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

Of love. and she became very silent,
as becomes a disciple. AS the autumn
progressed, sharp tongued Eunice !
used to glance over her sisters shout /
der and make brisk comments.
"There-there goes Miss Emm-right /
into the house. see2 She's begun to I
make the clothes. 1 hear that Patience /
said she would come out bride in T
chapel in brown silk with white ribbons |
and have a bonnet, with pink rOsebuds. /
Well Miss Emm is a real good dress
maker. Tell me when she goes, Lucin- |
da. I don't mind If I ask her over to
tea one of these days, SO that you can
just have talk, as you sorter take
such an interest" Eunice smiled at
her sister Wedding clothes and we'd
ding cake were tangible things, and
matters for scussiOn-different, in
deed, from the silly walks Of two sweet
hearts in a moonit, snadoWy garden.
The days wore on and the wedding
day was fixed.
Lucinda S. eyes got quite strained with
watching the garden. Each day it
seemed to be becoming more and more
a SPOT of holy ground. The deepening
mystery of love enthralled the poor
watcher, even coloring her shrunk
cheeks with the faint pink OF suspense.
Then quite suddenly the blow fell. An
uncle died unexpectedly in New York,
leaving Abram Morris most of his
money and Abram had to start
straight away for the big unknown
city I.ucinda's heart bled for the low
4 ers. She watched their long, lingering
parting, her heart thrilling over each
i Farewell kiss, which yet seemed only
4 the prelude to another and when the
/ two had finally quilted the garden
hot tear rolled down her cheek; tear
| hastily brushed away lest Eun llHa
should see it and inquire into the cause
After that evening the picture book
lost color. True Patience used to come
and wander about a little in the still
IA to
ness fitting ghosthke IN neI Willse
dress but Lucinda always felt strange
~ tired and sad after watching net
The girls restless yearning for her lover
infected the elder woman, and she, toe,
4 longed ardently and impatlently Tor
Abrams return from New York.
one night. Just one of the first cold
nights of November, Lucinda watched
4 Patience dash down the back doorstep
4 and run into the garden. The girl had
( twisted red shawl round her head
/ and shoulders and in the cold gray OF
twilight her face looked CHASTITY. Her
eyes were red and her lips qulVeriusi
/ she clutched a letter in her hand. There
4 was something tragic in the poor
pretty little face, and old Lucinda felt
! her own heart beating furiously and
wildly She felt. she knew, that things
were going utterly wrong, and that lows
was proving d traitor She watched the
young girl pace UP and down the gar
den like some wild thing Gagged, and
her heart ached for her. Darkness at
last hid Patience from her, but dark
ness brought little sleep that night to
Lucinda.
so that Dawson girl got the mitten
last night. Abram amt ever coming
back from New York-fancies a girl
there now"
Lucinda could have screamed as
Eunlce spoke out bluntly and cruelty.
adding with her harsh strong laugh.
There's an end to your love story. Ell
Lucinda What did / tell you about
love and moonshine2 '
Patience is not false-she's true-and
love viii always be with her-I mean
loves memory"
Lucinda stiffened all over; then she
moved herself and spoke.
Eunlce laughed and looked at her
sister seriously
The winter fed away before the
spring, and Lucinda still watched the
garden. All her warm pity and her
delicate romance had gathered itself
round Patience She followed the girl
whenever she appeared with eyes of
worship for she represented so much
of her. The small peevish face the
fretful walk, the languid pOse-all
this meant love, fond, unrequited love
And then-oh, the pitiful comedy of
this romance of garden-just when
mer, just when a thousand sweet and
mer, just when q thousand SWEET and
fragrant odors began to perfume the
air and the flowers to be brave with
+ cOlOr-Lucinda at her watch tower
saw Patience enter the garden-but
not alone. The squire's son, just home
! from college, was with her, and she had
I dressed herself again in the mantle Of
maidenly coquetry and was playing
but with more art and finish, the part
of the heroine, her old part
Lucinda shivered- These smiles. these
/ bushes, the mans ardent look, the
/ girls dainty tremor-the gardens trag-
edy was being repeated
That's Patiences new beau" said
Eunice, carelessly looking over her
shoulder and she won't let him slip
through her fingers, I guess.
Pull down the blind" cried Lucinda.
and there was a note of strength in her
voice that Eunice had never heard be-
fore. She pulled down the blind, grum-
bling that it was still quite light but
Lucinda hardly heard her-for Lucinda
was asking herself in a vague, terrified
fashion where all the breathing, ardent
love that the green garden had witness
ed had gone.-Claude Askew in Lady s
Pictorial.