The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-17
THE EVENING STORY
Nor Any Other Creature.

Looking up from a long drawn reve-
RE before the unfinished picture on
my easel. saw Iolanthe beaming at
me from the doorway.
Come on!" she cried. Put UP your
work, and come with me into the
country. I believe you don't even
know it is May day. Don't you re-
member the month of May when the
air is so full Of sweetness and love
that even one shaving begins to feel
an affection for another shaving?'
Come, let us a Maying CO."
''I can't" answered. I'm up
against It I'm crowded to the wall.
I'm broke"
Iolanthe laughed-the sweetest
sound in this wise old world.
ST had an Intuition so; but that
doesn't matter. This is my treat. You
see Isabel Dory took me to dinner
yesterday. so I had enough to take us
picnicking today. Come. brave knight,
put on thy helmet, and hasten
fastened. No one could resist
Iolanthe. I took her little covered
basket, and we went down the hall
and down the stairs, with mock-dole-
felIow-workers, who were not going
out into the poisoning May-day
world.
what car are we going to take 2"
I asked as we reached the street.
Iolanthe blushed deliciously.
1--WE are not going to take car.
You see, L got so interested In buying
scrumptuous lunch, that I forgot
about the car, and
ST see." said gravely. "And you
don't know how glad am that we are
to walk; it is so much healthier. Then
we won't have to mingle with the pie
beians on a common car. When rich
Iolanthe glanced up at me rather
sharply, I thought. It couldn't be that
she knew-of course. she couldn't
know No one knew but my uncle's
lawyer and myself, and maybe my I'M
Gle. L wondered If my uncle did know
in that unknown country he had lately
entered. BY and by I should tell Iolan-
the that, when the pre1iminaries were
over, I should have enough money to
buy her everything she wanted. even
If on this blithe day. I had not PEN
ny; and all due to a never-known,
rich old uncle, now dead. But Iolanthe
was proud, SO first I would win her
promise; win it while she believed me
poor as herself.
Purity and courage and gentleness
and beauty-that was my Iolanthe.
Mine? All, when our May day was ov-
er. should be calling her mine?
stopping to fill her lungs with the
buoyant air.
We had a habit of playing we were
other folks, when we went on these
excursions. Childish no doubt, but we
were never going to grow old, we said,
SO 1t was best to be children long
time.
"why, am King Cophetua." an
swered promptly. with a great infiat-
ing of my kingly chest and throwing
back of my kingly head as we walked
on.
''who are you today, Iolanthe?"
tits a pretty story" she unused. not
it were turned around? Suppose that it
was Queen Cophetua and the beggar
man? Would he be good and let her
love him? And would he be willing to
sit on the throne with herr" i
'Oh, that's different" I said. "Of |
course a man could not take favors |
from a, woman. The beggar man |
would have to go out into the world
it from his queen. You know he
don't you. Iolanthe?"
mo, I don't know anything about
it," she said a bit GROSSLY. But
Iolanthe never could stay cross long
enough to make it pay. SO in mo-
Presently we reached the spot we
were bound fora spot of sun and
shade, and running water, and new
spring flowers. We ate our "scrump-
talked, and had long spells of social
silence; and all the while, 1 was won
dering how I should make her say
yes" If at first she happened to say
no.
81 am going to tell you a pretty
story" she remarked, after one of
these silences. ITS true one. too. I
am invited, and so are you, and you'll
go, won't your"
"Oh, sure!" I answered, recklessly.
''Where?"
"a reception tomorrow evening to
meet the richest girl you ever saw.
She has so much money she doesn't
know what to do with it; but folks
have just found it out. She has pre-
tended to be poor for reasons. We're
both going. because you said you
would"
IT would do anything, or go any
where to please you, little girl" I
with so much meaning, {
hat Iolanthe flushed. and her dear
eyes waved before my gaze. don't
know quite how it happened, but sud
ny unresisting, perfect, red-Hpped !
I was quite mad with i
1elight. &
Then presently she cried out that !
must never let anything come be-
.ween us. ,
"Nor height nor depth. nor any
,ther creature" said reverently.
''Nor any other creature" she re- I
,eated after me, and made me say 1t !
svery little while all the rest of that !
wonderful day; and I did not tell her I
Lbout my fortune after all, though | !
lad intended to. When you come . to
hink Of it, money is sordid thing to =
liscuss when two folks are quaff1ng :
lectar, and nibbling ambrosia. IL
The next evening I went to the re- 4
option, and was presented to the lady .
f riches. 1t seemed to me that all the =
DOM hushed its breath and waited Il
While we two went through what was !
equired of us. 1t seemed to me that +
wed an con before we were free from 5
he great Eye OF the room, and in some s
lace where there were a splash of
rater, and Quiet, and heavy perfume