The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-15

good naturally, always paired off with
the girl. though Madge had tried vain
ly to get some other satisfactory and
unattached man.
Tessie and Howard are engaged" fret
ted Madge to her husband. I'm worn
to FRAGILE. They hate each other,
and yet they have to stay together
There's no other way. And he seems
to take positive joy in following her
about and being raptly attentive. She's
horrid-and any other girl would be
wild with delight. He's so good look
ing, and clever, and he'll be a partner
next year, won't hep
Harris aSsented, but inwardly he was
greatly amused.
A few weeks later on, after home
dinner, and when the couples had In
nocent1y enough lost themselves about
the garden, the porch, anywhere to be
comparatively alone, Howard Wfltsie
took his banjo and sat down on the
front steps at Tessie's feet. He began
to strum and sing odd little songs, and
to be generally entertaining. He did
his very best. The girl regarded him
with a new light in her hooking dark
eyes. She was little and graceful, very
Spanish looking and disdainful. why
could she not have a little Spanish
warmth, as well as Spanish light and
temper? At length she spoke to him
with a little laugh. interrupting his
music.
Don't try so hard to be nice to me!
It tires you, and is quite a superf1uous
sacrifice! Take it more easily-you are
not running half the risk you thlnK
YOU are. There is nothing mesmeric
about me and I don't like matchmak-
inc any better than you do, andAeven If
I wanted to be married, can assure
Won that you, of all men. are quite
safei / appreciate your bravery IN
thus coming into the danger zone 70
help out your cousin, but L assure you
it's no pleasure to me to be enter
tained' so strenuously. I'm gong pack
home next week. And I-wlsh Ia
Tears came to her flashing eyes, and
before he could find word 70 answer
to This crushing TRADE, the girl jumped
to her feet and went into the house.
fYou can tell Madge have neaQaCne
and DON'T want to be disturbed. 1 dls-
like asking you to tell ne' put Pin
YOU act them so beautl1ully' pelnap"
YOU won't mind!' nan
~+ered q little: then he laughed. When
his hostess asked for Miss Gray ne
coo1Iv remarked that the young woman =
had a bad attack of temper anu nau
gone to her room. He nims 4arr T in
ed until he got word with Harris ~
+he den. He went straight to the
"Did YOU tell Madge what l saia
about her matchmaking and all tna'
stuff that night coming nome iioi-'
ssWhy-yes, I did. I tried to keep
still but the night Tessie came Madge4
was talking about you' anu u
oo "Reing a good husband, you had to
tell. When and where N9,s a'o Gr sv9 ~
leone to bed. Madge and I were
~ the nOrch. Why?
wiItsie said he only wanted 10
know" Then he went home-or pre-
tended to. He knew Tess1e Gray PREF
| tv we'll bv now When he was sure the
otbers would be asleep, he went back
| to Harris garden and sat down IN t1 ne
| little summer house and waited. II
was verv late, nearly II, but very
warm night. Would she by cnance
come out? She was, OF course eoo
angry to sleep. do"aro
| good guesser. ", -.
Evidently she had recovered from
bar rare for she was coming down
the path, occasionally hold1ng ne
handkerchief to her eyes. Wnen siie
was almost at the summer mouse, m1
went out to meet her. She jumped,
| hut she did not scream. She looked
as angry as she could. He faced her,
looking straight into the tear-nlleo
eyes. rass;a7 or
are they-for yourself
She stared, not understanding MIN,
ber rage and resentment giving way
before that new thing she saw IN ms
eyes-a new and welcome thing;
Hasn't it dawned on you, Iessle,
+b.+ I'In-in love with you? All that
i t5lT stuff 1 told Harris and which
Won heard him drivel over to Madge-..
was before I knew you. Dear don
you see that?"
She nodded. and then he took cour-
one , ~ both her willing hands.
"And don't you see that you-love
mo too?-and that Harris was right
about my being a cipher !?
/ She nodded against-against his
shoulder, very comfortably. And again
in the history of man and woman one
and-one made one, the unit of society;
-(Copyrighted 1910 by Associated
Literary Press.)