The Topeka state journal., 1909-03-26
THE EVENING y7ORY
The Good the Ill Wind RIezx.
(By Virginia Blair.)

MAIZE agreed. dejectedly, IF she
haa come at any other time.''
| she Will expect to be entertained -
| Miss Cynthia chimed in.
Mazie, tying on her veil before the
| mirror, decided: I'VE can have some
good times with the girls But there
| won't be any men, and Constantia
| can't exist without men,,
Nonsense" said Miss Cynthia. "she
ton" ~ AtA
Maize talked the situation over later
with Serena Sears
You see, met Constantia at the
seashore the summer I went with the
Merrills, and I had lovely clothes. and
we lived at the best hotels, and did
everything IN the most approved way.
told Constantia that when was
at nome with Aunt Cynthia didn't
nave all the advantages and that my
outing with the Merrils was Just their
! dareweh treat before they went
ABROAD. But Constantia can't under
stand what life at Hilton is and she
will expect a gay time"
wen, It's an i'll wind that blows no.
Dody any good" said Serena senten-
tiously, Perhaps she will liven us up
a Bit
"Constantia could liven I'D a nun
merry. Maize told her. "but Hilton is
hopeless
Letters coming from Constantia told
OF her preparations.
"She. is getting lots of pretty
clothes" Maize reported to Serena,
them ?''
But Serena, true to her name. would
not worry. "She will delight our eyes
with them," she said. ST haven't seen
an up-to-date gown for so long that
Ia rather gaze on it unan on a Rem
brandt"
The day of Constantia's arrival Ma
zie put the big fashioned house in
order, while Aunt Cynthia baked delec-
table things.
Serena Sears came in the afternoon.
IF Constantia hasn't the good taste to
enjoy this lovely old room, and Aunt
Cynthia's tea and mullins and cocoa
nut cake, she's a benighted individ-
ua1,'' said she.
But think of Constantia trailing
pale blue broadcloth on this old rug"
walled Maize.
Maize walked to the station. but she
brought Constantia back in the only
cab the town afforded. 1t was shabby
and ramshackle, but the little horse
was plump, and so was the driver.
1--WE feed people and animals well
in Hilton Maize explained to Con-
stantia. Eating is our only diver
sion-''
Constantia dimp1ed, "I think Hilton
is DEAR she emphasized.
But after they had driven a little
way she said suddenly: "Mazie Lang
ley, I don't believe I have seen a sim
gle man since we left the station"
''There aren't any," Maize inform
ed her. 'I warned you. I told you
in my letters that Hilton was deadly
dull
Constantia's laugh rippled. "Oh, you
goosie,'' she said, ''as If 1 cared! 1t
will be a rest, If the girls are nice
a sort of bachelor-girls' paradise
Maize nodded. There is nothing
for men to do in these Hampshire
hills she said, land except a few
merchants and the minister and the
doctor there aren't any"
well, 1 wish Bobbie DWyer could
hear that Constantia murmured.
who is Bobbie Dwyer?" Maize de-
manded.
"Bobbie," Constantia explained with
elaborate and strangely earnest scorn-
fulness, "is a lord of creation. 1 was
engaged to him until one day he tried
to dictate to mel Then of course 1
broke it off and told him there We're
maid, and he flung back at me that he
should live single. for he could never
trust woman again, and then. told
him that an old maid was happier
than bachelor, and he said if / tried
it I'd find out, and, oh, I wish you
had heard u.s. and in spite of the |
tragedy of her recital Constantia !
laughed. "And I'm glad there aren't |
any men here-I hate them"
Mazie's face glowed. I'VE will have
a lovely time if you feel that way"
she said.
Just then the ramshackle cab round |
ed a curve and there was the old |
house with Aunt Cynthia at the win
dow and the light shining out behind /
her, and they went in and had tea and |
mullins and little cakes, and Maize |
feasted her eyes on the picture Con-
stantia made in her modish gown.
The next day Serena Sears came
over.
"Mazie told me how pretty you
were" she said, quantity, land I told
her I'd rather see you than a picture,
but you are better than a whole art
gallery"
And that afternoon a lot of girls
came. pretty and fluttering creatures,
who hung about Constantia admiring-
Iy.
at love girls she said, when they
had gone away.
That night more girls came, and in
the afternoon there was a girls tea
and at night a feminine galaxy came
over and sat around the fire and
popped corn and sang college songs.
When Constantia and Maize went to
bed that night the pretty guest re-
"I love girls but her voice
lacked eager enthusiasm.
Several days later Serena Sears
gave a dance.
"Of course there won't be any men,"
she said, "but we can all dress up and
lance with each other. and the girls
are crazy to see that white chiffon of
yours, Constantia
But when ConstantiaI was arrayed
n all her glory, she surveyed herself
in the mirror. "It
seems bit wasted she murmured
'Bobbie always like me in white"
The dance was not a great success.
Il lacked something, and that some
hing, Constantia said equivocally, was
nen.
In the days that followed the girls
;till fluttered and admired, but Con-
'tantia looked at them with specu-
ative eyes.
"It's a pity" she said over the tea !