The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-05
THE EVENING STORY
The other Girl.

I
Thy r.. A. Beall.l
To all their friends there seemed to
pe something essentially incongruous in
the Idea of their marriage Friends. OF
course, as is well known, have the right
to decide these things.
Grace Ormiston was a New England
girl OF an old Boston family who knew
her Emerson by heart. 1t was even re-
ported that she knew what Robert
browning meant when he wrote:
Seteoos, and Setebos. and Setebos.
jim Garrison had been born and rear
60 on big Kentucky tobacco plantation
ana he had obtained his education in
lnat scnool which not only believes but
VOWS lnat gentleman's education is
complete when he has been taught "to
rlde, to shoot and to speak the truth. "
Yet their marriage had turned out a
happy one, for with all Jim's ignorance
OF BOOKS ne was gentleman, every inch
OF the stalwart length of him. He did
feel bit oppressed. though. at times
Wnen MS clever and learned wife let
MIN slide out of the conversation" as
ne expressed it. and showed by her
manner that she knew it was over his
head and that she excused him in SYM
pathetic kindness.
Inc truth was that Jim would have
been quite bit the better for it if he
mad possessed more of share of that
conceit.
Poor Jim didn't have a bit; and he
used to rub his handsome head ruefully
ana with very genuine sorrow at the
narasslng thought that he was not
gooo enough for his brilliant beauty of
Wife and that she must feel some de-
gree or shame for him when she was
surrounded by the wise and learned
people VINO called on theim continually.
When they had been married a little
a fQ1QQra fnr
jim While he was absent in Kentucky
looking over some of his land Mrs Gar
rlson hesitated before she opened the
yellow envelope, for she was not a. wo-
man who believed in letting the curl
osity get the better of her, although
she had her full share of that delight
full instinct of her breeding.
However, she finally decided that she
should open the telegram to see if it
was important enough to forward to
Jim. Surely every one will forgive that
Women ought to be curious. It's part
OF their charm. Think of what the
ciOuS curiosity!
The message was short; but few as
the words were they were sufficient to
cause something very much like her lit
tie world tumbling disastrously down
around the pretty ears of Mrs. Garri-
son. The telegram was dated from a
village on Long Island. and said:
THE girl is dying. Come at once"
1t was signed Jack Harrington. Grace
recognized this name as that of one of
her husbands friends of whom she had
often heard him speak, but whom she
had never met.
Grace was not a naturally jealous
woman. That is nothing more than
to say that she was not any more jeal-
Gus than is any good, true, warm
souled woman. She tried to remain
unsuspicious. but try as she would she
could find but one Interpretation for
the message.
Her faith in Jim was too absolute
to believe that 1.-The girl referred to
could be her rival since their mar
riage. She never gave place in her
mind for one moment to any idea that
her Jim was capable of the shameful,
disgusting treachery such surmise
would preSuppoSe.
But she could not help but see that
this girl had some old claim on Jim.
and thought of such claim on the
man whom she loved so passionately
was sufficient to drive her nearly
frantic.
She perceived that the sender of the
telegram had taken it for granted that
Jim would not hesitate to come at
once" And then she recollected with
keen sense that gave her new pain
now that Jim always had spoken shy
ly and hesitatingly about Harrington
and had evaded all her attempts to
induce him to invite this friend of his
early days to their home.
Her feeling was one of total desola-
ton. She moaned at the thought
there could be anywhere in the world
woman with such claim upon her
Jim that he must go to her deathbed.
Mrs. Garrison realized now and all at
once how deeply and helplessly she
loved her handsome husband, and
how empty all her world of knowl- |
edge and art would seem to her if that |
love were destroyed.
At last, however, she began to think |
- rfrrI no n
With mighty effort she put aside her |
own grief and telegraphed to her hus- |
band:
"Mr Jim Garrison. Phoenix Hotel, |
Lexington, KY: Come home imme- |
diately. matter of life and DEATH
Grace"
She could not bear to telegraph to
him that 1.-THE girl was dying. To |
refer to her in such a way was re-
pugnant to every instinct, and she was
in total ignorance of the girls name.
Before noon she received the ex-
pected reply. 1t read: Leave at
noon. Arrive tomorrow noon"
Grace Garrison, having forced herself
to sacrifice her own emotions and her
own wounded love and anguishnd
pride. was not the woman 10 shrink
from making the sacrifice complete
and Deep however her feet night bleed
On .he weary way.
She telegraphed to Harrington that
Jim WCulQ redcn nome dI noon Oh TIE |
next day and would come down to
Long Island immediately, nd, mean
time, determined TO expedite his trip i'll
every manner. Whoever this woman
was to Jim, Ora &c resolved that Jim
must reach her bedside before death
closed her eyes, # she could make it
possible.
The railroad time tables showed hcr
that connections could be made until
very late in the evening, and she de-
c;ded that he must be hurried down m
her si;omobile.
been bought especially for her use by |,
her mother. Jim had steaifastIy re-
fused to learn to drive it. But Grace L
decided that it would no- do to have
the chauffeur drive Jim ia,ygn on such
an errand for fear of gossip among
tho servants She came "a The hraye L.