The Topeka state journal., 1908-04-30
THE EVENING STORY
Taking Advantage Of Leap Year.
(By Anne Heilman.) }

Dora wright haQ pract1Cally mas
tered the difficult art Of being roor
when fate presented her whimsically
with abundance. While she was still
wondering what she was going to do
with it all. some relatives swooped
down upon her and whisked her or
to Newport for the season.
About two months later Miss
Wright returned from an elaborate
function very late one night, or,
rather. very early one morning.
Bidding her aunt and cousins good
night, she wearily assembled the stairs
to her room, her shimmering ball
dress billowing gracefully around her
slender figure. One hour later she
walked brtskly down the same stairs,
attired in a natty linen travelling suit
and carrying small satchel.
II am going away for visit" she
informed the astonished butler as he
unlocked the front door at her COM
mand. you'll find a small trunk,
locked and strapped in my room
Please send 1t to this address," hand
erous denomination. "No. thanks. I
can carry this grip myself" Then
she made her way to the depot.
The labors of the day were ended.
Mrs. Watson and several Of her
boarders were out on the front porch
in restful enjoyment of the "cool O.
the evenin'''
Eyes, Miss wriEht's cuttin' a wide
swath, accordin' to the papers" the
milliner. a new boarder. ''Todays
| Clarion said as how furrin noble
man appeared to be gettin' the inside
| track-thats why he's lookin' more
| moped than usual tonight" pointing
through the open window at soli-
| tary man in the shabby sitting room.
his head leaning wearily on his hand,
an unopened paper on his knee.
"He amt been the same man since
she left" continued Mrs. Watson In
lowered voice. In love with her?
Land sakes, I should say he was!
Every one could see it except Miss
Wright. Why didn't he up and ten
her? Why, child, they were both too
poor! Miss Wright didn't make no
more'n her own keep, an Mr.. Lang
port, back in Ohio. An when Miss
| Wright's uncle died an left her all
| that prop'uty, of course that put her
out'n his reach for good. He's too
proud man to live on his wife's
money. It's a dreadful pity, though,
for each other" Just then she
| turned her head and saw Dora Wright
walking up the path.
For the land sakes alive!"
| calculated Mrs. Watson. this amt
never you! How glad I am to see
you, an how well you're lookin'!"
] Considerable time was consumed
| in congratulations and explanations.
| Then Mrs. Watson hurried upstairs to
| see about a room for her unexpected
guest and Dora went into the parlor
and seated herself beslde Mr.. Lang
| don-
"Have you missed me, Robert?" she
asked.
missed your" echoed Langdon. He
| thought how intensely he had missed
/ n m
her absence, he had longed for the
sound of her voice. the merry laugh in
| her eyes.
ITS like a dream to have you
sitting beside me Dora I don't un- m
derstand it. For the first time In
years you had got comfortably away
from the everlasting grind and were
free to spend your time as you liked
| yet here you are back again in the
hot, dusty city in the middle OF Aug
ust. Now, Dora, what's the reason p
well, one of the reasons is, thai
this talk about money making yor
free is all nonsense. Money made
me a slave for two months. Instead
of doing what I wanted, had to de-
what anybody else wanted.
''I had to be outdoors when I wa!
cold, and indoors when I was hot.
had to sit through two-nour dinner
every night and eat things detested
/ had to dance when I was tired ant
listen to poor music and go int
| ecstacies over execrable singing wher
was sleepy and my head ached.
had to ride in automobiles and e.
yachting. A yacht always makes M
sick, and you know what I think o
! | automobiles"
Mr.. Langdon did not seem properl.
impressed, so Dora continued in al
aggrieved voice:
"I spent hours racing around will
golf sticks. when I'd much rather si
l down quietly with an agreeable book
It's very well to do what you dislike
} if you're accomplishing anything. blu
all this activity was accomplishing
nothing, except spelling my tempe
and making me thin. But yol
haven't said yet that you were glad t.
: Langdon's look of adoratiol
? seemed to be nothing more than sh
expected.
"Yes Dora, I am glad" he said
: simply. ST thought you had forgot
ten me. 1 didn't blame you." he con
tinued hastily, as she made q dissent
ing gesture. "I was glad to think tina
at last you were enjoying what you
beauty and your nature entitled yo1
to, and that your brave conduct II
adversely was being properly re
warded. But why did you come bacl
here, Dora. Why did you come bacl
to this dreary manufacturing tow
when you had the whole world t
: | choose from ?"
Dora looked intently at him Will
he was speaking. She noted tn
q streaks of gray in his well-kept hail
: the sad droop of the patient mouth
: the many lines around his tired eyes
"For more reasons than one.
Il knew you needed looking after, Rob
ert knew you were lonely, an
o working hard in order to forget.
knew you were tired and that you
| eyes were used UP. 1 knew you fel
the heat more than ever. and wouldn'
| take any refreshing trolley rides ou
into the breezy country or go on an
coy little picnics without your oil
h friend Now, I'm going to fnveigl
: you out every afternoon, and We
k read our favorite authors in the even