The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-20
THE EVENING STORY
No Mistake After All.
(By Gerald Prime.)

Alternately was convinced that she had
made mistake. In little less than
ly had become less attractive or Dick
Hathaway that 1t would be criminal
on his part to marry Molly Abernathy.
And this was not at all because Mol
ly had become less attractive or Dick
less than the perfectly upright fellow
he always had been. After an almost
uninterrupted companionship of con-
sloeraply longer than the period Of
their engagement. each was as willing
as ever to bear testimony to the super
latiyely good qualities of the other and
would have been highly indignant over
any suggestion to the contrary. Molly
stu regarded Dick as "the dearest
desire to recall his estimate of Molly
as "the sweetest girl on the footstool."
Nothing whatever had occurred to
convict either of these thoroughly con-
sclentious young persons of tncon-
stanoy, but
The "but" in the case of Molly Aber
nathy was young man of singularly
unattractive personal equipment and a
name that offered no recompense for
his lack of good looks. AS a life bur-
den II. Darlington Hopper was serious
enough, but it would have been crush
ing with the initial expanded to its
full. Hooker. Clearly there was no
fault to be found with the victim of
| such a baptismal combination because
he had contracted 1t into decent eu-
phoniousness.
In point Of fact there was no fault
to be found with H. Darlington Hop
per on any account He was as right
minded young man as ever hung out
scarcely captured his first client before
practically all of the very incest girls
| in town were interested with him. The
speed with which he became a social
favorite In Eureka was phenomenal
He was SO genial. SO alive to the ex-
efforts to establish frank understand
| ing with everybody, that he won re-
cognition Immediately as an A No. 1
fellow among the men and-the wo-
men.
Ignoring his plainness of face and
| awkwa-dness of figure and movement,
the Eureka young women of all ages
had become greatly interested in the
| sayings and, even more especially, in
the doings of H. Darlington Hopper
And that of course, included Molly
| Abernathy, who for some reason un-
revealed to her was led by this inter
| est to doubt the cooperation of heaven
| in her choice of Dick as a life COM
| panion.
By a most amazing coincidence
| there was also ''but" - the case of
| Dick Hathaway. A certain young wo-
man named Helen Ware had come to
| town to visit her uncle, the rector of
st. Jarlath's. Before she had been at
| the rectory fortnight all the young
men in the parish, and a host of those
| who were outside of 1t, woke UP to the
1 fact that che was an unusually attrac-
| tive young person, and Dick was one
OF the young men Of the parish. He
| did not precisely understand how it was,
but whenever he stood in the presence
| of Helen Ware he found himself wish
ing-well-he found himself wishing.
| both Dick and Molly were members
| of the mixed choir at ST. JarIath's
Dick sang tenor when he did not for
get and relapse into baritone, and Molly
was possessed of an excellent contralto
voice, but she was an Indifferent read
/ err. That was why 1t was necessary for
H. Darlington How who had been
made choirmaster on account of his
musical ability, to coach Molly private
| ly whenever an alto solo was to be
sung. Hopper believed that he had dis
covered great possibilities in Molly's
voice, and after while alto solos were
frequent at st. Jarlath's.
About that time the organist sue
| oumbed to the inf1rmities of old age
and Miss Ware consented to substitute
temporarily. She did not profess to be
mistress OF the noble instrument, but
she agreed that IL some one would
/ come to her assistance-sit beside her
on the bench at rehearsals, pull stops
i and turn lnusic-she would do her very
OCSts LSCly Itl1A 1IF L1S CuslE FQlun-
teered in the same breath. 1t actually
frightened Molly Alternately to discoy-
er how little it disturbed her to have
Dick named as the preferred one
For more than two years Dick had
walked home with Molly after choir
practice, bit the time came when
neither of them felt aggrieved over
the willingness of the other to aban-
don the habit. The interruption came
: about so naturally. Miss Ware WEES
responsible for the deed. One evening
after an unusual tug at a refractory
anthem, which persisted in going
!; wrong after every effort had been
made to induce 1t to do otherwise, the
! for few minutes after rehearsal in
order to perfect himself in his part.
Instead of waiting until Dick should
, prove himself either the victor or
vanquished, Molly was possessed OF a
sudden within to start off alone, only
, to be intercepted at the door OF the
, parish house by the choirmaster. who
had returned in search of paper he
, had mis1aid
"If you will give me one minute
Miss Alternately" he said, 81 will walk
! home with you-provided, of course,
! you will permit me-
Without pausing to receive her con-
sent, he disappeared into the build
, ing. reappearing in rather less than
: the specified time with the recovered
paper.
st notified Hathaway or my tnten-
tion," he laughed as they moved off.
'Tt wasn't at all necessary" she de-
clared enphatically.
!, He didn't hear me. / couldn't at
! tract his attention"
was he singing?" She knew he
, wasn't. but she wanted to hear the
. answer.
HE hadn't begun. He was seated
on the bench, his back toward me
I and Miss Ware was talking earnestly
oi-giving instruction. probably"
Probably" she said, with an air o.
: indifference that seemed genuine tc
] him, lawyer though he was.
After Dick had sung over the BAT
/ fling two measures or SO at least q
: dozen times and had at last attained
|. perfection Miss Ware dismissed him