The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-13
THE EVENING STORY

TIE EVENING STORY
The Road to Happiness.
| By Temple Bailey.)
| Margaret. with her eyes on the heavy
sky that hung over the stubbly fields
sang softly:
| Falling leaf and falling tree,
| Lines of white on a sullen sea.
She stopped and turned to Meredith
with an impulsive gesture.
This is the end,'' she said.
| His sombre eyes met hers.
| Il can't see it, he stormed. I'VE
love each other; why shouldn't we be
happy?"
"Ah. but there is the other girl" she
reminded him.
Yes, the other girl" he said. And
for long time after that they were
silent.
In front of them stretched the long
| brown road. The golden rod famed on
both sides of it now. but when these
| two had first met there had been
sweet brier and other delicate flowers
| of the early summer.
| Margaret had worn a bunch of wild
pink roses that first morning, when she
| had come to the big gate to get her
| mail, and to Meredith, there on the
| same errand, she had seemed as fresh
and perfect as the flowers she wore.
Since then they had waited every
| the oaks and life in that time had taken
| On new meaning.
Think Of it," Margaret said at last,
tomorrow the little postman will come
here and there will be no one to see
| him and nothing will be changed, but
| you and I will be far away-you in the
| west and I in the east"
After another silence he asked:
What are you going to do with your
| life?'
| "I?" she hesitated. ooh, go in for
something, 1 suppose. Settlement work
! or society, or Neutrality-suspicious. I'll
| write a novel,"
| And you think that any of those
things will make you happy?"
She stretched out her hands to him.
"Ah. happiness" she began, and her
voice broke.
Come with me-" he whispered, as he
bent over her, ''it must be you and for
all the future. Margaret"
she told him. II shall get along. A
woman can find so many interests in
! these days, and in using my brain
shall forget that have a heart. And
you-you will marry the other girl, and
this summer, this little time that we
have had together win seem to you like
a dream. or strain of music that
heard once you can never forget"
i His eyes followed her as she rose and
walked to the gate. She wore a loose
tan coat and tan shoes. and her brown
hair was waved and puffed into a shin
ing couture.
ooh, you beauty" he whispered. you
beauty"
Hush" she warned, and they heard
the beat of a horses hoofs.
The mail wagon of the rural delivery
carrier was protected from sun and
t,1y xxyf,f 70 xxyI,i h
the little man sat like a frog under a
toadstool.
you all goin' tomorrow" he asked.
as Meredith gave him directions for
forwarding the mail. Then he gave a
chuckling laugh. II reckon II you all
come next summer your mail will come
to the same name"
Margaret had a half dozen letters
and a paper. Meredith's mail was all
business matter, except one square
white envelope, addressed in delicate
feminine script.
Look here" the little postman said
TO Margaret facetiously, as he handed
the letter to- Meredith. I'D be Jealous
OF that letter If 1 were you. He gets
one every day"
Il A wave Of scarlet swept over the
girls face. Jealous" she stammered.
Rut when the little man had gone
she broke down and sobbed.
"T am Jealous" she told Meredith.
SCI am dreadfully, dreadfully jealous"
i "And yet you won't marry me-"
"No."
you want me to marry a woman 1
don't care for: to whom I am en-
oared simply because I had known
her all my life and had drifted into
~ and YOU want to make me mis-
erafle and to make her miserable Just
because YOU are afraid 1t will be dis
honorable for me to go back on my
word?" :.
| .'But she loves you and she isn't
His face softened.
mo. she isn't strong. And she has
a sweet nature. II had never met
YOU I should have logged along with
. her and there would have been no
heights of happiness. should have
dwelt always in the plain:
the use of thinking of that. It's our
last day together. Margaret. Let us
forget everything but that we are to-
. gether." orr,
go back to the house and get my habit
J and we will go over the hills and far
a" he stuffed his letters into his
pocket -. ,.r.n M.r-
raret reminded him.
aAnother time" he said briefly, and
! thew went to get ready.
Their ride that day was thing 20
! live in a mans memory. The MILL
, sides were glowing in russell and
, orange and green. The lake as they
| nassed It was as blue as sapphire
and the blackbirds were hooking IN
the golden fields. ,.,s