The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-02
TIE EVENING STORY

(By Edith u Doane.)

for she and his mother were old
friends. So it became the natural
thing for him TO row with her, ana i
dance with her, and take her on long |
drives in his touring car. Not that he 4
particularly admired her he assured 1
himself, but he liked to row and dance
and motor, and she was company.
| Besides she was a nice enough little i
thing. and it was less trouble to ask /
her than to hunt UP another girl |
then, too, it probably pleased MIS- |
Baker to nave him pay her niece sons |
little attention.
him and he had no inclination to pay
| serious attentions to any OF thems II Is
not to be wondered at that he was
first amused, then annoyed, when MIS-
Baker who was simple, loVaole soul,
cornered him on the wide porch one
morning and asked him II he were IN
love with Priscilla.
Certainly not" he answered dectd-
edly. she's a mighty nice girl, and of
course like her immensely; but as lar
as being in love with her is concerned
1 most cerSainly am not
He glanted at Mrs. Bakers plump
troubled features. Whatever put such
an idea in your head ?" he demanded.
surely there has been nothing in my
actions
mo, I suppose not=that is. as young
i people act nowadays. And, Of course
) [ don't mean to meddle--but couidn
} help thinking-
} Don't think any more he said,
gayly. For such an idea, has never en-
tered my head"nor Priscilla's either
No / suppose not" returned Mrs
Baker doubtfully There was per-
picked frown on her usually placid lace
) He glanced at her Sharply. was II pos
: sible that Priscilla attached more I'M
r portance to their friendship than he
5 did? That was the worst of gtTls-tney
were always expecting g. fellow to ran
In love with them. Still, Priscilla
1a1 at RpTnaDS
! had grown to care for him before she
! realized it. She couldn't help II, OF
course, poor little grill She must never
I know that he suspected her feelings II
t would be hard enough for her when she
+ found how Indifferent he was, without
o that And with a troubled face, anu
o hands thrust deep in the pockets OF MS
4 nannels, Jimmy Marshall betook him
self to the lake.
workings of her simple mind two ana
q two made four. Jimmy mad oeVoLeo
. himself increasingly to Priscilla why
: should he have done so, unless ne We're
- in love with her? Besides, young men
were always in love with Priscilla he
4 was proud. and would naturally deny
e it-dear boy! She would speak to Pris-
ella Jimmy was the son of Iier Oh
- friend, and Priscilla should not hlr'
with him so outrageously.
So it was that Priscilla, stopping &C
l. sneak to her, en- route to the lake
found her distinctly aggrieved.
d Priscilla" she began, with as nea l
d an approach to dignihed severity as hel
s. two hundred pounds would allow, =
1t desire you to stop flirting with Jimmy
le Marshall
You needn't speak to me like that
l Priscilla. He is entirely too nice lei
low for you to treat as you do, unless
n of course if you like him it's d1nerent,
Of Mrs. Baker ended mysteriously
e. 7 suppose 1 like him well enough 1I1s
returned Priscilla, carelessly. 4 neVe
thought much about 1t. Why? What
n He was Just telling mel don't know
sr as should repeat it to you, SAID NArs
lie Baker. conscientiously-
% Tell me- What did he say! Frls
le ella was becoming interested.
.sWeH. I don't know that he SAID !
S in SO many words. but-Priscilla, he !
- in love with you. ..,,,.
as I'm love with mel" gasped Priscilla
ne divided between qualification and dis
ne .;Yes. and it's too bad" continue
ID Mrs. Baker, with rising lnolgn "a l1l9
- ssReally. Priscilla, it's shame- II WI
- break his heart, and his mother WI
- - blame me, and it's dreadful!
- Il don't see what I have done, re
ba turned Priscilla, Grossly. II was d Pr
i that a girl couldn't be decently poll1
- to a man without his going and falln
- in love with her. Spelling everything
Of course. everybody would blame he
she reflected in annoyance as she cor
tinued her interrupted way to the lax
ne Jimmy Marshall saw her comm
2 and went up the path to meet ne
a with troubled mind he had thougI
les the matter over and decided 1t must
b7ol-en off at once Not so suddenl
K as to arouse her suspicious, OF course
le- but gently. He would make casu'
he remark or so about business, then IN
en- co1Dle of days, pretend sudden Dus
nees call and leave. OF course, ST
ali | would feel terribly, but It would
his easier for her in the end Dear lit
girl! He was surprised at the wave
ak tenderness that swept over him.
s.Shall we try tennis, or the cano
20 This uoorniug?" In spite of himself h
MT voice sounded forced and unnatural.
ew (Which ever you prefer; Suppo
we say tennis, returned Priscilla, IT
ing to meet his eyes carelessly- TIT
to her dismay she blushed scarf
Of while he grew unaccountably red
Mr. How plainly he showed IT. he
at blind she had been, thought Priscil
AN How heartless in him to want
or leave her, thought Jimmy, not darn
me to look at the lovely flushed race
Il a Jimmy looked very grave during [
cry next few days. 1t was no little thl
ion to have blighted a young girIs afIe
mr. tions-evea unconsciously; and VIII
ach she was such dainty little tnlng
the Priscilla=so sweet-so sensible
xed far above the average in every way
fol- it became a pretty grave proposiissls
red Indeed he sometimes wondered II
- were not in honor bound to marry h
In the meantime Priscilla, under M
bakers accusing eye, wilted percep
hall blv. Probably everybody thought E
lrd was glad she had wrought so mu
fine mischief. Well, she wasn't She ne
tch. dreamed he would take It SO 10 nes
so And he was such a big, lovaole fells
hat Mrs. Baker was right. He was too 81
,nIe to be treated so shabbily.
Jimmy had marshalled his casual
M, marks about business through two di
The of painstaking effort and arranged