The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-14
THE EVENING STORY
The Discordant Note.
IRY TamnIe RaiINY.1


as she swept down the long shaded
walk with the vista of the terraced
gardens at the end. She was in SHIN
mering green with a necklace and belt
of turquoise. Behind her strutted a
peacock with outspread tail. Dashane's
artistic eye gloated over the perfection
of the picture. You beauties he
murmured under his breath.
Julia, coming nearer, said, Il knew
should find you here. You are al
ways lazy in the afternoons. Other
men play tennis-but you" She
shrugged her shoulders.
Would you like to have me play
tennis-now?" he asked.
She shook her head.
mo, you may talk to me-"
What shall 1 talk about?"
She gave him a swift glance. LAS
if you didn't know" she murmured.
He knew what she wanted. He had
always paid homage to her beauty,
and she liked to bask in the sunshine
Of his compliments.
Somehow he felt not in the mood
to give her what she desired. A weari-
ness had come over him, a sense of in
to ask Julia to marry him, and now
that the moment had arrived, he had
no desire to speak.
Even as he hesitated the peacock
raised his head and gave a harsh cry.
Julia put her hands over her ears. He
would have dreamed that he could give
forth such an evil sound?"
1t flashed through Dushane's mind
as she sat there, touching her shin
ing hair, settling the blue stones at
her neck, making thousand little
ineffective feminine movements, that
she was not unlike the peacock presen-
ing itself in the sunshine. At his ST.
lence she pouted. You're not interest
| ing" she said. ''I am going to leave
you and find somebody who can talk"
He let her go, wondering why he
did so, yet held from the declaration
of his feelings by some intuition. When
he was again alone he became con-
scious of a little sound in the still
| ness; a soft song sung in a quavering
voice. He rose, followed the sound, and
came upon a little summer house set
at the foot of the vegetable garden. In
1t a little old lady sat with a big pan
in her lap into which she was Smelling
peas. Dushane laughed delightedly,
why, Mrs. Worthington- he said
who would have believed it."
The little old lady rose hurriedly,
and the peas flew in all directions.
"Oh, what would Julia say if she knew
you saw me?" she gasped.
She was a quaint little figure. Her
modish black chiffon gown was COW
cred with a big. white apron; her hair,
dressed with jeweled combs, was piled
high on her head, and she had perched
on it an old straw hat to shade her
eyes.
Julia doesn't like to have me do
anything in the Kitchen" she faltered.
You know Julia has been away to
school, and since we got the big house
she wants us all to live like people in
the city; but I"-she drew a quick
breath-"I have always shelled peas,
and done such things. and I can not
get used to idleness."
ct know" he added. my mother
loves housewifely things. In our place
in Virginia she is out in her garden
half the time"
"oh, is she7" The little lady's tone
was eager. IT wish you would tell
mother-do not do such things
Dushane knew now the cause of his
instructive suspicion of Julia's beauty.
He had felt behind it there was a lack
of character and snobb1shness that
was plebeian. His own lineage was
unquestioned, but the women of his
family had been proud of their gar
dens their kitchens and of their house.
wifely domain.
Now Nell is different the old lady
was SAYING. Sometimes she comes
out and helps me. The other day we
ran away and had picnic. We bought
a loaf Of bread and bottle of milk
and made milk toast over little fire
we DullL III Ll1S WOOQSy tL1d SOd CStAA AAOl
imagine how good it tasted"
Indeed I cam Dushane said heart
lily. 1.-The next time you run away
you must tell me and I will go too,
| and I will catch some fish. and we VIII
broi1 them over the Goals"
She cIasped her hands eagerly. There
comes Nell now" she said. We've
planned to go tomorrow, and I am go
! ing to tell her you want to accompany
u.s."
pride, but she was very fresh, and
sweet, and enthusiastic, as she talked
to Dushane.
DO not tell Julia" she insisted, she
hates to have mother and me do such
things, but tomorrow there will be
lot of people for tennis and tea, and
we thought we could run away, and
not have to meet them"
81 will run away too," Dushane said.
81 will meet you at the second bridge
They will never miss me in the crowd"
But Julia did miss this wealthy and
| important guest. 1t was because of
| him that she had invited her neigh
| bors for tea and tennis. She was proud
of her conquest, and wished to show
him off.
Dunshane appeared among them for a
moment, and then he could not be
found, and little did Julia guess that
he was on the road to tryst with
her mother and school girl sister.
Dushane caught half dozen trout,
and broiIed them with bits of bacon.
The little old lady made coffee, and
Nell stirred up cornbread and baked
it over the Goals. In the midst of the
feast came Julia, flaming.
what are YOU doing?" she demand
ed, sweeping in upon them, all in pale
pink, with rosy plumes in her wide hat
| Il missed you, and the servants said
| you had come this way. 1 thought
something must have happened, and I
ran away from my guests long enough
| to find you here. / cannot understand
it. Why has mother come out here in
that old lawn dress and wide hat? Nell,
| what if some one had seen your
| In her anger she had forgotten that
Dushane might sit in Judgment. Her
| voice usually low and well moduIated.