The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-25
THE EVENING STORY
a Littie Asnbassadress.

"KathIeeni" / said. How in the
world did you get down here2 You're
not by yourself, surely?"
oh, no; course, nursie's with me,
and the blue eyes smiled at me so
sweetly: but she's gone shopping /
m not to go till she comes for me-"
But what will mother and auntie |
say? They'll think you're lost.
I'm too growed-un to get lost" she
said, with a dignihed little air.
could not help smiling.
Now, you little rogue. / said, |
when I've helped you off with that
pretty blue coat and hat 1 shall ex-
pect to be told why you've honored
me with a visit to the city during bust
ness hours
She settled herself sedately in al
chair opposite me, quite unconscious
of the pretty picture she made with
her mass of fair hair and sweet. little
ITS most 'portant visit" she said.
1--WE come to ask you to my party
Indeed? shall be delighted to
come. So that's what brought you
down here. is it2'
1 had heard great tales about Inns ms
party, but not from Kathleen rms
was evidently her surprise for me.
'shall I be expected to do anything
particular p. asked.
you'll have to make-belleVe al the
time, like you always do at our
! house,
This was certainly a candid state
ment I wondered if the rest OF the
/ family shared the same view. hoped
not because I was as rule par
ticularly serious after hathleeh Hao
IA AUNT Merva will be there. of
course I ventured to suggest.
/ recourse she will" replied kath-
Then she made tour of the room.
came back and resumed her seat, and
asked me seriously: us this where
you play all by yourself in the day
wen. yes. I suppose I do"
do you keep your toys in those big
~ Wen Wei they're not toys like those in
SO DO 5iy you sit here ali by yourself,
then ?''
I nodded.
0And never feel 1onely?'
/ ssSonn etfrnes." I said, smiling in spite
of myself at the serious little face
II heard mummie tell daddy one
day you were a lonely man
was wa certainly hearing some home
but you won't be lonely when you
come to my party, will you
mo, dear. like to come as often
as I can to your house, and spoke
BY this time Kathleen's nurse had
returned-I expected she had been
waiting outside all the time--and with
strict injunetions mot TO forget me
/ party next Wednesday my little Wis
itor kissed me good-by, and l tried to
settle down to work again.
But a pair of blue eyes would keep
dancing in front of me on my plotting
1 pad Sometimes I thought they We're
| Kathleen's and sometimes thought
/ thev were-some one else's. kath-
Ieen's eyes and her Aunt Merva's
were strangely alike. l had notlced
The The room seemed quite cherries
now that she had gone
In the intervening days the postman
| left strange notes for me.
Sometimes the missives were stuck
together with jujubes, but I had no
dificulty in deciphering the signs.
They read: Don't forget the party
next Wen sday." AS to the crosses
well, the most ignorant person Knows
what those mean in letters
seVye'n'sday came at last, and of
course I went to the party. It was
great success. The house was turned
upside down by merry crowd OF NJ
/ tIe folks who kept the fun going until
/ long after they ought to nave peeh III
kathleen queened it all very pref
| tily, and after the last little guest mac
Departed and the blue eyes could
scarcely keep open, she persisted tnat
she wasn't a little bit tired, on Y
hungry That was a subterfuge she
was always guilty of at bedtime
Next day I saw Kathleen IN the
park and we discussed the party
you are a funny man, she saio.
I was glad to know that had given
satisfaction in this direction.
Did you learn all those stories from
pitsher books, or were they just make
believe"
"And you didn't cry when you had
to go home like little Charlie did ola
I assured her was able to refrain
and you liked me the best of all the
| little girls there?
| "Of course I did,
| "O11ite sure % she said coaxingly.
"Ouite sure" I repeated.
Then mummie was wrong" she saio'
triumphantly.
..NYell. when mummie and Aunt Merva
| came in to say Goodnight L nearo
/ auntie say how fond you We're OF me,
/ and rnurnmie said, Yes, and know
/ eor,A me else he's very fond OF, too, or
/ would be If she'd let him. and auntie
! went quite funny, and said: Don't be
/ ridillus. Daisy'-Daisy's what daddY
calls nummie-but mummie only
laughed and said; I DON'T thinA w" ie
| always kind to him
kathleen stopped to take breath af-
ter this long recital, and then Went on
80 after mummie went downstairs,
ana auntie brought me a. sweetie fore
fell sleep, I asked if it was true II
she liked some little girl better'n me me.
! Auntie said No and then asked her
I IF she wasn't always kind to you.
Auntie said, Perhaps not. something's
| Then I said she ought to love you like
| did. COS you were lonely and had no
nice little girl of your own IKE my
! daddy had. Then she stopped Gown -
kiss me, and her cheek was quite wei,
lust as if she'd been crying. I've never
seen Auntie Merva cry before. 80
There was a serious LOOK IN f>atH-
| leen's blue eyes. 10
What made Auntie Nerve cry. 40
YOU think?" she asked, quite distressed;
Il think 1 can guess I sald' anu
with q full heart I kissed the httle up
| turned face.