The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-25
The EVENING STORY
An Expensive Lady.

The FolwelIs French car purred ex-
pensively at the door, and the French
chauffeur, Gustave, aristocraticaliy
bored, looked immovably ahead and
awaited his young mistress, rejecting
that he would have to break the speeu
limit if she made her train. Her trunks
had gone to the station the day be-
fore The dachshund on the back seat
of the tonneau yawned in the race
of the beautiful morning in early
September.
Finally Miss Katherine Folwen ap-
peared, perfect in black proa1ciosn.
She was palpably not intended for
life's grim realities. She would nave
been out of place in any setting less
than luxurious. She knew this. Just
a year ago she had told DaVlu Nop-
ertson SO, and as he had never been
sure he even wanted to be rich, he
dropped out of her life so eftectually
that it hurt. She had not tnougnt
he would take her at her word. 20
life bored her, which was why she
had promised to go abroad with the
Cheneys@she hadn't seen May since
their college days, though they lived
far out in some suburb and mad only
lately inherited enough money to JUS
tify trips-and leaving their two chill
dren.
politely-as his mistress took her seat
and gave her order.
'eTo the country-anywhere I've
given up my trip she said.
He touched his cap. and they were
IT couldn't have endured it, she
said half aloud="the old round of get
ting away from yourself in dirty for
eign places. I've got to live with my
self anywhere I go, and ike 1t mere
as we'll as any place. The country
is at least peaceful.
The car slipped up the avenue past
the clangor of downtown, through the
CIT h.
urbs toward the river road, The sun
was hot. but the fresh wind cooled
her cheek. Finally they were gliding
slowly past pretty little cottages, wide
apart fiower-surrounded, almost real
country.
Then. without warning. the car stop
ned with a lar, and Gustave. all
apology, was out trying the machinery
He ended by crawling beneath the
motor, and after much tinkering came
out hot and explanatory. She was deaf
to explanations. She didn't care
Pardon, but the sun is hot. It may
take an hour to mend. Will Ma'am-
selIe seek a cool spot?" He waved with
Gallo grace at a cottage they had
passed where children played in
garden.
with a smile and wandered up to the
place. This was the sort of thing
David Robertson had dreamed she
might share with him, bungalow
tinel row of flaming hollyhocks- she,
too. had been among dream possessions
then she saw the children, blonde,
ROSY little people, and brought her
self up with a start She would not
let herself include children in her
reverie of David. His income could
never have brought the dream of his
love into reality. Katherine spoke to
the little ones hanging over the gate
"Good mornin',' answered the six
year-old immovably. 'Lo," placidly
returned the four-year-old boy. Does
you love hollyhocks2"
Katherine said that she adored
them. Then she explained about the
broken-down motor and asked II she
could come in their garden a while.
Would their mother care? They
were suddenly solemn.
Mothers gone to the end of the
world she said quantity, land Mrs
Scott is dreffuI sick and Auntie Bess
is to her house and were to stay
right here SOS she can see US till nurse
comes home" 1t came in GREATNESS
sentence, as the child chung to her
little brother. Then she opened wide
'''e s.Ism sorry bout the car, an you
can come in an play with US if you'll
be good"
removed her hat and tried to WOO
the shy boy to give her kiss He
would not but broke a handful of
ho1Iyhocks without stems and put
them gravely in her lap. The girl.
fancy was hanging over a bed of
rnignonette like white butterfly
When Custave's hour and more had
passed, Katherine looked up from her
clumsy telling of the story of the
s.three bears" to hear more excuses.
He could not repair the machine. It
would have to be towed in. Would
Ma-arnselle take the train, or wait
several hours until he came with the
other car? He stod waiting, and a
sudden Whim possessed her.
At will come on the train. Don't
come back for me. I may stop to
make visit Tell Marie not to ex-
pect me- She would not be robbed
Of this new understandable seldom
had been with children. and the sweet