take with
her. perhaps, to a jolly little dinner?
1t would have pleased the miss" Per-
haps, dear reader; but they were not
men like you or me. They called such
a direct, practical, New York fashion of
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