The Topeka state journal., 1911-09-01
THE EVENING STORY

(By Jean Dickerson.)


(By Jean Dickerson.)
1t was a popular play and Alice
LudingtOn had hastened her shop
ping and luncheon in order to secure
a seat before the curtain arose on
the matinee performance.
I'VE have seats for two" said the
man in the box office as he ran over
the tiny pigeonholes and then placed
his pencil ponit on the chart. Seven
and eight M"
ing rather forIorn and Wishing she
had asked Mr.. Fenwick to accom-
pany her.
She went down the aisle of the
theater with a little thrill of antici-
patton. The seat was on the right
hand side near the aisle, and as she
settled herself in 1t with a flutter
of soft brown draperies she noticed
that the seat beside her. number
seven, was unoccupied.
That is the other seat" she
thought, as she removed her hat and
laid it on the vacant chair. Il do
hope nobody takes it." On her left
was stout woman whose features
possessed a vagueness of outline that
denoted a tendency to weep at emo
tional nome ents in the play
Alice fluffed her soft hair into or
der and read the program. Just as
the lights were lowered some one en-
tered the row of seats at the other
end. Without looking up Alice re-
moved her hat to her lap and was con-
scious that a man was sitting be-
side her. With eyes fixed on the
opening scene of the play, she was
oblivious to everything else, for as
the first act proceeded toward it's
close she saw it's resemblance to her
own heart tragedy.
There were a young western girl
and the handsome ranchman who
loved her. There was stern mar
row minded parent who had forbid
den the marriage because of the ira
ditionaI WildneSs, though unprOven as
yet of the ranchman. The girl, obe-
dient to her New England upbring-
ing, gave up her lover and he went
away in anger, believing her love to
be mere milk and water sentiment.
There ended the resem blance between
the two stories. A1ice's life had re-
Sumed its dull, even monotony after
her fathers death. She had never
heard of Dale Loomis after his re-
turn to wyoming, and she lived alone
with her mother in gloomy uptown
residence on a side street All that
was five years ago, and the brief visit
she had paid to the western ranch
like some dim, beautiful dream until
this play re-enacted some of the
scenes before her wistfuI eyes.
The girl and her lover galloped
freely over the plains even as she
had galloped alongside Dale's big
chestnut, her wiry little pony re-
spending to every touch of her firm
hands. She felt the cool, sweet air
of fIeeting clouds against the dis
tant ranges. She saw moving masses
of horned cattle and heard the thun-
der Of their hoofs as they pounded
past. Some of these things she saw
in the play-the rest of it was magic
woven out her memory.
After the death of the father the
play moved along different lines from
that of Alice's experience. There
was much adventure woven with
pathos and a note of tragedy. When
the curtain rang down on her first
act, Alice found her eyes near to
tears and her heart aching with its
old sorrow, for she had been very
near to the brief, happy days of the
AS the lights flashed up she com
posed herself and looked around at
her companions. The stout woman
on her left was openly crying, even
as she ate chocolates from a box.
She smiled through her tears at
Alice.
Il know I'm a fool" she said apol-
ogeticaIIy. but I'm so sorry for that
young man=don't you think that girl
was a weak minded thing not to
throw up everything and marry him,
even If she had to live on a cattle
u don't believe she objected to the
cattle ranch" said Alice gently, but
am sure if she had to 1--we 1t over
again she would be true to her own
convictions and her-her love for the
man.
She turned her head and instantly
sat rigid with surprise and suppressed
emotion. Sitting beside her on the
right was Dale Loomis, his stern
profile turned away from her and
certain tenseness in his attitude be-
traying that he was conscious OF her
presence
1t seemed hours before the curtain
rose on the second act Not once
did she stir from her position, SO fear
full was she that any movement on
her part would compel his attention,
and she dreaded to meet his eye and
perhaps-perhaps find all the tender
ness gone out of them If he looked
at her indifferently, coldly. she be-
lieved she would die
While the secnd act went swiftly
to it's end new terror assailed her
What if he should leave after this
act2 He would thus drop out of her
chance had brought them together in
the maeIstrom of the big city, and
such a current does not serve twice
in lifetime.
and the stout woman at her left hand
turned a radiant face to Alice.
II guess it's coming out all right
in the end" she said. THAT girl
loved him right along, didn't she
just as you said p
! A warm color flooded Ahee's fair