The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-17
TIE EVENING STORY
In a Far Country.
(By Temple Bailey.)

over ner cakes and cofee Cynthia
admitted her inconsistencies. Paris
was the place of her dreams. She
had thought her little home town
dreary waste of cathedrals and art
galleries, with everyone speaking a
strange language.
| Everett Batcheller had told her
how 1t would be, but Cynthia had had
her mind set on a year abroad. and
| she had scraped and saved, and had
| desire.
But. in planning, she had forgot
| ten to provide for friendships. Gym
thia was a friendly little soul, and all
her life she had had neighbors and
| church associates who carried her off
to meetings, and club colleagues who
consulted her about things. At home
she was a very much occupied and
| rather important person.
But here she was nothing. The peo-
pie at the boarding house turned up
their noses at her. and an English
girl had openly insulted her on the
| Fourth of July.
Cynthia had written to Everett of
| But Everett was not entirely SYM
pathetic. you know that wherever
you go the eagle screams, Cynthia"
he told her. You ought to stay in
l y
own people, if you want to be happy"
Her own peoplei" That sentence
stayed in Cynthia's mind long after she
| had tucked away the letter in her
| trunk for safekeeping.
I'D rather see familiar face than
all the portraits in the Louvre" she
unused forlornly.
AS if in answer to her wish. a form
dakened the doorway of the. pastry
| shop a hating voice asked in very
| 10, pa1xoQ and coffee and
with a hesitating step very large
lady came and sat down at the next
table to Cynthia.
Cynthia, cycling her with some curl
osity, decided that she was an Ameri-
can. There was an unmistakable air
about her clothes; there was less fin
ish than in the attire of a French
woman, and more of style than is
possible for an Englishwoman.
There was tragedy in the face, and
when the coffee came and the cakes
sigh made Cynthia bold.
| May I come over and talk to
you" she asked frankly. I'm aw-
fully homesick, and I'm pretty sure
you are an American"
The face beamed. my dear" she
said. you have saved my life.
think should have died If had had
to string out another French SEN
tence. My tongue aches with twist
| ing H."
Cynthia laughed. Going abroad
isn't all it is cracked up to be. IL it ?"
she asked. ''I have been homesick
ever since landed"
Have you really?" the stranger
confded well, it's the same with
me. I'm used to having my friends
about me-but after my husband died
and his mines turned out so well,
everybody said I ought to travel-to
broaden my mind. But wasn't made
to broaden my mind; I was made to
sit on my front porch and fan on hot
days. and to go in my kitchen and
bake better buns than these on the
cool ones"
CYNTHIA laughed "I feel that way
myself I just long to bake pot of
beans or clam chowder. and some
times when I've been visiting tombs
and things I'd give anything for
cup of my own tea"
Now that's just the way feel"
said the other. Look here, let's go
around together a bit. Maybe things
would be better If we had somebody
totalk it over with
Things went so well that, on the
second day. the two took small
apartment together, with a tidy SER
want in charge; and together they
went the rounds of sightseeing, find
ing q certain satisfaction In their
common complaint against this very
foreign town, and in their common
enthusiasm over the home country.
But l wouldn't tell Everett for
anything" Cynthia confessed to her
friend ''He told me how It would be,
and wouldn't believe him.
thought it would be like fairyland,
but I didn't understand that fairy
land would be lonely without
friends
afYes. it would But who is Everett7''
Everett is the man who wants TO
marry me-" Cynthia said. with knitted
brows But I'd rather teach"
Goodness gracious" cried the other
woman, "wfy don't you marry him?
Any woman can teach, but it isn't
every one who has man to love her.
Cynthia laughed. IT believe I'm half
| in love with him. But he isn't broad
minded. He's perfectly content to stay
| in that little town and stagnate."
There are worse things" said the
Think twice before you turn Everett
! down"
'T am perfectly contented as I am"
said Cynthia, land since 1 met you 1
am beginning to enjoy the tombs and
| the Tuileries.'
cts the same with me; but you are
young. and shouldn't feel that way
In the midst of their satisfaction, the
elder woman fell ILL., and, in queru1ous
| fashion demanded home cooking.
Cynthia, rising to the occasion, dis
missed the French maid. and after
some difficulty, found an English girl
who agreed to follow American recipes
| BY means of much dependence on can
| ned goods and dried products, a menu
| of baked beans and clam chowder or
Goldfish cakes and corn bread was made
| possible.
| The days were cool, and, with the
magazines from home. and some sim
pie sewing. the two aliens spent their
| days happily.
81 don't seem to care for art galleries
and things" said Cynthia; sit is SO
nice here under the lamplight"
In her letters to Everett. however,
| she still kept up her semblance of
sightseeing enthusiasm. I'm not go
| ing to let him crow over me-" she de-
/ cided.
But he did not crow over her, for
| suddenly his weekly letters ceased and
Cynthia began to realize, after q month