The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-12
THE EVENING STORY
A Finding of Hearts.
lBy Marion Cho1mnndeleu

- ~~>N~-<9s
woman, tucked in one corner OF the
cushioned seat which would have held
three comfortably. frowned. Little
things had a wonderful power to an
noy Marcia Weatherby.
Always she had had more than she
wanted, and the deprivation of having
nothing to wish for is a far greater
one than the ordinary person imag-
ines. From a girlhood home of lux
ury, she had gone to one even rich
er in the comforts of life when she
married Jack Weatherby five years
before.
Her path was hedged by people
patiently waiting to DO her will, to
smooth all roughnesses, to anticipate
her very thoughts; yet her latent ir-
ritability had grown, fed by a wear
mess which was becoming chronic.
And Jack himself was no less bound
and hampered. She realized dimly
that he, too was helpless through du-
ties and demands custom had fasten-
ed on him.
Today as she rolled swiftly along
she was overwhelmed with a sudden
swift vision of the emptiness of it all.
They were forever doing things about
which they cared nothing at all, sim
ply because 1t was expected of them
to do so. And further and further
apart would they grow, even as the
last five years had shown her. Marica
Weatherby bit her lip to keep back
the tears, for she had cared deeply
for Jack when they were married.
Perhaps she will now. but she never
had the leisure to even wonder about
it. And he-his kindness seemed alb
stracted, secondary
The machine turned noiselessly into
the drive leading up to the big pile
she called home. She knew just the
process of entering it. First, the
chauffeur would open the door of the
car and help her to descend, the huge
front door would swing open. disclos-
ing the footman, with his chin at the
correct angle and at the door of the
tiny gold-and white elevator leading
to her rooms Felice, her maid, would
be waiting to take her wraps and
handbag and conduct her to the tire
some mysteries of another toilet.
The chauffeur and the footman per-
formed their expected duties, but the
program was varied when she stepped
from the elevator. Instead of Felice,
Jack stood waiting for her.
Marcia's surprise died away when
she saw his face. That face, with its
look of haggard trouble, sileneed her;
without a word she swiftly followed
him to her sitting room and the door
closed behind them.
stWhat is it ?'' she demanded breath
lessly, terror clutching her heart as
she looked at him.
Jack weatherby had good stuff in
him and could dare much. but his
throat contracted as he took in her
| beauty, her fraigileness, her costly ar
ray. Helpless, sheltered-that was
| what Marcia was. Then he spoke al
most CURLY.
.I'll make it short he said. Lis
ten, Marcia. and see if you can COM
prehend. 1t doesn't seem possible
man could take fortune the size of
mine and drop it into the middle of
the ocean, but that's what I've done.
| Stocks It's all gone. We haven't
penny to our name-even this house
| Is gone. Maybe the grocer'H trust us,
| but likely not! HOW many meals do
YOU think your pearls would buy 2?
| He flung himself into a chair with
| a laugh bitter and hopeless. and wait
| ed tust what for he hardly knew;
| Mysteries, probably.
| The woman before him bent for
ward with lips parted. ST can't quite
| realize she gasped. Then she
Strengthened out and walked to the
| window, gazing long out over the lake.
| When she turned and came to him
| she was smiling. Besides the smile
there was a look he had never seen
| on her face before, an expression of
| interest, of energy
| sJack!" she said, slipping down be-
| side him, her arms about him. Il don't
| know why, but somehow the only
| thing can feel is relief! I believe I'm
glad! Why, it leaves us-only each
| other: do you see? I'm so deadly tired
of all this, of this life! Do you re-
member the Colorado ranch my faith
| er left mellow he held it when the
| crash came I'm sure I don't know. but
he did-well, We'll go there!"
| Jack Weatherby laughed even as
his heart warmed with joy at the way
Marcia had met the blow. "Yout" he
| cried. ION a ranch and a small, In
| significant one at thati In calico
| be nonei And neighbors ten miles
| away! oh, no. Marcia; you don't
| know what you are talking about! I'll
begin again here!'
Marcia Weatherby got to her feet
| with an excited little laugh. It was
novel to have something to do. "You
will not she declared. 'It is the
| ranch for usi'
And much to his surprise Jack
| Weatherby found it was indeed the
Colorado ranch. Never had Marcia
| been so animated, so busy. Her SYM
II pathizing friends went away tndig-
II nant because she laughed at their con-
dolences.
HThis is the happiest day of my
Iife!'' she told her husband when the
train pulled out of the Chicago sta
ton and they were bound for the
West with only a few hundred dollars
i health and work before them.
i One year later Jack Weatherby
coming home at gallop swung from
| his horse at the door to the rough but
comfortable house that was home; His
| face was brown. his eye keen, his dress
neg1igee.
i On the porch stood a woman, 1.-THE,
i graceful. in linen shirt waist suit
/ that had the air Marcia's clothes
| could not avoid having. There was
i color in her cheeks. a sparkle in her
| eyes and she laughed like a girl as
| she ran down to meet him. Arms
about one another. they turned to
/ watch the sunset across the distant
mountains and were silent before the
glory of it.
j AS the chill of coming evening made
itself felt they turned toward the
house. a peace enveloping them which
i needed no words
"And you thought Marcia said
proudly, ST couldn't do It. Jack! That