The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-26
THE EVENING STORY
Cosy-Cornerfng BIother-in-Lav.
(By Belle Maniates.l

1By Belle Man1ates)
There is no use talking, love is /
aWrully blind. soliloquized Mrs. Pc
ters, as she kneaded the bread dough /
into shape. "Since Dan began to keep
company with A1yra, he's always telling /
me how they have this and that over
at Martins s. The ideal Our house is /
Just a mansion com pared to their rock
cry and our carpets and parlor set
alone cost more than everything IN
their house. Myra's a good girl. but
she's too fancy about her work to be
thorough. II she thinks she's going to
come here to live and put all her jim
cracks and brickerbacks into my ele-
CANT parlor, she's mistaken"
Thus concluding Mrs. Peters made
another onslaught upon the dough
with a vigor that would have put to
shame any football team in the
country.
Meantime, her son, Dan, was sitting
before the fireplace of the Martins liv-
ing room (they had no parlor), placing
MS hand and heart at Myra's disposal.
Myra loved Dan deeply, but she was
a wise young woman. and she felt that
when the glamor of the honeymoon
was over, the staring, white walls and
baroness of the Peters house would
not be home to her. She could live
with Dan in any home, no matter how
humble, alone, but his motherI Well,
Mrs. Peters always seemed to Myra to
be a good match for her whitewashed
walls.
So Myra said Dan nay, and he was
white and hurt. He OWNED the reason
Tor her refusal, and he frankly told her
so.
st know you don't like mother and
her ways. but you've never seen the
best side Of her. The farm is mine. but
father knew I'd always let mother live
there She wouldn't be happy any
where else. and I couldn't leave her
there alone"
Myra could not but admire such
dutifulness.
You are just right IN the matter,
Dan, but-weIl. I simply can't We
viii be friends, just the same. though,
Dan"
mol We can't can't!" he said
CURLY, and then he went away, grieved
and resentful, leaving Myra remorsefu1
and wistful.
His mother needed only one glance
at his face.
Have you and RIvra ouarreled %
mo" he replied slowly Il asked
her to be my wife. and she refused.
There's that matter down at Fenton
to be looked after. am going there
now. It will take few days to settle
it."
His mother knew him too well to
ask questions or to make comment on
the first subject so she began talking
in matter of fact way about the bust
ness at Fenton while she packed his
valise When he had gone, she fell
Myra's refusal Dan was strong and
handsome and generally acknowl-
edged to be the best catch for miles
around Myra cared for him, too.
She had seen it in the girls eyes when
they were in church together.
IT'S mel" she thought conclusively.
"AIyra don't want me for a mother
in-law. I'm too plain, suppose. But
Dan loves me too much to let wife
part US.
EMULATION at this knowledge made
her pulses beat triumphantly; but she
soon lost the sensation in her sym
pathv for Dan. The boy had always
taken his troubles hard and In silence;
tell by the look in his face. She could
tell By the look his face. She had
always expected to be jealous of the
girl he asked to- marry him, but now
she felt that she could go on her
knees to beg A1yra to marry him!
Anything but to see that ache in his
eyes.
The telephone interrupted her
thoughts, and she received a summons
to a sick neighbor who lived a mile
away It was dusk when she finished
her ministrations, and cloudbursts Of
snow were swirling in the air She
had quite fight to get home, and
was so exhausted that even Hannah's
cup of tea. failed to set her right. She
passed a restless night. Her bones
ached from exposure to the blizzard,
and thoughts OF Dan ana 1yIa u1e4Ue
her ferverish and wakeful-
In the morning she sent for a doc
tor. and he told her she had the grip.
Hannah" she said to the help, go
over to Martins and ask Myra to come
and stay with me till 1 get We'll Zen
her there'n be nothing for her to do
but that Dams away, and 1 want some
one to sit by me"
NV sakest'' though Hannah. as she
went down the road to Martins "She
must be purity sick to want company;
Myra came glacly, tumuituousiy
ca ger to do something to atone
ssT've not been sick in bed for years,
said Mrs. Peter aPologetically, and 1
thought I'd go crazy lying here IDLE,
unless I had some one to talk to.
e. Mvrs drew up her chair beside
the bed and took out her work, bright
red shawl she was croehettng. she was
a. pretty, petite, dainty-loo1ing girl
Just the kind a big fellow like Dan
would want to take up IN MS arms
though his mother.
INV. how fast your fingers fly she
said aloud who's that shawl Tor
1T started It for mother, but I m go
ing to give It to you You'H need some
thing about your shoulders Wheh you
sit M. It's most done.
When the shawl was finished. Myra
mt it about the sick woman, ana sur
veyed her approvingly.
"Red becomes you, Mrs Peters
Mrs. Peters looked pleased USED
To wear It when was young.
while the doctor came next day, ne
.,,.,,,e,,4ced his patient progressing. and
eaid she could go out in the sitting
room in a couple of days and lie on a
ss;rhere's isn't a sofa in the house any
ov,e could lie on" declared Mrs. Peters
20 he had gone Il never take maps.
'eVvav. what does Dan do2" asked
nrvra y7onderingly, recalling his fond
ness for dfvans.
II was the first time Dams name he'd
been mentioned. Mrs. Peters looked at
her keenly, and the warm color waved
.sT1an won't be coming to your house
anv more ventured his mother
s;Oh. did he tell your"
mot until I guessed. 7 tell you what