The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-29
TIE EVENING STORY
The Yellow Rose Lady.
CBy Temple Railey.)

(By Temple Bailey.)
When Abner DOVE first caught sight I
of the new summer boarder she was
sitting on the steps of the hotel She |
was all in white. with her hair ar
ranged in curls and puffs, and banded
by a pale yellow ribbon in a strange |
yet fascinating fashion.
Two hours later, when Abner had |
| MIXED the cows, he picked four wild |
old-fashioned yellow roses that grew IN |
the fence corner. When the boarders
appeared on the porch after supper. !
with the goddess of his heart in their
midst, he waited until the darkening
| of the shadows made his approach
possible, laid the roses on the rail, and,
with beating pulse, withdrew again to
| the shadow of the trees.
| He had his reward when he heard a
| voice say-a tender, thrilling voice,
why, the lovely roses-how funny!
/ They weren't here moment ago, ana
why. who could have picked theinT'
| Abner could see that she was not sat
isfied with the explanations that fol-
lowed In the background he heard
another feminine voice, alittle naughty,
ask, How do you know they are
| meant for your"
| The girl with the roses in her hair
! said in a startled way, "Oh, Of course
! only they matched-my ribbon
LAS if any one could have noticed
| tLatr' said the voice in the back
ground
1 "A
''I noticed it, but he had no place
among these people. To them he was
simply a countryman, farmer. no"
| could they. who estimated man
| worth by the clothes he wore and tbs
money he spent, understand his stand
| ing in his own community, where MS
| fathers large ownership of land made
| him something of a parsonage?
1t never entered Abner's head that
! he might force himself upon the object
of his alteration. she is used to city
folk" he said to himself, without Bit
! terness, land when she loves 1T VIII DC
some man who can match her IN style
| He had asked her name ana iouno
that IL was Campbell, Elsie Campbeil,
and that she had much wealth. All
the men tag after her." said the wait
ress who gave him this information,
"but don't understand what they see
much better"
asked.
". g Ul, sn as she went back to her work.
| Abner decided that the other girl
must be the one with the naughty
voice He did not wonder that the
men did not care for her. 1t was the
: little lady with the curis VINO was aito-
, gether lovely.
He was surprised, therefore, as time
went on to see how much she was ielt
} alone. After that first night the men
Il
; by daylight, appeared to Abner's curl
ous ewes as a stately beauty whose ar
/ rogant manner matched her voice. Sne
5 seemed to be much in demand. men IN
automobiles and men on T horseoa tSe
Z yellow Rose Lady, as Abner had call
ed her, after that first night, seemed
| to have few invitations.
Abner, weaving romances ABOUT ner'
q decided that she held herself aloof.
J. He liked to think of her as princess,
I to whom these people were but vassals,
at her command. AS for h1mself, ne
, was content to be her slave, to worship
afar off, unseen. unknown.
Yet as time went on. he felt that
: this was not adequate. He wanted to
speak to her. to show her some OF the
q beauties of forest and OF stream. ne
! knew every nook and Granny OF the
= great rocky hills, every turn and twist
= of the white roads. every path that leo
!. across the fields, and he would often
. dream of what life would be If he
u could walk in the fragrant twilight
!. with the Yellow Rose Lady.
s. "Yet who am I?'' he would chidf
himself. "She has money, position
everything-she wouldn't look at me-
r Yet he often had a surprised CON
# seriousness that she was looking at hin
q as he moved the grass with wide
sweeps of his strong arms, or came VI
10 on horseback with the mail.
o Now and then she spoke to him II
1
l. grow weak with rapture at her sim
vi ME ssThank YOU" or please" as III
,e did some small service for her. Onct
IS she came out to the barn and fount
= him mending the harness before IN
open door A white cat and two kit
tens lay asleep in front Of him. "Oh,'
she croGned. and went tc pet them.
you'll soil your dress" Abne
n warned as she caught it up ant
L laughed a little when he insisted OF
m which
is knelt as she Rugged the pussies.
20 Abner thought her gown was lovely
70 It was lawn and it was cut low to show
e, her round white throat He felt tina
le womeu's clothes must cost great dea
If He wondered if he would ever hav
sp enough money to let wife buy gown
81 like that. He thought of the happi
IS ness of coming home at night and hav
IN would light uD the big rooms of tn
IS old farmhouse like a ray of sunshine
lg How was he in his ignorance
Id know that the yellow dress was
n cheap lawn, bought at a bargain sale
p How was he to know that his HON
III would seem like a palace to this chill
lg of the tenements? How was he t
know that his Yellow Rose Lady wa
I'D Miss Wells, q little drudge who work
ng ed in the millinery department of
a. metropolitan store, and that it was tn
40 naughty beauty who was Miss Elsl
sy Campbell and an heiress?
T. All unconscious of his mistake, h
f. adored afar off. until one day his eye
es were opened.
He came upon the lady of his hear
suddenly one evening in the little pa
vilion that overlooked the valley. A
c. of the other guests had gone to dane
on at the country club. He had though
as she had accompanied them. and h
he had come up here where he could Sc
as infinite stretches of sky and stars, an
p where he could dream OF the Woma
re he loved. for he knew now that h
ny loved her.
X AS he reached her side she gave
to startled, .Oh!"
"a ST thought-you had gone to-tn
ris dance" he stammered, awkwardly.