The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-24
THE EVENING STORY

(By Louise Olney.)

~
bility. but lone Ward die not impress
one as a responsibility If she gave :
little she demanded less. There were {
no narrowing periods of encouragement,
no disconcerting scenes Of reconcilia-
ton. It was ideally calm and correct
and confident.
1t was by the very lightest train of !
circumstances that it had begun at all.
Prescott had dashed out from the Of
fee one day to buy a wedding present
for the last of the old college fellows
to go into the united state-that is, the
last one save himself. While he was
giving the address for the electric
chatting dish, it occurred him to
wonder how it would seem to swing
into the procession, too. He was young,
good looking, successful. There was
no reason why he did not marry, ex-
cept the lack of a girl. This struck
him forcibly- He was still thinking
about it when he returned to the office |
and took up his customary meditative |
position at his desk, eyes fixed on his |
stenographer's left cara shell-hke |
member with a tendril C brown hair
around tin direct range of his Wis |
ion
He really knew nothing else about
her except that she was prompt and
efficient. But no stenographer for him.
thanks. He had always advocated that
/ love should be guided If one must
love, why not love advisedly with So
| cial position, money, looks thrown in
Then the phone brought him out of
his reverie. Ward, the president of has
company, speaking for his wife. begged
his presence at a dinner that evening.
Candidly, a guest had failed Would
he fill in2 Yes, he would He remem-
bered thrillingly that WarG had an at
tractive daughter.
She was amazingly SO mat evening.
They were thrown together at dinner
when she talked very we'll and after
wards she sang and played; all with a
subtle Difference to him that fitted
: neatly into his vague matrim onial in
tentions. 1t seemed the beginning of
the end. There was no family OppOsi-
| ton. Miss Ward, herself, typified all
: he had considered admirable in a wife.
He began to pay her serious attentions
But Prescott with the instructive self
? preservation of the bachelor refrained
! from making a point bl&rk proposal
5 He intended to advance into matri-
mony gradually so as IL incur no
shock. 1t was, then, rather cruel
p dispensation when he ran up uneX-
( pectedly late one afternoon with the
. half-formed intention OF dining with
the family and spending the evening
! While the maid searched the upper
rooms for Miss Ward he sauntered into
n the drawing-room and, With retreat
o cut off, overheard a conversation in the
g You must land him said Mrs
+ Ward peevishly. with your father!
n bad investments, you on our hands
ii Marie to bring out, Clifton 3 Yale anC
q the twins in Europe it's impossible tt
/. make ends meet"
!. 1T is not easy to land an unimpas
|. stoned lover, Mamma. He's as emotion
: al as a crayf1sh. But / do like him and
: his income certainly appeals to me III
view Of the fact that I'm en- encumb-
l. 4 IL -s..TG-
voice can culver when she is thrust ou
from home
{ Now, don't be silly" protested hel
= mother. Hes a good catcI and yol
= are getting on-twenty-six next month
, 1t is really a burden to have him her
. so constantly; I must keep } the tabl
- and have an extra mail
- The maid returning and opening
u door som ewhere, caused a draught tina
:. shut off the library with a slam, and il
4" the interval Prescott fed to the hall
When Miss Ward came he was still ex
10 cited enough to be breathless and H.
&c explained hurriedly that he would no
> be able to come up this evening afte
! all and departed amid entreaties to re
main.
,e He breathed like a runner in from
- race. Il was like having narrowly es
e capped something that had almos
III seized him. Som ething was wrong
=. Either fellows who married neve
- overh card intimate family conference:
or else some families cloakei the ugl
= facts with polite illusion. Prescott wa
stunned to find that he had illusion
e. after all. The sordidnesc of the Ward
% shocked him. He found himself rush
- ing back to the office 1t was sti
= early; perhaps he could bury himsel
- in work
q. He was afraid he had committed him
g self, that he could not hCnorably with
re draw from his suit OF course it wa
. possible to go elsewhere. That woul
be better than wounded conceit. Il
u" might have to break away by degree
to avoid explanations. He felt haunted
ne Inundated as he dashed into his ofic
= land stopped suddenly on the threshold
pa the door swinging behind him
He remained quite stu and locke
- at his stem ographer. The desk ngl
p. was on and it turned Ter lark ha
I ll into a golden aura and shed the sui
Ve tie shadows of a cameo over her del
l cate profle. The click of her machiT
ms had drowned the noise of his arriv
and she sat quite unconscious of h
ne presence, a trife dropped with wear
81 ness. simply girlish and appealing
~. sweet. Prescott had never really see
IL" her before. He had ALWAYS stopped
-tr her left ear.
sts He walked over to 1er desk al
IN stood looking down at her.
-. ooh, why don't you go2" he aske
in ara Iell strangely S1iAAS GU tii9. sAe W
~ startled and. then treasured to find
go was he who spoke.
st can't" she said, until 1 get the
FOR letters out"
- Couldn't you leave them till tomo
-ii0 row." he asked, drawing up a chair.
- 'There win be others tomorrow
Her eyes met his for a moment plea
be anIly ana ne Gu 10y ~ ~
Ia expense They gave him a though
~ He leaned forward intently.
-fca 'TWhy do you work ?" he demandt
Her gaze fiuctuated for a nome
and then came back to him steadied.