The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-09
TIE EVENING STOR
Frona tlle GaIIerr.
~ Constanoe D'Aroy -Macls

She was still greatness ana neE cleSfSS
were glowing. The man beside her
turned and looked back triumphantly. I
We did pretty we'll to get this far /
'front.'" he said. There's a whole lot 4
Of people back there standing up. It's i
always packed house for an all-s1ar /
YES assented the girl. vaguely. |
you see, it's all $3.50 new ana so /
strange. I've only been to the theater
once before in my life. That was when /
Uncle Ben took me to see Shore Acres.
Oh, that was so real. could almost |
believe il was true. viii this be IKE !
Shore Acres do you think
The man spread his programme out /
on his knee. Well no, not e1<actly, he
answered. s'This IS Romeo and Juilet.
/ AIM strong on Shakespeare myself, |
but I thought you might like 10 see IT,
Esther
'Thank you, Mr.. stubbins,'' said the
girl, with q grateful glance
She was a pretty girl, fair-haiIed a ll9
fragile-"pealzed looking was the way
the people in her aunts dingy East
side boarding house described her, Wnen |
they spoke of her at all, for as errand
girl dish washer and general oruose
Esther was not used to much eonsloefa-
ton.
The boarders seldom noticed her.
True, there had been the gawky arr
student who used to take oensh1 n
drawing her thin, delicate prone ana ana
always
when she passed him the pickles. bur
until Mr.. Stubbins came no one ever
had given her so much as KIND word
He spoke to her when they met IN the
hall. and once he had taken her 70 WdlA
in the park. It was after that mat AS
had asked her to sc 10 the tneater.
When this niece of news spread
among the boarders they e1Gna.LleS1
significant glances; but Wneh thS lR2s4s,
turned out to be Romeo and Juhet
it seemed as if the climax had oeen
reached. One of the married women
shifted reminiscently. Il remember ny
and Jim went years ago, when we "eiT
first engaged, and we held hanos al
during the last act. -
IF you marry MI StuDDlus W.
won't have to work so hard, salo an
other of the boarders, kindly.
Esther opened her brown eyes Wac
thought Mr. Stubbins as a means OF
escape. He was not an ideal lover he
was red-faced and puffy, with apllot-
ulalIy large hands and feet. stu, as
was kind, kinder than any one Else Aau
ever been in all her life.
As for the play-the words Romeo
and Juliet meant nothing to her. She
had never heard of that Immortal tfds
edy of youth and love. But the thought
of going to the theater was wonder
fuI rift in the gray of her existence.
When the great night arrived her
fingers trembled so that she could naIu-
" fasten her simple gown Her aunt,
lliudIed into kindness by the unexpect-
edness of the situation, helped neI
dress. 1T will be great thlhg !oL
you, Esty,' she said, eff Mr.. SIubplLls
should ask YOU to marry him. BESIDES,
I'VE got enough to do to look a1ter
myself without taking care Of you. l
hope you'll always remember now klno
I've been to you, Esty, ana now I've iee
YOU work for your board, ana gwen
Won a home. Now, don't sit staring,
ike bump on a long, when hes talk
ing to you, and don't have that Iaf-
away look in your eyes that you've eot
there this minute. .,-.-,-.,
more Of the theater than Of Mr.. Stub
And now at last she was there--ili-
side the theater. The lights, the
music the sense of waiting for one
knew not what-all were Intoxicating.
She hardly saw the hurrylng ushers,
the people taking their places A.
length came the magic instant When
the overture died to whisper, the
footlights shone LUMINOSITY IN the
darkness and the great curtain rose
slowly, giving to view scene III
Verona.
applause. of which Esther seemed 70
hear only the echo. "A-ah! she
breathed, with a little Shlver. ana IN
spite of her aunts Instructions, that
evening Mr.. Stubbins gave up all eff
forts at conversation and contenteo
himself with gazing about the house.
or watching the flushed, rapt face OF
the girl beside him.
At length the final curtain 1ell. MI.
St1bbins smiled at Esther. pretty
good show, that was he observed
genially.
His Voice awakened Esther from her
dream of romance TO the actual pres
ent of boarding houses and drudgery.
ssYes-oh yes Mr.. Stubbinsi she
said The flush had left her cheek,
and she was very pale.
They spoke little on the way home
Esther was thinking of what she had
seen. Mr.. Stubbins was wondering
which was the easiest and quickest
way to propose.
on the steps of her aunt's boarding
house they. paused. The street was
very still The ugly rows of houses
opposite were touched by moonlight
such moonlight as silvered the streets
of Verona. long ago. Mr.. StubbinS
cleared his throat "Esty.'' he began,
At amt much ct love making, like
that Romeo fellow we saw this even
ing. but my business is doing well and
I'm thinking of settling down. You d
make fine little housekeeper. took
to YOU from the frst-yOu must have
seen that, and-and I want you to
marry me.
vision of Romeo. How gracefully he
had stood beneath that hower-hung
balcony. while Mr.. Stubbins. red rom
the unwontedness Of love making, look
ed more awakened and fiorid than ever.
she gave a little gasp-of pleasure. Mr..
Stubbfus thought. He smiled benefi-
Gently. "Of course you're surprised,
he said, land it's only natural But
mean what I say You're lonely, ana
I'm lonely. III give you a good home.
and you'll never be sorry for marrying
me-
Esther made quick. despairing ges-
tire wait Mr. Stubbinss" she cried
II haven't said that Il marry you. And
I can't say it. because daft love you.
Oh. know you can't understand, but
there are things a girl wants more than
home-a thousand times more.
hope you're not angry with me. Afr.