The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-10
TIE EVENING STORY
Game Of Hearts ana tbe Rnt,,e.
Sy Martha Cobb Sanford,

Leonora was the most fosa.r.,
creature that ever breathed. E1erys
eve aemltted that. How she had
ever managed to get past the tYye, taa
wltnout yielding to tba n,nS.e'ss
/ eteses Ia1d to her heart was n1atter
rno common wonder. Now that the
da av ha eve of her thirtieth birth
Jay naa arrived, Leonora herself vas
| wondering about If was
Sne thought of the faithful Rob
ana sighed. She Thought of the i'm
sha tha JACK and laughed outright.
ana lifted her eyebrows. Tbev wara
tts , beautiful eyebrows. and
a, e eyes that looked frankly into hers
narr,, .ne mirror were bewitchingly
| or Few moments Leonora brusb.
81 Her wavy hair vigorously. Then
sue twined it into a long thick brafd
fu goodnight and good-by to the
ror tI,rnS -year-oId girl in the mir
~ o Ded: Bother the whole bunch"
sne muttered sleepily. "Im never 90
my a., TO TN mink OF them again"
woiIId IN h AT least, go where she
IA ner dreams, the persistent
I'D EoIowed her, his wistfuI. admir-
lls eyes fastened upon her until n
seemed as II she could not stand If a
~. longer. Then Jack would APP
without any polite prelinnina RES ~
regard Tor the curious people around
them, would begin to tell her how he
or be- ner, now he lived but for sight
Jack, and enter Roland the autocrat
dont like the looks of that man
VINO was with you Just now, my DEAR
wa, was ms uitimatum. "I don't want
MIN. Come. We will be married imme-
u s,Liy won't stand any more trif-
ing. And then-oh, then the rain
w Uggan h to pour in torrents. and the
alone, and she lost her rubbers while
CROSSING muddy street, and-weII SO
1t Went on and on through the night.
IN the morning the doctor was call
ed. Leonora had a high fever and
other alarming symptoms
are re, you subject to attacks like
tnese?' asked the young physician in
ms s most professional manner.
Never remember having had a
doctor before in my life," ,Leonora
answered, smiling feebly. Then a nash
OF her true mischievous self faring up
for moment, she added, "but I think
I'm going to enjoy it. You're so anus
ingiy young and serious, DR.. Tor
renee"
Perhaps it was just as well for
Leonora that sharp pain in her side
prevented her from expressing her
observations more freely
do you recall any way Won NAV
nave taken cold?" He put the question
this time in an almost ocular tone.
That's better" commented Leonora
The pain? I'm glad"
mo, I meant the never mind. |
what was 1t you asked?'
Or. florence repeated the question.
on, yes, why, lost my rubber yes
terday In the rain. Can you take cold |
by wettfng just one foot?'
The physician refused to commit him.
self. Before Leonora could get chance |
to push her inquiry, she found her
mouth effectively stopped by a clinical
thermometer.
That evening DR.. Terrence called
again He found his patient not quite
SO well and far less risky. i
ITS been such an endless day." she
told him. THE dreariest I ever knew
In my life-and it's my birthday"
1T doesn't look dreary with all these
beautiful flowers nodding their con-
.'Congratulations? Leonora groaned.
DIR. Terrence, I'm 80 years old"
The doctor gave vent to hearty
You look about 49," he answered
CALAMITY.
Leonora flushed family at the compli-
ment, lifted one of her long braids that
lay over her shoulder and dropped it
again YEARLY.
Its an awful tragedy" she informed
him. You can't appreciate it."
Il thought I did three years ago." he
answered, smiling at her gently "but
I've found out since I was mistaken.
dear"
The last two words he felt at liberty
to add by virtue of his three years
seniority plus his professional privi-
leges.
Perhaps So" sighed Leonora. "OnIy
[ feel more as if 1 were going to die"
Indeed for the next few days It look
ed as though her pathetic prophecy
ter a hard fight, the dread pneumonia
was conquered and the days of con- ]
Valescence dawned-none too brightly,
but surely.
he sight of her transparent, white
ooking face almost scared her. She
lsed to pinch her cheeks for the joy t
If seeing the color come back to them.
lust let her get strong again, and (
she show everybody how young
md heart-free she was! AS If. for
hat matter, any one had ever thought -
# her as anything else!
Surrounded by flowers, as usual" I
vas the doctors CHEEKY greeting as he a
lropped in for semisocial, semipro-
essional call one afternoon. b
Leonora didn't really need his SER d
ices any longer, but the doctor found
t difficult to desert SO fascinating a .
,atient. n
''who sent them?" he leased her. d
Tom. Dick or Harry-I mean Rob.
Leonora's big brown eyes looked at =
i'm in amazement.
How did you know about them?"
The doctor laughed a bit sheepishly.
'tOh, that's all you talked about when s.
GU had the fever" a
Leonora blushed prettily. u
Eyes they sent them" she acknowl-
dyed. Rob and Jack and Roland. ic
but not even the American Beauties W
i've me such joy as my rubber vio- el
cts.
The doctor followed her gaze. From c,
he chandelier hung woman's rubber W
filled with rich, fragrant vio- | In
Its. ei
IT'S the most romantic thing that