The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-28
The EVENING STORY
In Time to Be Too Late.
(By Lavina May Brown. }


your own house"
IF Phoebe did run away with old
Boyer IL was IN broad daylight" Mrs.
Rose retorted. Because nobody was
and married her right in the parlor if
he'd a-had the spirit of a mouse
Mrs. Brant flung back: "As for Milly
Gray and Jimmy Hinton, 1 say it's a
shame they got caught. Not that I
approve of runaway matches-but with
a daddy like the squire, it's all the
sort of a match Milly ever can make
That's all you know-spite O. think
ing you know everything" Mrs. Rose
said huffily. 'Milly can have the big
silk dresses, any time she'll say yes to
Steve Murray. Squire thinks the sun
rises and sets in Steve
Because nobody else does, I reck-
my land! If that's how the wind
blows" stopping as though further
speech would be an impertinence.
You're wrong again." Mrs. Rose
my guess. Squire wants MilIy to mar
~ Steve partly because Steve's so
driving and thriving, but more because
he thinks, with Steve clean out of the
count, Widow McBee might change
her name to Gray-as 1t is, she won't
hear to it,
"Won't-eh? That is news" Mrs.
Brant chuckled. "She's a sight young
er than the squire-not SO much
more'n Milly's age. But there's no fool
like an old one-all of us know that.
I'm glad you told me. Sarah. All
along I'VE wanted to help Milly-now
| I'm just bent and bound to do it-some
way, somehow
| Mrs. Brant was an ally worth hav-
| ing-shrewd, bold, a person of conse-
| Quence in the neighborhood, also a
| person of substance and all powerful
with her husband. She went straight
! to see Mil1y; thence on to the Widow
| McBee, a person rather vague as to
everything save a sense that she was
entitled always to have her, own way.
SIT ought to be the minister, not
me, come to talk to you, Maria" Mrs.
| Brant began without preamble as she
] sat down in the second best McBee
rocker. "At your time of life, wild
ow, too, andaa church member, the
| idee of keeping two men dangling, not
knowing where they stand-I say it's
| shameful"
Whatever do you mean?" Mrs. Nc
| Bee demanded, bridling with delight.
| She had married her only chance
his death had left her well endowed,
but SO far she had so few beaux, the
| imputation of coquetry was incense
to her starved vanity.
"I'1I name no names, right out, -
Mrs. Brant said automatically. But
| it's all over the neighborhood that
| two of the best chances in it are just
! plum off their heads on account of you.
No. I won't tell you who-but if you
ask my advice I might say which
and let you guess the other"
! you always would tease, Julia
| Brant," Mrs. McBee simpered. Nov,
I don't know one bit what you're
driving at-but go ahead and pick out
| a good husband for me-seeing you
make out I can get one for the TAX
ing
! CASA Gray is as cranky as a rams
horn, most ways-but his wife was a
queen to hin-what wouldn't sec
ond wife be?'' Mrs. Brant demanded.
| Nobody needn't hang back over the
daughter. neither-Milly's going into
a decline, if ever 1 saw anybody that
was-this morning, when I went there,
! she sat looking over her mothers jew
I elry-you know Mrs. Gray had dia-
j monds and a ruby ring, and the cum
/ ningest watch, blue enamel all over
and she said to me right pitiful: I
hope daddy will get some nice, pretty
woman to wear all these. He must
have somebody-when I'm gone
1.-The poor child" Mrs. McBee
calculated. How can her pa cross her
and she in such a state %
MEN are cruel when they're jeal-
! GUS" Mrs. Brant pronounced oracular-
ly. Squire. used to think MiIly could
not do wrong thing-but since he
fell in love-and you torment him
So"
T Nov, Julia. you're making out a
Z lOl llldu Is MIS- MCb0S
broke in. eff I thought you were tell
ing the truth I'd never have another
minutes peace until things were
Strengthened"
Then get to work right off," Mrs.
/ Brant demanded.
| How can ~" her hostess asked.
! Mrs. Brant turned scornful eyes on
her. ''You. a woman and widow,
ask me that?" she said. when you
know better than anybody. all you've
got to do it to tell Asa Gray unless
I he treats his daughter right, you'll say
yes to Steve Murray"
at never named him-you can't say
did, Mrs. McBee cried, flushing
| In truth Mrs. Brant had come to
her at the psychological moment
| Steve Murray had all but rejected the
| McBee farm and it's mistress only the
fered tentatively, but in a way he
could not choose but understand. He
| had been brutal in a seeming of mis-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, then, what balm
Mrs McBee found in her friends as
sumptions.
| Mrs. Brant pursed her lips az
reckon nobody needs to name him
not as long as they've got eyes to see,
taking the squire. Steve's made his
brags all along; he had just to say
the word, and any woman would marry
him"
] he Is a COnC0lL0Q MIS- AA1C-
Bee admitted. "But I can't think
about my own concerns-I'm going
right straight off to see poor little Mil
~. And if get the chance, her pail
get one good talking to-I'm going to
tell him to let her marry Jimmy Hin
ton right off, and send them out to
California, where Milly can get strong
again. Patience knows. he's got the
money to do it-and If he hasn't"
"You have. And you can't put 1t to
L better use, Mrs. Brant said heartily.