The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-07
THE EVENING STORY
Cupid and the Prophecies.
(By Catherine M. Patterson. }

Cupid and the PrOprietieS.
(By Catherine NJ. Patterson.)
Monday morning was drawing per
ilously near and the party had just
broken up. 1t was one of Patricia
Norton's regular Sunday night supper
parties, whose guest list never num-
bered more than eight and usually
less-and the Falwells and Jimmie
Brent were the latest stayers. Mrs.
Falwell and her husband were just
leaving. Mrs. Falwell and her hus-
that Mrs. Falwen was the more i'm
portant of the two or was the posses
Sor of any mental, moral or physical
superiority, but it just naturally was.
Even the society writer's had fallen
into the habit of saying: Mr. and
Falwell, the latter wearing a toilet of
white satin with duchesse and pearls.
Mr.. Falwell was there also" The last
was apparently an afterthOught and
no one would have missed it if fate,
in the shape of the makeup man in
the composing room, had removed the
statement to make the column fit into
the page form. Yet every one liked
Mr.. Falwell and he himself seemed
quite content with things as they
were.
Jimmie Brent had risen with the
Falwells. but after they had gone he
still remained. In his hand he held a
half smoked cigar.
May I stay until I finish this?" he
inquired, indicating his weed.
Surely" said Patricia.
Brent promptly knocked off not
only the ashes, but the live end of the
cigar. Patricias eyebrows went up
inquiringly.
your motive, Jimmie ?" she ques-
toned.
you said I could stay until 1 fin
ished this cigar" holding it off and
admiring its proud. brown beauty.
But didn't expect you to be for
ever in doing it,
like to make this last forever
Jimmie Brent, you are coming
back to a forbidden subject. Finish
that cigar in five minutes-for then
out you CO."
DO you mean that. Patricia %
making no move to light his cigar
and-f possible-settling himself
still more comfortably in his chair.
May 1 ask how you are going to do
it? You can't use brute force, you
know
81 shan't attempt to do it myself, u
she said with dignity. st shall call
Aunt Nancy and if she can't accom-
plish it she will call the janitor."
Call Aunt Nancy? Good. She
thinks you are making the mistake OF
al lHe MANY mistakes OF your lie
in so persistently refusing to marry
me. Call Aunt Nancy in If you wish
she is on my side"
Il should say she is. She made
the coffee SO strong tonight that if il
had wanted to do so 1t could have
apartment. And all that because
'Mar'se Brent he likes his cawfee dat
strong dat if de cup was ter bre'k de
cawfee would most stand up alone y
All of which goes to prove my
point. AS for the janitor. nice sort OF
your Sunday nights ended in a dis
graceful brawl between the janitor
and one of your guests
Mice sort of name I'll have, any
way, if you stay here much later"
muttered Patricia, glancing at the
clock. Those new people across the
hall are taking good lively interest
in me as it is, and they have been
here only a week"
"You don't say SOP offered Jimmie
politely covering his lips quickly with
his hand, ostensibly to conceal a
yawn.
Jimmie, you are sleepy. Please
go home"
Haven't finished my cigar
You are not likely to if you don't
get busy and smoke it,
I'm not in hurry, thank you.
the hall, Patricia? Tell me more
about them. What do you think of
them?"
ct think they are horrid," said
Patricia in tone that bore the hall
mark of conviction. 1--WE seen only
two members of the family, but they
are enough There is an old, gray
haired woman, so lean and angular
you could use her for a costumer.
She owns a barbed-wire voice that
corresponds perfectly with her hatch
et-face."
'Barbedwire voice. hatchet-face,"
repeated Jimmie. "She is perfectly
safe from me. But what sort of per-
son is she? Your description doesn't
reveal that little detail"
"Oh, doesn't it? Then perhaps the
fact that she discusses the other peo-
pie in the apartment building with
the servants may throw some light on
the subject"
at does help some. But what has
she said about-about-we about
you, for instance?"
''why, she said that if were
not Patricia stopped in the middle
of her speech, and her face flushed
Go on. What did she say?"
''She said" repeated Patricia, with
an effort, that If I was not engaged
to you I ought to be and
MY sentiments exactly. The lady
of the hatchet-face is not such bad
sort after all. But do go on. What
else %
'She said it was disgraceful the
number of times that you come here,
and the lateness of your stay is al
ways perfectly shocking. And those
are my sentiments, Jimmie; you sim
ply must co.
mot until you have promised to
become Mrs. J. Brent before the year
is over"
"I'1 never do that
Very well, then here I'll sit.
Meantime, take heed unto yourself
and remember the hour"
81 am remembering it, Jimmie.
Please, please go. Finish your cigar
as you cross the park
mo, thank you; that isn't in
cluded in my campaign plans. Tell
me more about these interesting peo-