The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-19
THE EVENING STOR Y
-spring Beauties"
(By Margaret Richards.)


Uncle John!''
| No answer.
| 'Uncle John!"
"Um-hm.'' He did not put down
| his paper, but you knew he was listen
ing:
DO you s'pose any spring beauties
have blossomed yet. Uncle John?"
Slowly he lifted his eyes and turned
his head to the window. A ray of
warm spring sunshine slanted across
| the bare branches of the old elm; al
| ready the lawn was tinted here and
| there with green. You waited expect
antly-your hand on Guys great black
head.
TOO early" and Uncle John disap-
peared again behind the folds of his
paper. At no time was Uncle John.
conversation likely to be adorned with
You sighed and stood looking out
of the window, wistful, disappointed
little girl; looking -while the huge
Newfoundland dog beside you pushed
licked your fingers with his great
rough tongue; looking-while the
budding maple bOughs beckoned ana
the million tiny little voices or spring
called to you. and a lovely little path
bordered with sweet flower faces un-
folded itself invitingly before your
minds eye.
You could stand it no longer With
and raced with Guy along the palh
Breathless and rosy, you halted 10 un.
latch the gate. Out of the corner OF
your eye you saw the front door open;
but YOU pretended not to notice, not
even when Uncle Johns warning voice
hoated to you down the pathway:
you'll get your feet wet!"
On you went, the spring ecnoes IN
your ears-the spring sunshine in your
eyes-to find your way sudoenIy
blocked by figure in front. WONDER
ingly, you took your eyes from the
glory of newly leaved maple 10 see
one place. A familiar face laughed
down at you.
"Oh, Cousin Gracel" you cried de-
lightedly.
Cousin Grace did not stay with
Uncle John and Aunt Martha as you
did; she lived with her father and
mother in a house quite at the otner
end of the town. Nor was she lit
tie girl like you, but beautiful young
lady with bright, sunshiny hair and
wonderful blue eyes, and when she
smiled-the sleeping beauty, you
thought, and Cinderella and the beau
tiful princess in the tower, must all
have looked like &C usin Grace.
Where are you going?" she asked,
and you joyfully explained. If she
would come with you, she. too, might
pick spring beauties" you suggested.
And although she laughingly shook
her head over the flowers, she, too,
must have heard the spring voices, for
she turned and followed you along
path that wandered away from the
road through clumps of young ma
pies and silver birches.
'"This is fine!" you cried, racing Guy
to an alder bush, then scampering
back again. memory of past frolics
enveloped you. IF ouly Mr.. Ned were
here you must regretfully.
Cousin Grace said nothing, but the
pretty smile faded suddenly from her
lips. You regarded her in astonish-
ment Could it be possible that she
you and Mr. Ned had always had the
greatest fun. Silently reproachful.
you raised your eyes to her face and
two tears rolled slowly down your
cheeks.
ct wish you wouldn't look at me like
that" she said almost sharply
but it is your fauIt-Aunt Martha
said so. She said she guessed you were
sorry enough, now Mr.. Ned has gone
to New York, that you-f1irted-so-
rageously,' you finished. with con-
scious pride.
"Nonsense!" said Cousin Grace and
you saw that her eyes were very bright
pink. Nonsense, Aunt Martha should
She never finished, for with a short
bark Guy made for the little stream,
appeared behind the rows of alders
skirting the bank; one look, and with
a glad cry you followed him-skipping
from stone to stone in short-skirted |
freedom.
On rock in the middle of the stream |
tall, broad s.houldered, his clothing wet, |
his heavy boots streaked with mud, |
stood Mr.. Ned, his pipe in his mouth, |
peacefully fishing.
Hello, little dame! How'do, Guy, old |
boy!'' he called gayly, and then he |
dropped his line and landing net abb
ruptly, and, cap in hand, leaped quick
out his hand to Cousin Grace. He had |
run up from New York for a couple of |
days trout fishing, he said, and was so |
glad to see his old friends, and then
they sat on the rocks and talked of
such tires 0:re things as game laws and
trout fishing and the greenness of the
while you broke off alder
wings and threw them in the stream
FOR Guy to catch.
Suddenly Cousin Grace looked
straight up into Mr.. Ned's eyes.
81 hear you are very happy in New
York.
yes" said Mr.. Ned.
"Cherchez la femme?" she question
ID.
'I see you have found me out" said
Mr.. Ned.
Then there is somebody"
land you really are to be married?"
I'm the 1all." replied Mr.. Ned
promptly.
"Ned"-Cousin Grace put out her
land wistfulIy, her lips tren1biing-"I
lope you will be happy"
THANK you, I expect to be-" said
,Ir. Ned. I'VE shall have a cottage in
pretty suburban town-nothing
yery elaborate, just comfortable
lomey little place with porches and
title ground. And we shall not be ex-
rayagant in the furnishing-just our
books and pictures, a couple of good
Jugs, and a few pieces of old mahog-
my" he ended smiling dreamily up !
tream.
ut is late"-Cousin Grace spoke