The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-14
TIE EVENING STORY
St. Valentines can.

or course, you think I'm in a temper. !
and taking advantage Of my red hair. |
and all that; but I'm not. I'm merely /
firm, and you'H have no Lady Capulet
tonight"
Miss Miranda. of the Titian-tinted
/ locks, had been consigned to a bad
/ dressing room-a tiny, partitioned space I
three flights up, with a leak in the roof
| that let the water through. And It'll
was rainingl
Never mind, dear" said Miss Ma
rian Gray, the Juliet of that nights
performance. You may share my
/ dressing ROOM
Wen. fix it up between you, girls.
/ admonished Mr.. Washington Cohen,
/ with wave of his hand and sigh of
/ relief. Then he went to don the cotton
/ velvet of the Montagues; for he was
/ not only business manager, but Ro-
4 meo as well.
DO you know" observed Miranda.
slipping on her sOiled lzimona and en-
| sconsing herself with her makeup box
/ before the speckled, cracked mirror,
next Wednesday'n be st. Valentine
| day and we play Kansas City that
day
''Yes?'' The travel-worn little Ju-
liette was mending one of the silver
lilies on the friar's cell gown, and Won
derlng II they d yet found the balcony
rail; last time she played the scene
| she'd had to do without It, and the
setting was spoiled.
! gA-nQn, repeated MIRANDA, enGE-
] geucally rubbing the cold cream into
her face. I'm glad it's Kansas City,
/ because my Best Beautiful lives there,
and, being St Valentines Day--well
+ m going to sit right down as soon as
| l m through here and warn him to
have something pretty spanking nice
for me-
St. Valentines Day! Had it really
come around again? Later. waiting in
/ the cold windy wings for her cues, the
/ thought of it stayed with Marian. How
| wildly she recalled the day two years
ago! Instinctively her fingers closed on
a little hard substance close to her
heart, under the folds Of her Juiette
gown.
When she went back to the stuffy
! dressing room. Miranda was just fin
ishing her threatened letter, between
sentences dabbing retOuches of rouge on
| her cheeks with a rabbits paw Mr..
| Washington Cohen looked in the open
door and laughed.
AT it agaip?' said he.
AT what again?" tossed back Miriam
da over her shoulder.
THAT perfect face, my dear lady
bowed he, with mock gravity. why
paint the lily, why retouch the rose?'
/ quoth he, blandly, going on his way
Just then came a loud knock at the
character mans dressing room, a few
doors below. The call boy had fetched
a half-dozen black bottles of beer and
some thick glasses on cheap japanned
tray
Come in and join me. girls" called
the character man cordially. wiping his
lips after his first long draught- And
Miranda, putting an extra loading OF
cosmetic on her lashes went. Marian
Gray had promised to mend the lining
of Mercutio's cloak, so she stayed be-
hind.
Her eyes fell on A1iranda's letter. Why
shouldn't she. Marian Gray, Write q
letter too? Again her fingers frightened
on that little hard hidden substance.
She smiled for moment softly, caprlc-
iously; then, almost reverently, she
drew it out to the length Of her chain.
It was a small silver heart, locked with
The face that looked at her from the
Ioclket seemed to fascinate her 1t was
months since she had allowed herself a
peep at it; but now-why, almost ne
seemed to be speaking TO her IN MS low
tender southern drawl:
yes. If you've set your heart on It.
dear" he was saying. I reckon you Il
have to go. But I shall keep on pa
the same. Who knows? Some day my
little Marian may want me- and must
= lay up against that day
l For heavens sake, let the old
cloak go and come in and nave
beer" came hoarsely from the char-
acter mans dressing room
I'm busy" the girl called back
, vaguely She was listening to the
! voice of the man looking up dt ueA
/ from the lOcket-
INV little sweetheart is one of those
who MUST go out into the world ana
!, buy her experiences for herself the
low voice was explaining, half to It
self and half to her. Those who
hinder her are only hurting her. But
some day, when she's tired, she may
, be right glad to lean on some one
whom she can trust
what the dickens is the matter,
( T745fo+fo called Miranda T1OClEin CIV.
you're jolly slow company tonight!
: but she must be tired first the
! voice went on when one IS tired
J, ones heart cries aloud. And it is
then that those who love US will not
, | fail US Take this. dear'-he was
/ handing her the locket again, just as
3 he had two years back-'and if ever
you want me, send me the little key
t I shall understand. And no matter
/ where or how far you may be, the
call will fetch me to you"
Marian pushed back he heavy hair
from her eyes with the back of her
[ hand, and finding the touch Of her
fingers cool to her brow, let them rest
! there for a second.
All, hadn't she had a wonderful lit
tie evening of it. though, that dear
st. Valentines day2 She was to start
on her first theatrical engagement In
{ the morning, and there was all the
beautiful excitement Of the untried
life staring her in the face How, for
/ SA6ef JOY she Atdu uAAl4ptCQ anu eltl1lct
: at everything. from the grotesque lit
tie waiter who had served them their
dinner in the cafe, to the cadaverous-
looking youth who had led the or
chestra at the play.
wait till I come back to you with
fame and wealth, my dear boy" she
had dubbed laughingly to her lover.
little needing the wounding of her
words, land then-and then"
with fame and wealth. Oh, Mercutio's
painted cloak which lay across her lap,
and Juliette's gown embroidered with
/ tinseI lilies, which hung over the back
| of a chair-how they stood to her for the
resplendence that she had meant to have
I for her owni-vague resplendence made
up of empty pageantry. She had fancied
herself in trailing, folded garments.