The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-10
THE EVENING STORY
Overcoming Her Preiudice.

| 10y O41NG
He had always declared that he
would not marry a small woman. No
diminutive creature of scanty stature
could ever grace his home.
J She, on her part, had been quite
sure that she disliked big men. No
weighty giant, towering far above her,
could ever capture and hold her
| heart.
Yet fate threw them together, and
neither one felt comfortable. They
| seemed strangely antagonistic one to
the other, and yet there was some
thing in their innermost selves that
| was kin.
He, busy day after day, in his law
! Office, found his thoughts and fancieS
| continually, unaccountably. straying to
the memory of her delicate head and
yet more delicate fingers.
She, painting away as always, Won
dered why the recollection of his big
frame and strong featured face should
haunt her. She, half indignant, tried
to conquer the persistent recollection
by working harder than ever.
He, in a way wiser, yielded to his
strange fancies and paid her a studio
call Her greeting was cordial, but
they we're long silent.
At last he invited her to take a
walk. The dusk was falling. The ave-
nue. cleaned with myriad light, pre-
senting an alluring vista. For nearly
an hour they walked, she taking hasty
steps to each of the long, swinging
strides into which he had naturally
and unconsciOusly fallen. By and by,
unreasenably irritated, she came to a
sudden halt.
There can't be much sympathy be-
tween our natures" she said sharply.
8! hey say that people who cart keep
step comfortably are out of tuna,
somehow. We're not even walking in
Lets try again. he laughed. with
gay good humor. 'I'H accommoda
my steps to yours. politely, as +
should isa1t have done e 10 long ago. See how
He minced along, with determina-
ton, keeping time with her tripping
steps. The effect was so ridiculous
that she yielded to impulsive laughter.
mo, no." she cried, still smiling,
1--WE won't try your plan any longer.
Let's be natural, and gang our ain
gait in peace"
1.-The truest friendships are built on
that plan" he answered, with mean
ing, but she was silent.
As for the man, he no longer desired
to conquer the new, strange fancies.
They had become too sweet. She was
wondering why his quiet glance could
cause her heart to dance.
other walks followed. They spent one
long, perfect autumn Sunday in the
country, walking through the golden
hours and fields together. Night
far too distant to walk home again.
They waited at little wayside station
for the train that should bear them
thither. Both were silent, wrapped in
the dreamy, tranceIike happiness that
is too eloquent for speech. Presently,
however, she broke the soft silence
with her thrilling laugh.
t'What is it, little comrade ?' for SO |
he had elected to call her.
1--WE haven't quarreled once today |
over keeping step" she. said, still |
smiling. II wonder what has come |
Love" was his unexpected an
swer.
But she shrank farther awav in |
the sheltering darkness, and his heart |
felt a strang chill The next moment |
the train rushed noisily down upon |
them, and in the crowded. uncom-
Portable day coach they occupied they
were again silent.
She sat so stilI beside him that he
fancied she was asleep. and her head. |
on a level with his shoulder. leaned |
against the red plush seatback. Her
pure, clear profile was outlined
against the dark window. He watched
her with the -hungriness of suddenly
recognized worship. He did not know
that she. wide awake in all but outer
seeing, gloried IN his glance. she
would not, could not. give up her pro-
fession for marriage, but still how
good it would seem to rest In his
love.
wild shrek from the engine, a jarring
collision, a horrible, grinding stop
and an utter desolation of blackness.
She knew that something awful had
happened; that she was losing CON
troll of her senses, but this was all
When she opened her eyes the
black sky, star-studded. impenetra-
BILE, was above her. The man OF
whom had been her last conscious
her puzzled gaze. Then she saw the
long train, dim, shadowlike, uncer-
tain. stretched out darby before her;
she knew that lights flashed about
voices cried means shook the silence.
And then, with sharp twinge of
suffering. she knew that the wreck
had caused her to be fnjured-that
she could not rise.
spine had been seriously disabled and
she would never rise again
s'dy darling!' said a voice softly, a
voice she knew well, yet had never
heard with this strange, wonderful
u a wave of ineffable gladness met
and conquered the rising tide of dis !
This time the hospital had been
reached before she came to- II
For weeks she lay there helpless, {
facing the terrible uncertainty in re-
when it was feared that her days Of
activity were over. Through II all he !
was her constant stay and the rock
on which her wavering hopes rested
living relative, his tender, gentle
companionship was sweet beyond ex-
preston She was still determined-l
more than ever determined now that
possible invalidism lay before her
never to marry, but she would not al
low herself to realize how and where
she was drifting. To have realized
and acknowledged the truth would
have meant his Punishment, speedy
and unreIenting, and she simply
could not bring herself to face this
new and pain-flled life without his I