The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-04
THE EVENING STORY


Mary-Cindy swung down the line /
waving and weaving, her hands as high |
as her head, all the while chanting with |
the rest;
Whirl about and wheel about. Rose
Betsy-Linai
Wheel about and twirl about. Rosa
Bet-sy~Li-nat
Twirl about, whirl about, Rosa Bet
want YOU for my d-a-r-l-i-n-g!
Her chanting was thin and sweet,
fine thread of melody through the
ramping romping chorus, which the
rhythmic footfaI.s, heavy or light, accent
ed into something weird, almost par
barrie. The motion, too, had toucn
Of primitive savagery-lt was SO liee'
so unrestrained, so wildly vital
The row of players ran all the Dig
rooms length. men one side, women the
other, with the topmost couple ever
CHANGING as those who had stood head
swung down the middle togetnef' tneii
separated, meeting and paIliiis anu
swinging as they met up the sides again
The MAY was no more than a reel
lacking only the piping or the hddllhg-
But good Mrs DOwdelI, who held dahc-
ing a deadly sin, stood by lookAls on
happily and laughing nearby a. 1nc
antics and shufflings OF the more Nlsoi
Gus players.
Mary-Cindy's foot was as light as
thistledown. Her mother thought proud
" how clumsy she made the Otner glfis
look Internationally, OF course-Aafy
Cindy would not think of wiifuliy out
shining them thus in her own house' al
her very first party.
Mrs. DowdeH had been doubtful over
the party-now she was very glad she
had let Mary-Cindy have her way. Inc
trouble had been nothing to SPEAK Or
and a s for the expense-Well, she reckon
cd she could call in the neighborhood
young folk to feast and frolie TINS one
night. without asking anybody leaNe.
what If she had not quite paid BACK al
the raoney. she had to borrow Wneh ne
husband died? She owed II 70 1el
brother a bachelor, and as Iond as Ne
could be of Mary-Cindy- certainly ny
wouldn't make her trouble-as Tor ot hel
folks, let them say what tney Pleass111'
Thus the good dame said to heIselL'
openly, in her upper 1nlhu. - LOW -,,tI,
meath she felt that the party was worm
while because it had brought youls
F,llerton again within range OF mary
Cindy's eyes. He had seemed se1u IN
with her at the big meeting, now ~
weeks back but had somehow Ioe
| come to call. as she had confidently e1
Decfed he would. But nobody coulu
say she had run after him; his coming
was after a sort, aceldentai- sAe 10. nS4
but said to Jack EDWARDS 1Ila ~ Ne caoss
fetch whatever Young men ne cn nos
and Jack had chosen TO bring Eilef-
| ton. 49,
Ellerton had insisted upon 2eing
Mary-Cindy's partner in all the p pay
! he had said. too, he was going to MAKE
| her take him in to supper, SO as 10 De
sure of getting a full share OF me
good things. All night he had been
| laughing, and as full Of pranks as
how inst out of school. He had even
been audacious enough to drag Mrs
| Dowden herself into one play-1or 9
| single round, of course. And ne nau
fallen into the way OF Gaining ne
| Namnay" Dowden as did all the other
/ L CHI "a 1p01f half Drought
faint he a gay onel [ wonder, how
/ his wife'd like it-ef she knoWed ms
carry-ins-on!" Pamela Kicks sa1d IN
| Mrs DowdSlls ear, noddlng as she
! spoke toward Ellerton.
! Pamela, tall and 20 had been very
pretty. Now at so, thinning, Tadlng,
I with her soul on edge, she was splgeIui
withal, a gossip of the first water. But
! Mrs. Dowdell was q match for neI.
aNobody's wife has got any call 70
mind her husbands bein' at my
house, party or no party, she salu
with her easiest smile But pc
Iieve in bein' keerful-that's why 1
/ told Frank Ellerton he'd nave 10 put
m mostly with Mary-Cindy tonight
/ I wouldn't have him beau-in around
| the other gals knowed mary
Cindy'd keep him out o. \. nliseh ..gs,
/ thought you didn't know-no more Il
the rest" she CALCULATED.
Just then the rush to supper swept
her. away-supper which meant not
| roast turkey, barbecued pig, nine le
/ kinds of cake and five of custard. not
/ to name hot coffee and brandy IFult
| Mrs DoWdell had stinted nothing put
! somehow as she glanced up and down
1 the long table she had set with such
/ housewifely pride it seemed to her
! suddenly to hold naught but dust and
ashes She had lied bravely to Pa
/ mela-it was the only thing to do II
she would save her child from Pa
1 mela'S acid tongue. Her heart Went
down. down. as she looked 70 Ine ne
/ farther end of the room and saw
/ Mary-Cindy with cheeks like damask
/ roses and starry eyes. laughing at
| something young Ellerton had said.
/ then suddenly darung away from nun
J to greet a late arrival.
ssYou don't desere a hOwdy, nor q
crumb of supper-you horrid Billy
| slOwpoke" she said to the newcomer
with a smile that took all sting from
the words. You tried your best to
slight my party. But you couldn t. .
she went on. Don't try to make ex-
| cuses. I know.
"Mv excuse made itself-its waitin,
/ for us outside" Billy Acton said very
low as he spoke, stepping between
Mary Cindy and the rest. wish
you'd come and see it." he went on.
/ II found it in the road. and what to
do with it beats me, plumb and clean. !"
"What-who is it?' Mary-Cindy
whispered as Billy half dragged her
toward a seated figure in the deserted
big room You ask!' Billy whis-
pered back. 'All I know is, it's some
/ bodv huntin' up Frank Ellerton-
somebody that had got stuck in the
mud down this side the creek. The
buggy axle broke and we had time
you said we should find my hus-
landowners is he?" the figure de-
manded. rising up and turning to face
I the pair. Mr.. Ellerton, I meant Tell
him to come at once
aCa1 mimi" Mary-Cindy said; wheel
ing upon Billy. She was white and
/ trembling. but her voice rang clear.
/ The stranger girl looked at her curl
ousIy with eyes full of dancing lights
1ie17ts that matched we'll the wavery