The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-04
THE EVENING STORY
Felicia's Fourth of July.
(By Jerome Sprague.)


(By Jerome Sprague.)
'Of course" said Felicia from the
top step of the porch, you're English
and you couldn't be expected to feel
as I do
:. That hasn't anything to do with
It," the tall young man on the bot
tom step responded. wrathfully. ''If
were an American the case would be
the same. You made an engagement
with me for Saturday, and now you
want to break it,
ture Of despair. But I didn't know
then that Saturday was the Fourth of
July"
well, what of it?" he demanded.
II have promised Aunt Marcia and
the Riddles that I'd go to their picnic"
more binding?" icily.
1T ism t simply my engagement with
them" she argued, Its my patriotism.
Not once since I went to live in the
city have I heard the Declaration of
Independence read"
81 have never heard 1t read"
"Of course not" she f1ared, "as
lish.''
Something of the scorn in her voice
stung him.
Il thought you had agreed to love
me in spite of that" he flung back,
''and that We were to be married in
October"
Felicia's head was held high.
Il do love you," she asserted, land
I'm going to marry you in October.
unless you turn out to be a dreadful
tyrant, like your fathers were before
YOU
In spite Of himself he laughed.
Don't judge me by my ancestors"
he begged; they weren't half as nice
as am"
A little dimpIe trembled at the cor
ner Of her mouth.
You are nice, Bobbie.'' she ad-
mitted
He came up a step or two Then
you'll go with me this afternoon" he
wheedled.
Her eyes wavered toward the gor-
geous red motor that hobnobbed with
Aunt Marcia's shabby surrey in the
country road.
Then she shook her head.
1T can't, Bobbie," she insisted. "It
would spoil Aunt Marcia's day"
How about my day." sulkily.
But, Bobbie, in October you'll have
all my days-and after mother died
and before 1 went to the city to study,
Aunt Marcia was everything to me
and I don't think 1 ought to dis
appoint her."
Every WE'LL" he looked up at her
gloomily. Its a beastiy disappoint-
ment to me you know. I had thought
we'd take a spin of a few miles and
end up at some Of the wayside inns
for lunch and come back by the lake
road at sunset"
"I'd love it," Felicia admitted. but
I can't
Please" he begged, with all his
heart in his eyes.
And because it hurt her, she said
No. very peremptorily. and he turned
away with a frown.
when you see me again you'll
know it," he said, savagely.
1t was flung out with the frank
rudeness of a little boy. and for a mo-
ment Felicia stared haughtily, then
she laughed.
"Oh, Bobbie," she emphasized,
you're SO funny when you're angry"
But Bobbie. with one last look at
her, strobe down the path, climbed
into his big machine and. with a whiz
and a whir. was gone.
And Felicia, gazing after him blank
ly. scarcely heard the voice at her
my dear, you needn't have stayed
| at home on our account"
"Oh, Aunt Marcia" said Felicia,
coming out of her daze. "Oh. did you
| hear?
Eyes. and I'm afraid you've made
him very angry. Felicia
Felicia dropped a light kiss on the
little lady's forehead.
Honey. child" she cooed, it's the
spirit of my ancestors. Because they
| couldn't have their own way they
| dropped their tea into Boston harbor.
If I'm going to marry an English
man. he must understand that he
! can't be a tyrant."
But if you had an engagement
| with him
cit wasn't any more Of an engage
| M n Felicia stated Ufhan IA
| with you and the children. It's his
| fault If he has bad time Of 1t. /
| asked him to go with u.s.
"Of course it couldn't be expected"
| said Aunt Marcia, that he would en-
| joy our little country picnic-not af-
| ter the wonderful affairs he must have
attended in England
He ought to like the things like
| Felicia insisted. Just because he
| met me among fashionable people in
| town and fell in love with my voice
| isn't any reason why he shouldn't en-
| joy the simple life when I'm the CEN
| ter of it,
YES" said Aunt Marcia vaguely.
IT should think he'd want to be where
| you were, Felicia
Felicia, grimIy. land now let's go in
and pack the lunch"
Felicia. presiding over the big bas-
kets, spreading sandwiches, squeezing
lemons, wrapping fried chicken in
waxed paper, was wonder. She
laughed and joked and sang. but when
she ran up to her room to put on her
hat she threw herself on the bed. "Oh,
Bobbie, Bobbie. how could you?" she
| sobbed.
| When she came down she was as
gay as ever. and in her pale pink linen
| with a shady hat, she looked like rose
| SO that at the picnic the people craned
| their necks to get view of the pretty
girl who had lived among them until
| four years ago. she had gone to the
city to cultivate her voice. and had
come back engaged to titled Eng
lishman.
At lunch time they pressed upon
her the choicest bits but she could moi