The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-29
THE EVENING STORY
The Lady of the Parasol.
(By Martha Cobb Sanford.

| tAS Soic purpose OF Frightening mdScuune
| peholders. IT, for instance, when walk
ing on the avenue in town. he saw a mass
or dancing plumes and feathery streamers
| about to swoop down upon him. ne SHE'D
| as would a nervous thoroughbred at the
| sight OF fluttering paper
| This timidity was Que both to his tenn
permanent and his circumstances. His
| mother had died when he was very young
! for a woman's society. and last, but far
from least. had never awaited himself OF
feminine in the abstract-that is, by gaz-
ing into shop windows.
And so it happened that Annette Avery.
preme-her whirling parasol. terrified
Tom to the point Of paralysis. From the
hotel veranda. painfully CONSCIOUS = J is
own inelgibility. he watchtA other &n
from time to time stroll off Nah her. all
of them adopts in the art 81 parasoI
| manipulation.
Ordinarily such an exhibition of flip
him. 1t would have either reused his
gether. But for some reason wholly un-
| Ineligible to himself, the thought of any
other ehf I'M, mans holding Miss Averys parasol
Tom was nothing If not ingenious and
persistent. In the seclusion Of his nine
ing carefully poised umbrella over his
| shoulder. The idiocy of it tickled his
demure sense Of humor. and the results
| Whether the bewildering presence of
Miss Avery beside him would upset this
heroically acquired equilibrium could only
actual test He decided to risk it;
Miss Avery" he ventured, on having
veranda in the early part Of an idyilic
Gracious as was Miss Avery's acknowl-
edgtng smile, it could not quite conceal
the establishment in her wide-open blue
eyes. This Tom noticed. meeting the i'm
| pl1catfOn CALAMITY.
You see." he explained. endeavoring
to toss off the words of worldly ease,
Avery. This is the first time ever found
you-detached, as it were"
Annette Aery laughed with delightful
| Nervousness.
.r red lGye to g; Mr. 51swstsr she as
oh" said Tom crestfallen. then
EsS w as'af annet as'sr emphatic
reply. "A 1aggard ina iasgard." she
finished weakly. isn't worth waiting for.
Right away" urged Tom. He was
All right" agreed Annette Just wait
! till run in and tell mother"
her and then stood dumfounded at his
reappeared. he had braced himself. lit
orally. for the shouldering of this formid-
able responsibility. What matter If. on
1
| the frivolus thing at an angle diamet-
really opposed to its protective purpose?
Annette. blinking heroicaiiy. was too
magnanimous to disillusion him.
| The canoe launched. Tom, with some
| into it, and extended his hand to Annette.
At length; with long, graceful sweep
The shimmering radiance of the sea
marshes as they followed the windings of
the little creek. soon subdued their out
mutual consent. into dreamy silence.
Suddenly, in her excitement at sight OF
the canoe, Annette lost hold OF her para
sol. Before Tom could rescue 1t with his
paddle, yelping mongrel of a dog sprang
out Of the tall grasses and dashed into
Bravo! Old fellow" cried Tom Here.
But to the victor belong the spoils and
the dog made off with his capture. Pur-
| suit was impossible through the wet
| trophe. they watched the dogs fiendish
demolition of the fragile contrivance;
At this Annette burst into merry
peal Of laughter. What other man among
all her conventional friends would have
How do You known" she asked him
Because you always carry it," was
Toms candid admission.
bm nu any 4 Sassn
matter. really. 1t was just garish
cretonne thing"
OF these extraordinary Specifications
Tom took rapid mental note. The next
day found him securing the rural metro
polls of Greenville. for something that
correspondent to Annette's description and
to his own visual recollection of the Ill
fated parasol.. But nowhere had such
novelty as "garish cretonne sunshade"
He told Annette so. when. weary and
disguised he returned to the hotel. She
laughed at him mercilessly.
Us it so funny?" he asked her visit
fully.
"cretonne is quite a new thing for para
soils to be made Of. It's generally used
for covering chairs and cushions and win
probably all the shopkeepers over In
Greenville thought you were crazy when
YOU asked them for cretonne para-sun-
shade"
They acted so.' was. Toms feeling
A few days after. forearmed with this
wealth of "cretonic'' information. Tom
took his way confidentially up to town.
Annette comforted herself with the
urgent business had forced him to post
pone even for day their morning paddle |
each ep &c Of them an accepted and antici-
On his return. although Cor more likely |
becauseD It was late in the evening and
full moonlight, Tom sought out Annette
veranda and quietly signalled to her.
Get something to throw around you. |
Annette" he directed. land let's go down |
on the beach for stroll. The moon |
light is beautiful on the water"
Annette. her heart fluttering prophet
ically acquiesed with a moments hesi-
tation.
When they had found sheltered nook |
on the lee side of a picturesque old rock.
Tom took off his overcoat and spread IL
for Annette to sit upon. As he did so, a
long narrow package dropped on the sand
at his feet.
: What is that?" asked Annette. SUSPECT
ously.
Something picked up in town." Tom
cluckled. Want to see II?
with exasperating elaboration, Tom
unrolled the wrappings.