The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-10
THE EVENING STORY
His Luckiest Quarter.
(By Dorothy Blackmore.

| (By Dorothy Blackmore)
| Faith Airless stood over the minia-
ture gas stove behind the screen in
her studio. She hummed to herself
as she turned over the fast-browning
| mushrooms in the pan before her and
Kept a Watchful eye on the steak
broiling so evenly beneath the flame
on the other side.
| Suddenly her song stopped and
the gentle sizzling of the juices and
the bubbling of the butter stopped
with it. The gas had gone. She turn
ed in dismay to her little purse hang
ing on a chair nearby. 1t was as she
| thought-there was not quarter
| there for the gas meter. She had
nothing but SIS bi1l-nothing larger
nor smaller.
She looked about helplessIy, and
| then her eyes fell on the haIf-cooked
food on the tiny table so crowdedly
laid for three. 1t was a gala day for
| Fafth-or it was to have been a gala
day! For the first time since she had
left her home back in the country
town her father and mother were
coming to visit her and her studio.
They were to arrive in time for din
ner and-noWi
All at once an idea flashed through
her mind. She caught up the dainty
dotted swiss apron with it's dainty blue
bows and ran across the hall. holding
| it to one side. She felt conscious in
| this sort of domestic apron, whereas
she was entirely at home in the big
| enveloping apron in which she work
| ed at her easel all day.
Timidly she shook the antique
brass knocker on the door across the
hail.
Come in called a deep masculine
voice.
Faith opened the door and looked
about. She could see nothing but
the lower extremities of a man be-
meath a large canvas on an easel.
She stood for moment, hesitating to
! enter.
"Come in called the voice again,
| then a head peered around the side
of the canvas. "Oh, please forgive
me- the young man fastened to say,
coming toward Faith Il thought it
| was one of the fellows. Do come in
he added Hospitality.
"Oh. can't stay a moment, Mr..
Melville, I'm in such a predica-
| ment,' she explained, extending, at the
| same time, a IS bill
/ Gould you change tflis?" she asked.
| If young Guy Me1ville's eyes looked
large and hungrily at the unfamiliar
| greenback he tried to conceal it. I'm
afraid 1 can't" He felt in his pockets,
searched in all parts of his work jack
| ct, but could find only quarter. This
he extracted. ST have only a quarter
| IN shall cndnSS, H6 Sdlu.
| That's just what / want-what 1
need" Faith cried, looing eagerly at
| the coveted silver bit. MY meter is
out and 1 have mushrooms and steak
on the fire cooking. Mother and faith
| err are coming"
"Then by all means take this Mel
vile insisted, land let me come TO
| collect it some other time. Mono,
keep the bill. It would be lonely
| here" he laughed.
| "If If weren't absolutely necessary
that I have it Immediately I should
not take it," Faith went on; but by
the time I could get on my things and
| go out for change the little dinner
it. It's a queer introduction. and I'm
afraid you'll have a bad opinion of
me-" she said as she crossed the hall.
! MANY many thanks
charm of his neighbor, forgot to close
his studio door. and when two elderly
person wandered strangely into the
great dark hall of the studio building
in search of Faith Airless and her
| room they were sure the open door
| was hers. They hesitated moment
| before entering. Then. held by a
voice inside, they stood on the thresh-
hold.
voice was saying in loud tones. as if
talking over a telephone. Sure! It's
Guy And L want you to blow me to
| dinner. Haven't cent. NO
I-no-just loaned my last quarter.
Well. 1 guess 1 can starve
for one night. then. Sorry you have
| a date So long, old man. So long"
| Then some one hung up a receiver
and the two old persons looked at
| each other.
/ 'Must be the wrong ROOM" said the
man.
"Oh, here we are" cried Mrs. Ar
liss. opening the opposite door in
| which she had discovered tiny brass
name plate bearing her daughters
name Here we are and-here is
FAITH
! well. bless your heart, daughter.
| we've found you at last said the faith
er. taking Faith in his arms and Civ
ing her a generous paternal hug. 1--WE
mighty near got into the wrong room. !"
''Yes-the poor young man across the
hall was telephoning to some one that
he had just given away his last quarter
| and hadn't a bite to eat Faith, dearie,
| 1 hope you never get that way. I've
read about this studio life in New York
| and of how young artists often go
hungry the elder woman was saying.
Never fear. mother" said Faith.
from the stove where she was taking
I'D the now thoroughly cooked repast.
But, the joy had gone from her eyes
she had taken the poor mans last
quarter.
She did not want to explain, right
| away, to her mother and father that
| she had been compelled to go TO d
| strange man across the hall to bor-
row a quarter with which to have gas
| They might not Understandable first
and it really had not been her in
| tention to borrow the money.
] BY the time the little meal was on