The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-22
THE EVENING STORY
Hearts Crocheted.

ed up her fancywork bag lying on the
bureau. Mrs. Clinton, the heavy land
lady, met her coming out of her door
and stepped aside wiping her face
beaded with perspiration from the hot
summer morning.
'Wny, Miss Allen. I thought you
were gone!''
80 1 was, but I came back. For
got my crochet
Crochet" Mrs. Clinton cried, over
come with curiosity. What on earth
do you do crochet for? You must
have an easy job"
mo, 1 crochet on the car to and
from the Office" laughed the girl
my land! Don't you know you'll
get written up in the papers? Who
ever heard of such a fool thing to do.
should think you'd want to be rest
ing yourself instead of spelling your
pretty eyes on such nonsense
ut isn't nonsense" called back the
girl from the porch. Il love it. That's
why came out here in Camden to live.
Two hours a day on the car gives me
lot of time to stick to my knitting
But don't you feel silly?'' Mrs,
Clinton puffed down the steps and fol-
lowed her strange roomer out to the
walk. They'll be guying you on the
car
mo: as this is the end of the line
get the front seat and hardly any
Mrs. Clinton" And she left the scan
dalized landlady gazing after her un-
conventional self as though she were
neither fish. flesh nor good red her
ring.
She really did not care what the
landlady or anybody in the big, hard
city thought She had come here be-
cause she had no home since her
mother died and she must earn her
living where best she could. She loved
r. inc hnf
and with characteristic good sense
she resolved to keep close to the things
she loved every moment outside of
business hours. 1t was the only way
she could be happy, for the daily grind
of mOney-gettlng in a cruel world was
cross to her -home-yearning heart
As she took her place in the front
of the car this muggy July morning
a young man followed and slid into
the Seat behind her. He was tall and
good looking with a gentle gleam in
his blue eyes that argued mind broad
and fine as his physical makeup. He
watched intently as she settled herself
with graceful adjustments of her di-
minutive white canvassed feet and
withdrew her thread and hook from
her bag. Swiftly her fingers flew,
creating a cobweb something that fas-
cinated him. His eyes never left her
during the hours ride.
She was so easy to look at from the
tip of her shell-Iike ears and the little
curls at the nape of her neck, brown
against her white skin, that he could /
only divert his gaze a few inches to a |
m momentary glimpse of her face as she |
turned to the window infrequently to
see where the car stood. She was not |
stunning, just dear and loveable. Her |
sweet Inconsistencies of him and Of 1
all about her gave him a protecting /
feeling and he found himself resenting |
an uncouth workman who pushed for i
ward and sat beside her. Morton for 4
all his irnmaculateness would have /
hesitated to do that himself
A pang of joy shot through him as /
he neared his corner to see her hastily 1
fold thread and hook into her bag and /
push the button. She got off at his /
corner theni Cavalierly, he rose and |
waited in is seat for her to pass. She
must have been conscious of his pres
ence for the last hour, for she looked
up and smiled. 1t was a faint smile.
Mundane people would have said it /
existed only in his Imagination. But
her great brown eyes had swept up
straight to his and rested there long
moment while a sweet surprise awoke
and glowed away back in their limpid
depths Joy flooded his whole being, /
and as he replaced his hat he followed ,
her out of the car and watched her
turn into the building opposite his real
estate Office with a conviction that he l.
had come into his own
After that he watched for her at
lunch hour, 1Oitered on the corner for
her at night, but try as he might he !
could only see her IN the mornings. l.
He was up betimes to bestow more
scrupuIous care on his always immacu-
late person. He found a fntca1 dfssat-
Isfaction in all his scarfs and invested
In many new ones which necessitated
hosiery He was re- 4
spIendent, for he was in love.
Every morning they sat tf1us-she
first. he second in the car. And al
ways he waited for her to rise and L
pass out before him and bestow the
SMILE His only chance of expression
was in his answering smile and the (
grace of his gesture as he raised his ,
hat. His whole being went into that
salute. It was eloquent, regal, as a
king to his queen.
It was beautiful but 1t was wearing.
TRY as he might he could not pro- 1,
zress IN his love making He thought Z
she seemed glad to know him but she
was shy and always alone He learned
where she lived and worked and what ]
her name was. Her exquisite person
atty filed in all the details She was
he Ioveliest thing he had ever SEEN
Then one glorious autumn day it
happened. She had been sitting alone, n
more intent1v occupied with her cro-
shetiuex than usual when suddenly she I
rave a little start. snatehed at her ball
IF crochet cotton. seized the loosened
hread instead and gave little gasp ]
as the flIusfve ball shot under the car
,eat and rolled impetuous1y between I
1ss feet and on For moment IT took ]
lis breath away. How many times he
1ad actually prayed for that very thing y
o happenI II
she turned and looked at him ap- Il
oeaIing1ys and he sat motfouless for a L