The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-13
The EVENING STORY
Nancy Owens Vacation.
(By Clarissa Mackie.)


one of her sisters offered to sacrifice
part Of her vacation and spend 1t with
Nancy, keeping house for her father In
the hot city.
Perhaps it was unfortunate that
Nancy was the only one of the moth
erless Owen girls who had a taste for
housekeeping. OF the other three, Bess
taught in the kindergarten, Olive was a
librarian and Beatrice taught music in
a private school. When schools were
closed and Olive had begged a vacation
the three were wont to pack their
trunks and join a merry party of
friends in country and seashore, where,
chaperoned by a distant cousin, they
enjoyed all the pleasures Of the gay
summer.
This hal gone on for several years,
and Mr.. Owen, absorbed in business,
had not noticed that Nancy was not
getting her share of the good things of
the world. When his own vacation
came around the other girls had re-
turned, and he had gone away on hunt
ing or fishing trip quite content that
his daughters were looking fresh and
bright and happy.
This year he had thought Nancy
looked tagged and worn, and into the
quiet question.
what of Nan? She has never had a
vacation. Why can't one of you girls
stay with me and let Nancy go away?"
Iner0 was d chorus OIL protest. buI
father, Nan is home all the time-she
doesn't work hard-she doesn't require
a rest! The rest of us are poked up
all day for nine months in the year
over stupid children! Nancy doesn't
need a vacation
knew of the argument; she had become
used to staying at home during the
warm summer days and had learned to
arrange the house so that it always
seemed cool and inviting to her fathe-
on his return at night. With one maid
servant, Nancy did not have much
work to do, but it was the monotony
of the lonely life that told upon her
and drove the pink from her cheeks
and the elasticity from her step.
80 the girls got away all right?"
questioned Mr.. Owen as he unfolded his
napkin that night.
YES" said Nancy, spiritlessly.
Feel a bit lonely. honey?"
Gust a little, father
1--WE must get time to run around 10
some of the summer shows, Mani 1t
won't do for us to get down in the
mouth lust because we're left alone,
eh?" Mr.. Owen finished his soup be-
fore he peered at Nancy around the
pink-shaded lamp.
She was smiling brightly as she smil-
ed every year when her father made
the same remark; Mr.. Owen detested
every form of entertainment save the
opera, and Nancy mercifully never hello
him to his half-veiled promises.
A few days after this Mr.. owen tel
ephoned to Nancy that he would bring
2, guest home to dinner that night. 1t
was not uncommon for her father to
invite some business friend to dinner,
and the girl was accustomed to listen
quietly to much talk about business
and politics.
So she laid another place at the ia
BILE and added a few touches to the
dainty arrangement. 1t was all very
cool and appetizing after the hot glare
OF the downtown streets A frosted
green shade on the lamp. bunch of
dark purple violets in a silver vase.
the sparkle of cut glass and polished
silver. made the meal most inviting.
In the parlor, now shrouded IN brown
linen and softly lighted from the chan
deliers, Nancy sat and played on the
piano until after her fathers latch key
grated in the lock. She heard the
sound of voices and knew they had
gone upstairs. Presently her fathers
Voice in the doorway reused her from
q half reverie.
Nancy, dear. I want to introduce
Mr.. Ballinger-Iny daughter, the stay
at-home, Ballinger!"
The girl found herself greeting a
Younger man than any her father had
vet introduced. He was young and
decidedly handsome, with the good
looks that are the endowment of per-
feet health. He was tall and his
shoulders were broad and he carried
them with a little free swing that
seemed to belong more to the open coun-
try than to the cramped city life.
He looked with interest at little
Nancy, in her soft white gown with
string of pearls about her white
throat The brown hair was brushed
softly back from her white forehead
and the perfect crescents of her dark
brows We're arched above her steady
blue eyes.
Nancy flushed under his scrutiny,
brief as it was, and with a few words
of greeting left the room to give last
instructions about the dinner. When
the gong rang she was waiting in the
dining room.
Mr.. Ballinger did not permit the con-
versation to hnger among the dry de-
! tails Of business or politics; he brought
Nancy into a warm discussion OF the
merits Of rival opera singers, and laugh
irgly gave in when she had defeated his
arguments. Their talk turned upon art
and travel and Mr. Owen learned with
surprise that his little home staying
daughter possessed a richly stored mind
| and a wide knowledge of subjects upon
which he confessed himself quite ig-
| 1rorant Both Nancy and her father
found Paul Balhnger intensely interest
| ing.
Nancy sighed a little when the din
ner was ended, but afterward, in the
parlor, it was still more delightful.
| Mr.. Owens asked Nancy to sing and
| she brought out her old books and
! played as only Nancy could play. All
| the old favorites that the two men
| demanded, the girl sang in her rich
joined in with what Nancy thought was
| The sweetest tenor in the world.
| After that Paul Ballinger came
often. Sometimes he dropped around