The Topeka state journal., 1908-01-11
THE EVENING STORY
The SuperstitiOns of Rhoda.
TBy Martha Endicott Eaton.

The Superstitions of Rhoda.
IBy Martha Endicott Eaton.1
1t was evening. Rhoda had dined.
The parlor in her little fiat, which was
also her study, was well lighted. Logs
were burning brightly on the andirons
Everything was cosy and comfy"
Rhoda had drawn a big chair close to
the fire and you would have thought
she had everything heart could desire;
but If you had looked hard you would
have seen a tear on the long eyelashes.
She was writer. Her stories had
always sold we'll until lately.
B-r-r-r-r went the doorbe1; her maid
let in tall, good-looking man with
Gibson chin. Rhoda gave him her hand
with a faint smile.
| Jack welles saw the tear she tried to
brush away.
"Rhoda, DEAR what is it?''
well, to tell the truth l am discour-
| aged-another rejection. Do you know,
Jack-Ive just thought of it'll don't
| believe I shall sell another story this
year. 1t is my thirteenth year
| mo, you don't mean ft?"
Eyes, and it is no use. I might as well
not write at all. 1 wonder if my money
will hold out until next year"
| Jack roared with laughter;he couldn't
| help it, she looked SO serious and he
could see she firmly believed 1t.
| but, then,'' she continued, Il did see
| the moon through the glass this month. ;"
Very bad Didn't you know it,
Jack?"
mo, I never give the moon a
| You don't? oh, how wish 1 didn't!
If I see it face to face, you know, l
have lots of luck and 1 bow three times
and say Good evening, Lady Moon,'
very politely
why, Rhoda Stratton, I never knew
you!" exclaimed Jack.
'I really can't help it. Jack. It's
atavism, 1 think"
| "Say, Rhoda, if you really think you
won't sell any more stories this year,
why don't you marry me, and then 1t
/ won't matter"
Jack had asked her to marry him
nearly every week for the last five
years.
Il can't, Jack. I don't want to be
You'd better; you might starve:
mo I won't. Maybe can find q
hunchback and touch his hump, and
that will change my luck and break the
spell Of the thirteen"
"R-h-e-d-a!' gasped Jack. Where
did you learn all this?"
"I don't know. I have always known
, it"
1T nearly forgot had tickets for the
theater. Get on your wraps Mother Is
coming for US in the carriage. Here
she is"
Rhoda laughed heartily all the even
! ing at the fun in the play; afterware
they went for bite to eat. And very
tired Rhoda tumbled into bed tina
night, her trouble forgotten for
while.
But alas! she dreamed. She dreamed
a spider was spinning a web in thu
> rungs of her chair.
She remembered her dream wher
she awoke and called to her maid tt
bring her a book which was On hel
+, desk AS she drank her early cup o.
tea-a habit formed in England-sh.
, perused the pages of her dream ooot
/. and found what she wanted.
ITO dream a spider spins his wei
before YOU means you will receive
. sum of money"
Much encouraged, Rhoda was sool
! ! dressed She always walked befor'
q q sitting down for a long day at he
: desk. :
Today she did a thing unusual II
her: she took a manuscript with he
= and bearded an editor in his den. HI
e took her story and promised to pas
2 Judgment upon it shortly.
Rhoda thanked him and walke'
|. home quickly Her friends knew the.
II must never disturb her in the morn
4. ing. At O'Clock, however, some girl
: came for tea. Rhoda always had som
: new dainty for them. Today, after I'm
: ishing a new short story. she had pre-
{ pared some chopped walnuts an
: chopped pimentos and cream cheese
J, and mixed them into a paste an
: girls declared it very good.
y ONLY two came that afternoon, Bar
Il bara Van Allen and Dolly Van Brun1
; Ry and by Jack Welles and his moth
err came. Then Bob Kingsley. Bo
was kindred spirit; he was as super
stitfous as Rhoda.
" nail with its head toward me-
5 eHow lucky! I walked miles cow
a Broadway, but no such luck came
le me-"
e. A scream Of laughter came fror
d What is it, Barbara" querie
;. Rhoda ,,,;+,, eos. !,
l. his pocket.''
lie ITS it off left hind leg: from a raj
st ~. s1,o+ in a graveyard ?" asked Rho
da.
ID "She's as bad as Bob" remarke
ID "VVeu that's the only foot that
lie lucky. anyway" said Rhoda
" "Rhoda. dear, how can you pehes ..
r such thfngs?" asked Mrs. Welles. "
es girl so sensible in other ways. and on on
Ii Who puts so much heart into ne
work. and you are methodicai, TOO
l. .sMrs. Welles," answered Rhoda sc
berly, some one mas salo;; +tat is ,,
loose screw. I suppose. I don't know
G. she continued. that ] really beles
p ANYTHING Thirteen or the thirteent
- T don't like. really I wouldn't beg
- a Journey on Friday. or do anythin
as of Importance then; of course, | G
M my regular work Just the same /.
a. should be positively il" she added.
ba1 TO sit in seat marked thfrtee
at a plav or concert.
LET me read your hand Rnooa
tie said Barbara. a..
~ ohair hu barbara. who was an e.
ne Dert in palmistry. Barbara read:
.sYou have the authors hand, 8