The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-24
THE EVENING STORY
Hearts and Holly.
(By Ethel Barrington.)

(By Ethel Barrington.)
Gee! Miss Holly. you'll be Christ
mas for fair when you get it all up"
Having contributed his small quota
to the generous heap of holly, the boy
gazed admiringly at the scarlet berries
cleaning like thousands of flaming
eyes among glossy leaves.
You boys remember your old mas
ter" responded the girl. sudden
huskiness in her throat. Father will
be pleased"
After the small urchin's departure
she still fingered in the crisp air of the
porch. her eyes on the distant bell
turret, the only visible portion of the
school house on the hill. There was
the loved structure where her father
had ruled for years, to which he had
devoted the best that was in him, and
whence he had been ignominiously. SO
she deemed it, discharged on the plea
OF advancing age.
Yet what training could be better
Tor the boys and girls than the wise
and gentle domination of the man who
had taught their fathers and mothers
perore them, encouraging them to be-
come good citizens and support brave
ly the burdens of later life? What
need in their simple existence for
higher education? Where the Justice
In the careless casting out of the prop
on which so many had leaned and
none in vain?
Twelve months before, following
the custom of previous years, she had
woven thick ropes of evergreens and
tied up great bunch es of holly in hon
or of the exercises which formed SO
important a feature of Christmas eve.
On such occasions the scholars, with
admiring relatives for audience, de-
claimed impossible Rotations and
sang quaint carols to her accompani-
ment on a wheezy harmonium. The
ENTERTAINMENTS always closed with the
distribution of a few coveted prizes for
proficiency and good conduct. And
now the evergreens and holly were
pouring into her fathers study.
How would Philip Lorraine. the in
terloper, fare this year, she wondered,
since more than one youngster had
were exclusively for her. In some in
def1nable manner the children, and in
many instances their parents. too,
gave grudging acknowledgment to the
overtures on their part as disloyalty
to their old teacher.
The new teacher good humoredly
pursued his duties. apparently indif-
ably he set a standard of learning that
forced the pupils to work as never
before, but the fact that he taught
well, was no merit in Holly's opinion.
1t was merely a duty performed for
which he was paid.
His concerns were of no more mo-
ment to her than the decaying log by
the waysfde on her way home. But
Lorraine refused to be ignored. strive
as she would. No matter how she
hated him in his absence, a certain
Difference, which at times crept into
his manner, caused her in his pres
ence the most disconcerting sensation.
Having seen him an hour previously
climbing the hill, she grew unaccount-
ably curious to know what kept him
at the school house. Impulsively she
caught up her crimson-hooded cape,
resolved on investigation. Arriving, a
trif1e breathlessly. she found the wood
cracking cheerily in the rusty stove,
and the young man himself engaged
in draping a somewhat dflapfdated
flag over the masters desk Thanking
it on either side were his college
colors.
do you imagine those things deco
rative?" inquired Holly, skeptically.
irrelevantly, and she COM
piled with the hint.
Father thanks you for the invita-
ton and will come tonight"
And your"
I'm not Interested"
IT hoped you might be philanthropy |
ically inclined-I've booked you for |
Holly tossed her head scornfully, |
causing the crimson hood to slip back |
and expose her glowing cheeks and |
her dark hair picturesquely disorder |
ed. The mans eyes beamed approval. |
"It's your department" he coolly |
would displace your
1.-THE less said about your con-
science in such matters the better"
Would you insinuate I turned
the top of his perilously shaky ladder.
I'm this place, don't you think the
question superf1uous?" she retorted,
giving glance for glance.
eff it hadn't been I, it would have |
been some other fellow"
The tone suggested extenuation,
but he still smiled. Now you've
given this grievance tangible form by
speaking of 1t, let's thrash 1t out. The
both try and condemn me with a
hearing is unlike your habitual love
Of fair play"
you assume a knowledge of me
which you don't possess" Holly turn
I'd to go.
Walt AS Lorraine stretched out
his hand to stay her, the ladder rocked
but he preserved his bar
,d-don't go" as she made a sec
md show of departing. "Are you not
lesirous of knowing why I insist on
he acquaintance? It's because, some
lay, I'm going to persuade you to
marry me-"
"Your jest is in execrable taste"
Meeting his unruffled glance. Holly
elt her temper rise. Advancing, she
.aught hold of the ladder and shook
t. Lorraine sat down abruptly on the
op step, laughing. ct think you the
most detestable man in the world"
he cried, administering vicious lit
lie shake to the ladder to enforce the
objective
eff you never give me a chance to
cad up to things comfortably, what
emains but to catapult them at you?
IN in earnest, though. I don't ask
our consent today-even tomorrow,
,ut some time" A spirit of mischief
tole over his face, as he produced a