The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-12
THE EVENING STORY

tBy Jerome Sprague. }

| TeSsa, SAID Miss Marion with da-
cision, you are not making that he'd
properly
| Tessa, tucking in the shee. of the
dolls bed, raised limpid, inquiring ewes.
| told you wanted hospital corners
| Tessa Wavered, curled a small red lin
and overlooked
Lon cry; oh, Tessa, don't cry" Miss
MARION expostulated, as the small mink
apioIlea atom flung herself at full length
| Tessa did not move
ven, l snail have to let Mary Ban
nigan do it, said Miss Marion
Hidry brannIgan and Tessa Votoldf
Icing sworn rivals in the affections of
Inc ssttiement teacher, the small Italian
raised calculating eye. Mary, every
red curl bobbing, every freckle radiant,
already had hold of one corner of the
| infinitesimal sheet
Then Mary pulled and Tessa pulled
Perhaps you'd better let Tessa fin
ish it, Mary" said the teacher weakly.
Mary blazed wrathfully, Jaw, she
don't know howr'
"Oh, well,'' Miss Marion sighed, ''see
If you can make it. Mary. Tessa can
watch you, and tell you if you don't do
it properly"
Tessa, sobbing a soft accompaniment
to Mary's bedmaking, squealed sudden
ly:
She's gotta the hem out-a side"
"Oh. Mary" said Miss Marion, re-
proachfully, st thought you could do
it."
"An' L can," said Mary, 'sbut won't"
and straightway. like a small fury, she
tore the bed to pieces, and flung the
mattress on the floor.
The twenty small girls Of the Little
Housekeepers' Glass looked at the teach
er with expectant eyes.
ooh, Mary" quavered Miss Mason. She
felt unequal to discipline. It was very
hot and the room was close, and the
children had been restless and fussy all
the morning.
"Oh, Mary" she quavered again, as a
young man in panama hat and round,
clerical collar poked his head in at the
window.
Cant you and the little girls come
over and have lunch with my boys in
the parish Officer he asked.
A sigh of blissful anticipation issued
from twenty threats.
They have been so naughty, Miss
Mason hesitated, IT don't know whether
I should let them"
Twenty pairs of eyes reproached her,
and the young rector said: mo one
ought to be naughty on such day."
well if you will promise to be very
good Miss Marion finally decided; and,
like lion and lamb, Tessa and Mary led
a decorous procession.
The young rector's class in wood carv-
and lemonade, provided by the ladies of
the parish. There was a big pitcher of
the lemonade, and the Ice tinkled de-
liciously as the biggest boy filled twenty
glasses for the twenty little girls.
The young rector, beaming with en-
thusiasm, sat down beside the little set
tiement teacher. Its lovely work, Miss
Mason" he said.
Marion shook her head. "Oh, no, it
isn't" she said; its horrid. They are
IT,. T
hotel porch, in my best linen frock, with
my hair naarcelled, and with the waves
beating a soothing accompaniment to
the conversation of some intelligent
masculine"
With a twinkle in his eye, the young
rector asked, Cant masquerade as an
masculine?"
oh" Miss Mason conceded, '..you
might. But I'm not dressed for the
part Shirt waists and serge skirts and
tan shoes, and dusty ones at that''-she
poked out a small foot in a shabby shoe
ARE not the attire of attractiveness.
We planted vegetables in the school gar
den all the morning-beans and things
until we were grubby-'
IT don't believe you would be really
happy on that hotel porch" asserted
the young rector, as he sat on the edge
of his desk, and looked down at her.
IT should! I want to be care-free and
frivolous-and to forget the problems
people. I want to go where every one is
clean and the air is pure-and where I
can breathe as she caught her
breath sharply he bent over her with a
Poor little womanw he murmured.
Don't pity me-" Miss Mason said,
with flaming cheeks, but I do.like pref
ty things. Why, I am a different crea-
ture in my pink dfmity. You've never
seen me in 1t, have your"
1ad of hAr ind
No." he said slowly, but I saw you
.nce in an old white linen that had been
torn and trampled, and you held in your
arms a little child that you had saved
and you were beautiful"
'Oh, that was Tessa," Miss Mason said
{. dickly, 1.-The morning the fire engine
horses ran away. 1t was a wonder we
weren't both killed"
IT saw you for the first time-and I
kLew then that I had found what had
been looking for all my life"
Her startled eyes read the meaning in
his "Oh. no, no." she protested at am
not good enough. 1 am vain and frfvo-
lous-and long for the f1eshpots."
He went on steadily. II have seen you
since then. every day, teaching your
little girls to be tidy and sweet and good
and have wondered at your bravery
when you might be in luxury-cool and
so might YOU" she reminded him.
How many men of your talent and in
1uence would have chosen a downtown
''Oh. that he put 1t away lightly. ST
like 1t, and I am man-but not many
women would do it,"
Don't" she said TREMENDOUSLY; don't
praise me-" and she rose and went to
meet Tessa. who was coming toward |
her, sobbing.
''Oh, Tessal Crying again?''
1t was discovered after some question |
n hurt frv
her. She was sorry, she whispered, that |
she had been bad in the morning. She |
did love her teacher. and at the end of |
the confession her arm went around |
Miss Mason's neck.
Poor baby!' Miss Mason crooned as |
She gathered the small culprit in her /