The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-16
THE EVENING STOR Y
Her BriIIiaIt F'aiIure.
(By Katherine Lewis. }

4
Fate in this particular instance was
represented by Margaret's father,
seIf-op inionated. self-made man with
a grievance Margaret realized fully
that she was factor in the grievance.
Her three sisters constituted the re-
naming factors.
John Leckie felt that he had been
played scurvy trick, when, having
proved that he could surmount OBJ
stacles before which the average man
felEback disnlayed, and could rise from
nameieSs. penniIess Obscurity to a posi-
| ton OF power If not popularity among
men and affairs, nature had sent him
daughters instead Of sons. His wife
had died of very shame for having
failed so signally to fulfill her duty in
this respect.
The eldest daughter had tried to ex-
plate her mothers Offenses by enter
ing her fathers Office as bookkeeper.
Today she ranked as his right hand
man.. She wore mannish clothes. too,
and talked shop with her father from
soup to coffee. and was tremendously
bored when her sisters proposed enter
tanning a few friends at dinner.
The second daughter had chosen art,
western city. Anything in her estima-
ton was preferable TO being told when
ever she met her father that If she had
been a man she might have built iron
bridges instead of air castles in art.
One thing John Leckie had DONE
he had given them the best educa-
tional advantages money could buy
and then he haid said: Now go out
and do things"
Margaret fresh from the trip abroad
which Leckie considered the essential
finishing touch of a girls education.
knew that she would be expected to
do things" Her father had given her
time to unpaCk her trunks, to call on
her few relatives and the intimate
family friends and to recover her equi-
librium. so to speak. Now, when he
sent for her to join him In the library.
she knew what his question would De
Nor was her surmise incorrect.
John Leckie leaned back in his un
tufted leather chair and stared frankly
at the tall, slender girl who from some
unknown and far distant ancestor had
Inherited a grace almost patrician.
*.Sit down. Margaret. I've spent a
good many thousand dollars on your
education. What d'you expect to do
With it
4 think I shall take charge of the
house, " she said. calm, without quak-
ing within.
Take charge of the house q echoed
her father harshly. pay Mrs Jen-
And the whole house looks as if it
were handled by hireling, replied
Margaret. meeting his angry gaze
without hinching. Bought! Hired
the words are stamped all oyer the
place. We have no home life, no home
mosphere-and Il want to make
things-more pleasant more like
some of the homes in which / have
visited. 1 think that is my forte"
A deep purple flush mounted to
Leckie's forehead, and his fist came
down on the table with ringing
thump.
80, after all the money I've spent
on you, after all the plans I've made
for my girls to take place in the
world as good as their father made
for himself. you have no bigger ambi-
ton than to mend socks and bake
pies. That will add to the lustre of our
ia Hail5s- HaH3e,- went Il 2,,---
Margaret bit her lip Leckie had
spoken as if the name had been hand
ed down through ten generations in |
stead Of--One
Now see here. that gag don't go.
You're going to do something. Think |
of your sister Harriet"
Margaret did think-and then she |
almost shuddered. She remembered |
Harriet's untidy room, some cigarette |
stubs she had seen lying on the I'M |
polished brass tray. Harriet had said /
that after the long day in the Office |
she simply had to smoke to quiet her
nerves.
Harriet is a credit to her father. |
Men down street call her a wonder. |
And you want to mend socks. Good |
heavens! Say do you think you could I
sell goods? I'll start you In millinery /
shop. A lot of society women are go
ing in for that sort eff thiug-or a tea
Margaret rose and half timidly laid
her arm around her fathers thick
neck
Father, dear, I'd so much rather
just make tea for you and your few
friends Perhaps we might have more
friends if
He flung aside the encircling arm.
Now see here. you're not going tc
sit back on your launches and do
nothing just because 1 have money
You've got to make a name for your
self at something He was brutal
now in his disappointment. IF you
can't do anything else, you can teach.
1 know a man-helped him out of
tight place about three months ago
name is Graydon=he lives somewhere
out in Westminster county and is on +
the school board. He has pull enough
to get you a job at teaching out there
and you can try your hand at that.
If you cant earn five hundred year
giving out some of the education that
paid about five thousand a year for,
a disgrace to the family
I'll see Graydon in the morning.
School must open out there in Z week
or So
He bent over his desk as If the sub
iect were closed. Margaret paused in
the doorway. Her face was very white
Her eyes burned like red stars in the
gloom of the curtained doorway.
I'll do what you say, of course,
father, but warn you in advance that
[ will be a failure. was not meant
for that sort of thing
Her father flung back his big head
and stared at her.
Perhaps you think you were born
TO play a lady"but I will fool you
don't come from that sort of
stock
And so It happened that Margaret
Leckie was placed in charge OF Dis
.rict School No. 16. The one redeem
ng feature of her new position was
he long walk to and from the depot
Tor she committed daily, rather than
take board in the small village around