The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-17
TIE EVENING STORY
From q elrl,s DE-.

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I have always known that I wouldn't
be satisfied until Hugh Maxwell pro-
posed. used to want him to propose
50 could say yes. and be Mrs. Hugh
Maxwell. But after he met Ethel
Nrockerson, and stopped coming to
call, and Beth tried to comfort me by
saying Ethel was a squinty- thing.
anyway, and that she couldn't under
stand how Hugh could like her-after
that / wanted him to propose just for
the pleasure of refusing him.
80 tonight when I hadn't seen him
Tor six whole months and I met him
quite unexpectedly at Mrs. Hum
ms oid, eager way and took -FOUR
waltzess I knew my time had come.
It had, and refused him, which is
great load off my mind.
L wonder how he IS feeling He
probably hasn't gone to bed yet either,
put IS smoking quite gloomily IN his
den. He probably believes that he Is
horribly miserable, which is, OF course.
perfectly lovely.
1t was a beautiful dance. I knew
the minute I saw him that it was go
ing to be a particularly beautiful
dance He had been west; that's why
/ hadn't seen him for six months. A
girl gets entirely over any ordinary
love affair in six months. Six months
does man a lot of good. It teaches
AA-AAA " appreciate what ne Q4Qn -
preciate at all before. Besides. had
on my most becoming gown this even
ing.
I wonder why it is that so often
when you have got over your tremend-
Gus liking for man and begin to
think his nose isn't such a perfect
Greek nose after all, and aren't very
much interested II 1t is Greek. and dis
cover that there are lots of men with
shoulders just as broad as his, and
wonder how you could possibly have
wanted to cad his notes through If
teen times or keep the yiolets he sent
you until they were dry and ugly and
why you trembled with excitement
when you met him on the street -
wonder why it is the man gets so
dreadfully eager. It seems so peculiar
somehow.
Eight months ago, when I was por-
how much he meant by My Dear Miss
Elizabeth" or Yours faithfully" and
was interested in new gowns only to
wear them for him, and was thinking
out witty things to say and planning
feverishly how to make him care more
for me. he wasn't eager at all. He
got quite tired of me even, and had the
bad taste to prefer squinty-eyed Ethel
Crockerson. I wonder why that was.
Dick would probably have some deep
scientific or philosophical reason for it.
I must ask Dick.
1t was at Mrs Humphreys party last
year LflaL 4 interested IN E1QBu. Out
last year she gave her party at the last
Of the season instead of in January as
she did tonight. I remember it was
late, because he said I looked like the
spring; that I was the spring to him;
the beginning of a wonderful new life
he had never known before. He said
other things, too Tt was probably the
music that did it, for usually he was
quite enstble-much to sensible most
of the time. I didn't want him to be
sensible at all after that. I didn't want
him to talk about anything but spring,
and his wonderful new life, and all
that silly nonsense. 1 must have been
dreadfully in love
Then he met Ethel Crockerson.
and-well, think most girls have had
at least one experience of that kind
I know Beth has. even If she does try
to make me believe that 1t was she
who got tired first, and that Hector
Alling only turned to Dora for conso-
lation.
OF course, I was unhappy when the
squinty-eyed girl turned Hugh's head.
I thought I would never care for any
other man. did, though. I got quite
cheerful again soon, and after Hugh
went west I never even thought OF him
except to hope that he would come
back some time and that l would meet
him. and that he would do just what
he did tonight I was revengeful,
suppose
WINE we were WALKING 1AS5 ~9N-0
that we go into the conservatory to
rest He Just smiled a little and then
we went there almost at once. The
music sounded among the flowers IN
the most delightful way and the lights
were soft and red and my gown was
really very becoming. All the cOndi-
lions were favorable.
He was extremely persistent.
would have given anything eight
months ago for half as much persist
ence. I would have said yes eight
months ago.
It was Dick who found US. He asked
me afterward how long that gentleman
from the west had been clfnging to my
hands like a drowning man. I told
Dick he had witnessed q triumphant
vindication. He laughed as If he