The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-04
THE EVENING STORY
Her Stratagem.

Her Stratagem.
The girl with the dreamy eyes float
ed on the steps, fluttered across the
veranda and sunk gracefully into the
green wicker chair You dear thing"
she murmured. I'm so glad you are
home from the lake. I just had to
come over to see YOU It's been an
Two MONTHS prosaically said the
attractive young woman with the level
brows and a firm chin. II thought
you We're going to the lake, too. Why
resort?"
The girl with the dreamy eyes lean
ed forward. Its rather a secret, but
I'll tell you" she said. Besides, hasn't
Norton Smith been I'D at the lake? ''
And did you see him at all? And
81 met him." remarked the other
girl, busily arranging the littered-up
porch table.
Then L can confide in you," i'm
pulsively said the young woman in the
green chair. IF you know him you
know how wonderful he is--so differ
ent from any other man I ever saw.
Do you know, the very first time I met
him 1 felt instantly that fate had
brought us together purposely. The
way he looked at me actually thrilled
me- l had on my violet broadcloth
gown-remember it? And he called
on me twice that week.
4 didn't know you knew him so
well" remarked the girl with the level
brows, interestedly.
The girl in the green chair looked
sweetly deprecatory. Il make it a point
grow fond OF me- she explained. Il
think it vulgar to boast of ones attrac-
1veness, don't you? Well, Norton saw
a good deal Of me. He belonged to my
card club and living so near as he did
it was foolish to make any of the other
men take me home. | told him so and
said he might just as well escort me
for the whole season. / think a man
likes to see a girl thoughtful and con-
Siderate, and the other men had so far
to go. He has to go by our house to
get to his and 1 used TO call him in to
pass the evening frequently because
think it is girls duty to help enter
tain and amuse her friends. Otherwise
he would have put in lots of dull even
ings at the club
.'Or at some other girls" said the
young woman with the firm chin, limo
Gently.
"Oh, Norton isn't fond of most girls!''
asserted the dreamy girl. Sometimes it
was hard even for me to get him to
talk. If L hadn't known his real nature
so well at times would have thought
him actually innpolite, he was so moody.
But have intuition-I understood him.
The main trouble with Norton was his
lack of self-confdence. don't like to
boast, but 1 began to realize that he
was falling in love with me- You know
how it is, dear. A girl can tell OF
course he never really said anything
but he was there as much
There is a difference in coming be-
cause one wants to and because one is
dragged in said the other girl calmly
and Unexpectedly.
whats that 1 didn't catch Well
I tried gently to help him to compre-
bend his real feelings. but he was SC
diffident. All he needed was to be
awakened to his state of mind and
saw it needed something sharp and de-
ciSive to alter the even tenor of at
fairs. So when the question of going
to the lake came up gave him shock
You know his family and mine always
go there but he had been away fol-
years, so he hadn't met me there. OF
course he expected I'd go as usual and
he would have me with him. I looked
him right in the eyes and said. NO,
Norton, l shall not be at. the lake.
shall spend the summer at Fiskville.
We cannot always be together so much,
you know.
why. he was so startled his face was
study. 1 hated to hurt the dear boy
but 1 knew that the only way to make
him realize all 1 was to him was sud
denly to take myself away.
Il expect he has put in horribly
lonesome summer and that is what !
wanted you to tell me about. I really
feel guilty for spelling his vacation
Was he very cross and moody? rath-
er blame myself for not letting him
know 1 didn't forbid his hunting me Ut
at Fiskville, for I know the only reason
he didn't come was that he didn't dare
for fear of offending me-
The girl with level brows looked par
ticularly serene as she replied. Morton
bore up WE'LL" she said. Il often heard
him say he hadn't felt so care-free and
happy for a year. He said it was just
as though he had escaped from jail
And. by the way, Norton and l got en-
gagged up there Isn't my ring beau
ty?"-Chicago News.