The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-25
THE EVENING STORY
Cupid and Croesus.


(By Constance Darcy Mackay.)
But the trouble with being rich is
that you never know whether any one
is in love with you or not" mourned
Rosamond Maythorn, stretching out a
daintily slippered foot to the fender
where a bright fire cleaned.
Her fathers eyes twinkled.. II think
I have heard that phrase before, my
DEAR he said kindly. land while
acknowledge that your fortune is
if were young man just the sight OF
your eyes and the sound of your voice
would be enough for me?'
Rosamond shook her head You
see, father, you were an exceptional
young man." she said, but the look In
her eyes was troubled, and a faint
quicker showed between her brows. Her
father leaned forward and patted the
slim young hand that lay on the carved
arm of the chair; his motherless
daughter was very dear to him.
What's gone wrong, Rosamond?" ne
queried, rs the new Worth gown
failure, or didn't you enjoy your dance
last night, or is the world generally
stuffed with sawdust?"
''It isn't the world that's stuffed with
sawdust. It's the men?' cried Rosa
mond.
Her father laughed outright, and
Rosamond frowned at him with de-
licious severity.
,"Ah you may laugh she said, "but
Pm in earnest just the same. I'm SICK
of all men see at balls and operas
1 don't want a puppet in evening dress
to talk to. I want mana man who
works and thinks and feels, and in this
silly social whirl I've not been able to
find one. Besides, there's not one of
them that's not a fortune hunter, from
~ Aet@ ~
fact is, I'm beginning to tire of utterly
vapid days, and pleasure-seeking ex-
istence.''
what do you intend to do, them"
81 propose to work for my living.
Seriously, Rosamond?"
Doesn't this look serious?' She drew
from the floor beside her writing pad
covered with cabalistic signs.
Shorthand, as 1 livel" calculated her
father. ''Well, Rosamond, I've always
let you have your own way, and If you
want to try an experiment, go on.
won't hinder you! 1 suppose in month
or two you'll be applying for situa-
ton in my office"
Nothing of the kind she flashed.
"'Ill find a situation of my owni I'll
morrow morning I'll be Rosanond
Marsh, and if you expect to catch
glimpse of me you'll have to be up
early, for I'm off to my business col
There followed days when Rosamond
was utterly fatigued and disheartened.
Many time she lowered on the verge
Of giving up her course and going back
to her butterfly existence. But the same
vital energy that made her father a
power on Wall street was latent in
her, too, and she stuck it out courage
ously, though often the penciled letters
swan before her eyes, her back ached,
and her fingers almost refused to
"clack'' at the type of her machine. To
a girl accustomed to waking at 10 IN
the morning it was no small wrench to
put back the hands of the clock to Z
a. M, as a rising hour, and instead of
luncheon in a well-appointed dining
room, to seurry to a restaurant for
hurried midday meal. 20 s-4fs
MY, isn't it fine to think that our
course is nearly finished" sighed Mat
ty Brown, trim girl in black. busily
a small mirror, which hung in the
cloak room. 81 suppose We'll be hunt
ing for work next. Wonder If Wen
soon get any?'
The hundreds and hundreds of toilers
whom she passed in the streets each
night after the o'clock whistles blew
had given her a very different view OF
life from that which she had cherished
in her brocaded boudoir. She knew now
that 1t was composed of Infinite strug-
gle and hardship, and 1t was with
thrill of thankfulnesS that she found
herself singled out from dozen APP
plicants to be the stenographer of Ora
ham Ellis, young lawyer of whom
great things were prophesied.
From the first Rosamond liked him.
He was kind and courteous; never too
hurried to be polite, never more ex-
acting than the occasion required. His
sincerity and straightforwardness
spoke not only in his frank and gen
ial manner, but in every direct glance
of his steady gray eyes, every motion
of his well-poised head.
'"Tired?" said Rufus Maythorn, a
few months later, looking at his
daughter across the dinner table that
mot a Bit" she answered, cheer
fully.
"And you still like your employer"
"He seems said Rosamond, de-
murely, ito be very just and reason ]
able sort of person!'
1.-The people who know him say fine
things Of him. returned her father.
''I should Judge that he was composed
of brain and muscle rather than of
One evening after office hours, as
Rosamond was walking homewards |
Graham Ellis joined her. She had |
played so long on the dangerous edge
of discovery that she had become ac-
customed to it, but on this particular |
night his sudden presence startled her, |
and to gain time she turned into |
shabby side street. A girl was just |
into one of the dingy |
doorways. It was Matty Brown. In |
stantly Rosamond saw a way of /
escape.
"Good night" she said, pausing, and |
abruptly holding out her hand to Ora. |
ham Ellis
n 10 Mt n