The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-18

an awful mother-in-law? Her eyes
| were wide osen with wonder. put ,!, ens
! corners of her mouth were fun OF
mirth.
Think of your longing to do some
thing unusual" he urged. MY propo-
sition ought to prove attractive from
that standpoint. at least" .,
cit has-its attractive features
hesitating. Marriage is something
my usually intrepid spirit has never
man would prove not to be Inc rlsns
man 1 have lately become resigned
to the opinion that there is no right
man for me- Ny affinity has so far
failed to materialize.
Il don't know much about af1nities.
That was another thing that was leIt
out of my curriculum. But l DO know
that you appeal to me, like this breezy
mountain air, like the crisp rustic OF
the leaves, like the stiffness of these
woods 1 can't take all that to the
city with me but j you os are ivinT Dar You
radiate it. VIII you dare come Win
me?''
She leaned forward and looked him
steadfastly in the eye. Il dare. she
said finally. ST also have reached the
point when 1 ask what does 1t mat
ter?' 1 will come-if you want me-.
He held out both hands ana she
'And you are going to risk It
without knowing whether am a pro-
fessional burglar or cab driver?s
he quizzed joyously a,.s,,
ture If 1 stayed in office a year
longer 1 would risk going over Nj
agara Falls in a barrel to see II
couldn't experience an emotion, You
aren't cab driver, though" she
noted the carefully tailored suit ne
wore "And 1 don't think you are
a bartender or a aoorwalker
do you think you would like 70
live on a ranch?' The hope that she
would was plainly expressed;
Love itr' emphatically. Are you
a cowboy. perhaps?" >,
Not exactly, 1 own the ranch
He showed the first touch OF empar-
rassment. 1 know you would never
guess it. 1 couldn't acquire pollsn II
/ lived ages, but the boys would seno
me- I'm a new Senator from the wild
and woody West"
She lost her vivid color and tried to
take her hands from his.
'And I've treated you like a schooI-
boy!" she gasped. Il have guyed you.
teased you, never would have treated
a Senator sou her voice horrlneo
whisper.
to let the hands be taken away.
like it-immensely.
1.-The foolishness and-all?" her
color returned with doubled brilllancy.
She looked at him accusingly-
May be you are rich, too?" She ap-
peared hopeless OF fresh surprises:
Eyes, but that's not considered Just
cause for forbiddinS marriages.
She let her hands rest passively, her
serious side for once uppermost.
81 can't understand she salo
slowly, why you should care to risk
it-why you should want me,
woman who never had the oppor-
tunity to cultivate the feminine graces
wife, You could ask much OF the
world. The risk was attractive to me
because there was little that
could ask or lose. Do you really
want me?"
He stood on his feet. and taking her
hands drew her beside him.
Look at the mountains in the dis
tance-the valley below. Be still ana
listen to the wind in the trees. It's
all nature-the voice of nature. You
are part of It. You are like 1t. The
red of your lips is living touch or
It, You feel THE spirit of the WOODS
You love 1t as I do. Look at ut. listen
to it and then dear, If you can willing
Iy come, I want you so very mucn.
The mountains were azure in the
distance the rustic of the leaves caim-
ed suddenly, the noise of the wood
pecker stopped, and the silence OF the
forest daZed her The blood throbbed
against her temples. Her lips parted
slightly with a quick. indrawn breath.
She turned her face towards him.
The primitive man saw the primitive
woman shining in her eyes, and the
soft scarlet of her mouth quivered
when he kissed her.-(Copyright, 1907,
by E. c. Parcells.)