The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-14
THE EVENING STORY

(By Clara H. Homes

| CApSCIdnJIY.
"Hilda." he CALCULATED joyfully.
STOPPING to kiss the slender young lady
VINO approached with extended hand.
Her naughty withdrawal and very
indignant looks surprised him. and her
crucial glance made him painfully
Swale OF MS forty-three years and his
dusty and very ordinary dress.
Her glance said plainly, mercy, how
OLD he is. and look at his clothesi"
AFTER five years betrothal their
;t nta love dream became at once
and a plainly shown girlish contempt
Tor an accumulation of years.
But when Ben clasped hands with
Hhda's mother he forgot the bitter
pang of disappointment. She was IN
contented look, and the welcome he re-
ceived might have been a leaf torn
from the book of past happenings.
Even the hot biscuit at supper time
nad the weH-remembered relish of for
mer days. And the thoughtful man
ner OF saying, Now go and take your
smoke. Ben, I know you are wanting
IT badly" seemed like the picking up
OF the travelled threads from the tang
led Skein of Time.
Somewhat of HiIda's aIoofness wore
off after the first few days-whenever
she could forget the humiliation of be-
ing kissed in public.
The very idea! Any one would
AiC W as l1OiIi the " est! Sno con-
GUIDED wrathfully when telling it to
her mother
Mrs. Stevens laughed heartily: Are
people SO different nthe West? 1 had
supposed that they were merely ener-
get1c persons who needed elbow room. .
oh. you can laugh, but just look
at his clothesi''
Yes. Clothing does make a differ
ence in the flavor of kiss
whether it does or not, am not
going there n - 4
enough to be my father was the
Tell him so, not me. You knew
where he lived, and his age, didn't
ise?'' - 0i'i
81 suppose so. but I didn't have
sense enough to know what it meant"
she grumbled: land besides, he's so
much older than he was then. Why,
it's five yearsi'
yes, he is five years older, and SO
are you. Excuses are so easy to find
if we seek them"
Il don't care. he isn't one bit as he
used to be!''
When one says, I don't care they
acknowledge that they are in fault and
know it. Z think that the change is in
you, Hilda''
AS the days went by Hilda's dislike
seemed to increase. She would fire.
quently leave her mother to entertain
Den Ior d WnOle AFTERNOON, without the
courtesy of an apology.
Ben did not appear to be annoyed in
the least. Instead he chatted merrily
with Mrs. Stevens, and easily fell into
the old-time habit of calling her Lot
tie. Occasionally he would regard Hilda
tive under his gaze and fly out of the
room, storming to her mother, II hate
him! I hate him.
well, why not tell him so and end
the engagement? You are in happy
frame of mind for prospective bride,
To this Hilda made no reply
The wedding day drew near. Ben had
been out of town one afternoon and be-
ing delayed by business it was late
when he returned
do you know where Hilda is" he
questioned of her mother
why, yes,'' she replied. "She said
that she was going over to her cousin
Nettie's.''
"Oh. she did, did she?" answered
Ben so quizzically that Mrs.stevens said
nervously: What is wrong?"
There's nothing wrong he replied
with a light laugh, and settled himself
for a smoke. His laugh was too light
to be reassuring. Mrs. Stevens drum
med on the table restlessly.
It's all right, Lottie." he assured her,
still their restless movement After a
he remarked, How home-like
you make every place. Lottiei 1 have
been thinking of the hills all day, and
it makes me homesick. 1 wish you
and I were there" he finished visit
fully.
1T would be nice; I'd like to see the
When you and Hilda have
been married a year or so. I'll visit you
perhaps" doubling hesitation in her
tone.
He regarded her with wrinkled eyes
for minute. Then he asked with seem
ing irrelevance. DO YOU know Charlie
why. yes. Why do you ask that p,
Just curiosity. I suppose" with an
other laugh.
ben, what is the trouble between
you and Hilda? % in a tone of exaspera-
ton. she isn't happy, and you are
tormenting. I do not believe she will
be at all happy out there. She hates
the west" Mrs Stevens demonstrated
rather .incoherently.
Shed hate any place with me- I'm
the difficult problem, Lottie," replied
Ben calmly.
You two are laying up an abundance
of unhappiness for yourselves" was
the grave reply.
Lottie," said he, rubbing his hand sig
over the very apparent bald
spot on the top of his head "Sit down
here and let me talk to you,'' he said,
pointing to chair beside his own.
For fully an hour they conversed in
low tones, he persuading, she half re-
occasionally both laugh
ing, until at last she said in a tone of
yielding, IT suppose it is all right, but
it does look ridiculous for"
'Sh-sh, Here comes Hilda." eau
toned he.
Her mother was sewing busily, and
Ben was smoking very contentedly
when she entered. AS neither made a
remark of any kind, she seemed to feel
the urgent need of an explanation of
within her own mind, and
commenced in the most voluble man
ner, Did you think was going to stay
all night, mother? We had such a lot
Of things to talk about, Nettie and Il
"Who?" interrupted Ben The tone
was so derisive that Hilda cried out
angrily:
Perhaps you do not believe mel You
are always laughing at me, and 1 think
it's awful mean of YOU"