The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-26
TIE EVENING STORY
Sisters.
(By Virginia Blair.)

(By Virginia Blair.)
Vicky was younger than Edith, but
she seemed older. She had such an
assured air. and a womar-of-the-world
manner which seemed to set her be-
yond all youthful folly. IT YVES only
when she was alone with Edith that
she showed the child in her.
zone of US has to seem grown up
she would explain to Edith, land you
are such a baby that 1 have to put on
an extra amount of dignity"
Edith smiled ct am not such q
baby" she said, ''but you have more
courage than I, Vicky; I do not believe
that you are afraid of anything"
Yes, I am vicky admitted. 81
am afraid of George Miller, Edith
The color famed into Edith's face,
why. why should you be, Vicky p
she demanded.
could see through me-" Vicky con-
fessed, land I feel so young, why
Edith Osborn. I feel as if 1 ought to be
in short dresses and wear my hair in
tails"
HE does not make me feel that
way" she said.
vicky's short nose was up in the air.
"Of course not. he's in love with you.
Edith"
81 hope not. said Edith gravely.
why not?'' vicky demanded.
Because don't love him." was the
response.
'And he loves you. Isn't that just
the way of it? All the Good things
come to you. and you dom want them.
while II
Edith looked at her in establishment.
why vicky Osborn" she said, IT
don't see why you should care"
81 don't" said Vicky brSvely, "but
George Miller is too good to be hurt"
She said the same thing to the young
man that evening when he came out
whfte-face from a talk with Edith.
IT want you to be happy, George"
she said.
''You are a nice little thing vicky,"
he told her, land we've always been
good chums. But I cannot come here
any more"
Vicky looked after him forlornly. ST
couldn't tell him the TRUTH was her
thought, that Edith cares TO- some
one else"
She found Edith in tears on the
porch. "I am not going to sympa-
thize," Vicky scolded; you ought to
love him If you DON'T
But there is Richard" Edith fall
HE cannot hold candle to
George Vfcky said.
st believe you are in love with him
yourself Vicky."
Vicky turned on her, her eyes blaz-
ing. do you think I'd love a man
But that night she cried herself to
sleep, and In the morning she rose
early and went for a walk through the
garden and down the road which led
to the river. Her big dog, Laddie, fol-
lowed her She talked to him on the
pier while watching fisherman draw
in the nets with the mornings catch.
Edith has always had everything"
she said ''She's the pretty one and
the popular one. wouldn't care, Lad
die, if she loved George; I'd give him
UP, but it is such a pity to have so
much devotion go to waste
In silence she watched a boat shoot
out from the upper rapids into placid
pond.
"It's George" vicky said. and rose,
ready Tor flight.
He saw her and waved to her.
Don't you want to go for a row." he
vicky consented and. WITH Laddie in
the stern, they turned Gown stream.
There was a little inn ON a wooded
point Of land, q half niie below the
pier. There they had breakfast, tele-
phoning to Edith that they would be
back at noon.
All that morning George poured the
tale of his troubles into Vlcky's sympa-
thetic ears. And Vieky listening, said
within her soul. 1t isn't Edith that ne
really loves, it's what he thinks Edith
is
Yet she dared bring rim no disil-
fusion, for she could not break faith
with her sister.
When she reached home she found
Edith in a fever of excitement. "Rich
ard wants me to marry him." she said.
HE has 1t all planned we are to live
in his college town and he Will finish
his studies and have me for his inspi-
ration
Nothing that Vicky could say or do
could influence Edith, and so it hap
pened that the young and irresponsible
pair were married within the month,
and thus vicky was left alone. Since
the death of their father and mother
the two girls had been chaperoned by
an old aunt whose feeb1eaess made her
poor company for young and eager
girls. Vicky packed her things and
went to the city. She took a small
studio in an old building down town,
and there she painted. in company
with a half dozen other artists.
There was one man, a Russian, who
scrutinized her pictures and gave her
valuable suggestions You have
genius he told her, but your heart
is not in it.
II haven't any heart" said vicky,
you had one once" he said
shrewdIy. s'but 1t has gone out of your
possession. Who is the man."
vicky shook her head at him
There is no man. she said, stoutly-
But that night when she went to bed
she had a vision of George Miller.
She had not heard from him for
long time but the next morning she