The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-11
THE EVENING STORY
sanderson's Strategy.
(By Cecily Alien.)


1nconsiderate times to ask such a.
question:" cried Judith Brainard. mo
one but you, Dick Sanderson, would |
have chosen it,
and Sanderson shifted his gaze from |
her mobile face to the top. OF his stick, |
which he twirled idly.
The idea Of asking me for the |
'steenth time to marry you, just as I |
was trying to decide whether to bor-
row a punch bowl and glasses from
Mrs. Drake or from the Bennington
girls"
Judith pursued her troubled way.
with romance pushed far into the
back ground.
II guess it had better be from Mrs. |
Drake, because she's right next door,
though the Bennington punch bowl is
much handsomer. Do you really
think that ought to put rum in the
punch, Dick?"
Dick Sanderson rose abruptly and
lowered above the girl of his heart.
Il think that 1t is all nonsense, and
| wish that you'd let your career go to
pot. AS my wife. you can sing for
you can teach the little daugters of
| the devilish poor-you cam
And all on your money! If you
| really loved me all these years as you
say you did, why did you wait to tell
| me untfl-until-all our money was
gone and I was poor as a church
mouse?" demanded Judith, forgetting
her more pressing vexations in the old
| grievance.
| Dick turned suddenly grave.
| II wanted you to have your fling.
I think every girl should. It's wrong
to marry the first man who keeps you
supplied in violets and things. You
may find out that American Beauties
| and another man are preferable af-
ter you've been out year or two. And
wanted my wife for keeps. not for
| a brief honeymoon. I wanted
Judith rose abruptly.
II know it all by heart-and so I'm
going over to see Mrs. Drake about
answer my question. Dick: is it to be
| with or without the rum?''
Really, from what I heard of
critics and writers and other
bohemians. I should certainly adj
wise a strong dash Of rum
His tone was light. but behind it
wildly
'I might have expected you'd say
something nasty. OF course. all the
branded drawing room,' but they do
things. And oh, Dick. L want to do
something. I want to show the world
that my education was not all veneer
that it is practical"
| Dicks eyes SOftened as they always
did at an appeal from Judith.
| MAY I come? I've never seen the
lions of the musical menagerie; and
I promise solemnly that will not pro-
pose to you until it is all over"
THAT sounds like my old Dick. You
may come and see the menagerie and
we'll. I won't scold If you propose
latter it is all over"
Judith's world had gasped when
she had fed the prosperous New Eng
| nd oifx hoY 70 or'S a
established herself in New York as a
teacher of music. It was all entirely
unnecessary. There were relatives
and Dick Sanderson.
The relatives on whole were re-
, lieved. Dick Sanderson spent most
. of his time in New York, for the pur-
, pose, as he expressed it to himself, OF
counteracting the influence of studio
life.
Judith and her mother had a cum.
ming little apartment in an eminently
respectable neighborhood, and judith
had few very prompt pupils. Ant
now she was giving the first of &
5 series Of evenings at home. She hat
r met many clever men and women a
other Eat homes the season before
= and had scattered her invitations
broadcast.
, "You better not come too early
, Dick" she called after the persisten
j.. one, as he went down the marrow
l L
to talk it over with on the fnfsh''
"All right, I'll hold back as long a!
, can
; But when Mrs. Drake came in will
, the punch bowl and glasses. the room.
, were a mass of ferns and flowers
. from Dick.
. "How lovely!" she exclaimed
Flowers do give a room such an air
1t makes me feel worse than ever tina
, i've cannot come tonight-but every
. other Tuesday, have you not?"
: Judith nodded her head absently. She
, was trying to decide between a plain OF
lace centerpiece under the punch bowl
And not for worlds would she admit
that she was disappointed. Mr.. Drake
was the critic on a prominent paper
and she wanted to cultivate critics.
. 80 sorry" she murmured perfume
torily. Il hope Mr.. Drake is not ILL
: mo, but some out-of-town relative.
r are coming. and they are not the sort
: we'll surely come next time. under.
Y stand that Miss Morton, the new Eng
: lish vio1inist, is to receive with you p
Yes. we studied together in Paris.
t At $3.50 they were all in line, Mrs
S Brainard in pearly silk and real lace
e Miss Morton oddly English as to cos.
t tune, delightfully."- alive as to the pleas.
t ure of the evening, and Judith a dream
9 in black net and violets, her eyes a.
d CLEAN with anticipation. Everythins
: was typical Of New England-and mos
| unbohemian, even the little white-cap
ped maid engaged for the occasion
Nine o'clock-and the trio found Il
. impossible to keep up conversation
I Not once had the doorbell rung Nine.
: thirty-and the odor Of cut flowers wa.
. positively oppressive.
do you suppose that any one is com
!. ing" said Judith in a very faint voice
q | "at 9:45?"
And Just then the electric bell buzzet
= toyfully. Enter upon the scene-Dfcl
. Sanderson and at his heels Hal Darn.
= ton. the critic Of the Social WhirI"
>, Thought I'd give the crush a chanct
- to subside," exclaimed Dick, as judith
Z looroo forward and then at sight Of he1