The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-04
TIE EVENING STORY
AN INFORMAL AIsFAIEs
(Ry a. N. pavles ogden.l

lily away was borne deliciously on the
breeze. Little RIademoiseIle de Saint
Cyr looked about her. The long table
spread under the trees was covered
with white cloth and piled with
/ dishes Overhead the leaves rustlcd
blue and gold in the sunset light, rip
pied and splashed upon great gray
rocks whore the fire curled away into
a wide feather of smoke
The French girl drew q quick breath
of appreciation. How beautiful Amer
lea was! It was her first visit 10 Inc
! United States end Oh landing - New
| York Mademolselle de Saint Cyr had
come directly 10 her aunts place IN
rnc Connecticut shore. She Was .
| young aunt, only q few years older
! than Alire, and with 2 young and jolly
! husband. Aline found herself caught
at once into q round Of gay outdoor
life, E round which bewlldercd yet
/ charmed.
owing to a breakdown OF the motor
car they had been a bit late IN ar
irving az the clAlubake; the guests
were already seated and Mrs. KedVers,
| the hostess, made 8 hasty Introduction
of the newcomers. She had ratified
! through Z confusing number OF names,
| then pointed 20 some griIlly, coliarle5s
young men bending over the IRE.
And those are tise cooks and wait
ers,'' she cried -nerrily-.
| Mademoiselle Dc Saint Cyr eyed
4
great piatters hcaped With steanclng
clans. She never before had seen
such Isntidy walters. Everything at her
cunts had been conventional enough,
| here at last was America more as she
had pictured 1t TO herself. A young
man with flushed face, dark eyes and
small dark noustache ran behind the
/ chairs.
sauce. sauce, he cried. He halted
By the girl, regarding her with evil
dent approval Take some Of this,
it's good he said frankly. Mademoi-
selle de Saint Cyr looked at him III
surprise. But perhaps this was Amer
| lean. too. And the sauce did look
sThank YOU" she said gravely. The
young man ran on But presently he
returned 1.-THE Holsters are ready"
he called, and there was rapid shifting
of plates.
How good everything tasted. The
/ delicious chicken, the tender corn, the
hot potatoes. and through them all the
faint indehnable saltish favor of the
sea-weed. It was certainly great fun
! And yet it was so utterly unlike any
! thing the girl ever had known in
France Straight from a convent
school this sudden freedom a PAmerl-
caine was at first a bit frightening She
ate demurely watching the people
about her with bright, curious eyes.
The young man who had helped her
to the sauce came back and dropped
into an empty seat beside her, bringing
well filled plate for himself.
I'm just about starved, in IN
formed her i've been working so
hard all day"
/ Aline glanced about her. The other
collarless youths were now also seated
at the table, eating and talking busily.
Perhaps this was the custom at clam
bakes. But how oddi
you are tired" she said, in her
sweet sympathetic little voice I sup
I pose you do not have to work so hard
as this every day He laughed.
Thank goodness no. Usually am
lazy enough
Aline looked at him with serious
smile.
Il am sure you underestimate your
self" she said kindly. Il do not see
how any one in your-your profess
sion'-she put it delicately-''can be
very lazy
An expressive shrug answered her.
"Only too easy" he returned tits
principally waiting, you know. espe-
cially for the younger ones, and that
although trying, is not particularly ia
tiguing But it's all the days work,
cheerfully. Perhaps this afternoons
energy may help the average" with d
laugh. It's Labor Day, you know.
Labor Day" queried the girl.
What is that
lone of our American holidays he
explained That's how 1 am here to-
'Oh." said Aune. with sudden COM
prehension. So Labor Day was ap-
parentIy the equivalent OF those fetes /
of the olden times when for once all
classes mingled in friendly simplicity. |
What a splendid ideal But no wonder
she had not understood at first.
1t was growing dusky- Across the /
lawn the gardeners children were set |
ting off rockets left over from the last
Fourth of July. The guests were NOV !
ing about the grounds. Some had gone |
to the rocks, others watching the gilt |
tering trail of the fireworks. Mademoi !
selle de Saint Cyr had crossed to where !
her aunt stood chatting with the nos |
tess in the twilight of the pines. Sud |
denly came a s-s-swish. "a fash, as
one of the rockets. too powerful for |
the little hand when heid H. EXPLODED
unexpectedly in the direction of the
trees. There was 4 warning shout. !
cry and Mad@moiselle de Saint Cyr
felt herself caught and pulled forcibly |
a spark in the fragile laces OF her
gown. It was all over in q second, /
before any one else had time to realize
that anything had happened. and
MAIDEN oiselIe de Saint Cyr stood trcn- /
bling half with fright at what she
had escaped half with anger at the
indignity to which she had been sub
jected. For she-she. Aline de Saint
Cyr, had been-for no matter how
brief a space-in a mans arms.
care you hurt?" he asked anxious |
IL, and Aline knew It TO be the dark, I
young waiter.
But SnG COuiQ llAIOA4 SpN5tShs AJAAS
was startled; she was angry, yet some
how not so angry as she felt she
should be. She was shaking all over.
but she tried to control herself. to ut
ter u word of thanks. Her purse was
at home. she had nothing to offer the
man for saving her life. She felt NOR
tilted. Perhaps if he could come to
'sMonsieur." she cssayed tinidly=l
she could not bring herself TO call him
garcon, IL regret I have nothing to
reward you with except my gratitude,
but later at my aunts house
May I como and see you then?" he
broke in eagerly. ST didn't know
whether you would want me to. But
I am often here at my sisters"
"Why-why my aunt" stammered