The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-12
The EVENING STORY
The Little Marcy.
(By NJ. J. Phillips.)

presents:
He had supposed her almost as i'm
mune to such frailties as himself; but
there was no question that she had
succumbed.
Abrahams' great store had engulfed
Burden drawn him in and tossed him
about among the bewildering aisles
with thousands of others like a chip
in a whirlpool He had come IN
search of his particular brand OF
drawing pencil. Presently he FOUND
himself drifting past the handkerchief
counter, where the current of eager
woman shoppers fairly boiled.
There he had seen the familiar lit
gave a throb of recognition. He had
passed close to her-and almost
brushed her shoulder as he struggled
to free himself from the entanglement
of women. She had just completed
her purchase. 1t was heart-shaped
box of handkerchiefs, the cover deco
rated with sprigs of holly. The clerk
was handing her a card for the adj
dress-a Christmas card which would
inevitably be recognized as coming
from the store of the canny Abrahams,
since one corner had been cut off
| Burden worked his way to the exit
| and out into the crisp winter air, just
fading into dusk. 1.-The little Marcy!
| he repeated again. He could not
reconcile the Christmas frivoling with
| her daily air at dinner among the
babbling, CHEEKY actor-folk that made
up. with the exception of Miss Marcy
and himself. their boarding house cir
Gle.
She would sit there like a weary
/ princess engrOssed in her own
thoughts, the piquant little face
masked by Indifference. Occasionally
/ the childish chickering's or equally
/ childish display of vanity of the num-
mer-fOlk brought flicker of mis-
| chievous mirth to her eyes When
Burden surprised that look he Won
T., l1xy n lore 10
the girl after all.
Burden loitered in the streets for
time before going home to inner.
! They were crowded with eager holiday
! crowds. There was snow underfoot,
| and an occasional flake was floating
/ down. He had never seen so many
/ smiling faces in the city before he
found himself smiling too and feeling
vaguely excited. though he expected
neither to buy nor to receive any pres
| ents.
Every one was in high spirits at din
1er The actor-folk had been through
a matinee and were soon to hurry back
for the evening performance, but they
| babbled constantly of the Christmas
| tree winch was to be set up in the din
ing room latter the show Even MISS
! Marcy had light in her Indifferent
eyes, and delicate color in her cheeks
| Burden realized that a start that when
she looked ike that she was pretty.
He did not feel in the mood to go
| ont so he retired to his room with
a book But in half an hour the land
lady came knocking. She demanded
/ his help to set up the tree, decorate
it. and arrange the various presents
! .sXVe'l surprise them poor things, she
said. with more kindness than gram
| mar: they'll be all tired out when they
| come in, and it's quite task to dress
| q tree.
So they set up the tree, decorated it
with candles and gewgaws and started
to arrange the packages. The sight OF
It was a light, heartshaped box dec
Grated with sprigs of holly. The card
on it-a card with one corner Topped
| off-bore these words: ITO Miss Geral-
dine Marcy, with best wishes LOT d
! merry Christmas.
burden excused himself abruptly.
| DOMINIC hat and coat he went out INTO
the street. SO she had to buy her own
christmas present. No friends to send
her trinkets; no joyous looking forward
to the holiday season. In the glow OF
oi+1r for her loneliness he quite forgot
mat he was similarly situated, and that
there would be no present on the tree
10 ne came to a resolution swiftly. 1t
was to buv "the little Marcy every
thing which a young man can with
nronrietv buy for young woman
Who is almost q total stranger ana
who passed him on the stairs or en-
countered him at dinner with tne
briefest and most formal OF saluta-
tions.
chased a prodiga1 box of them Next
candy. plenty of candy, for did not
ali Girls like to nibble at chocolates
Then music: Miss Marcy occasionally
nlaved on the boarding house piano.
He invested in half a dozen popular
songs. of varying degrees of inanity
and tunefulness. And, last of all, he
! bought a book.
. love and dreams and longing in verse.
He remembered it from his childhood
, DAYS. He had wanted to possess a
, lcoov. but never dared to buy II, be-
cause it seemed incongruous for q
man to care for poetry like that. Yes
! terday it would have seemed incon-
sruous for Miss Marcy even. But II
, the light of that box of handkerchiets
: land all its purchase implied-yes. the
: little Marcy" would like that book, he
The tired actors and actresses came
I trooning home. They whooped witt
/ delight at sight of the blazing tret
II land the heap of presents Wraps were
4 tossed aside. Billy Cummins, the CO
i median, by reason OF age and au
: thority. assumed the role of Santa
! Claus. Never did he play part more
unctuously or sympathetically-
ri Burden watched the door furtively
| until Geraldine Marcy came in, heae
held high, the unwonted color still IL
g her cheeks. There was little toucf
| of defiance in her manner to receive
| afraid she would leave then, but sh'
| was plucky little thing She sa
q down. determined to stay until the emu
When he name was called again,
,. few minutes later, only Burden note'
the start of surprise. When the grea