The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-22
TIE EVENING STORY
The Stone Gods.

came family to the ears of Rosamond,
as she sat day after day by the foun-
tain, working fairy webs of lace on
| a cushion as she had been taught ia
| a convent far across the seas
| So many years had she dWelt in the
convent that she seemed less an Amer
| lean girl than a foreigner, and now
that she was buried here in this strange
| old garden, she seemed to 1--we a dream
lire far removed from that of the girls
| who, on the other side of the walls,
went back and forth on gay modern
| quests of shopping and motoring, golf
| ing and riding.
Once an airship had whizzed over
head, and the beat of it's motors had
come down to them family.
Rosamonds uncle had looked up into
| the SKIES AMI had said. dercely, Cen
we never get away from modern hor-
rors?"
But Rosamond had looked UP at the
! big airship, sailing over their heads
| like a huge silver dragOnhy, and then
| down at the impressive stone gods which
surrounded the fountain, and had sigh
ed.
Rosamond hated the stone gods. and
she yearned inexpressibly for the life
! that other girls led.
one day outside the walls she heard
a voice singing 1t was mans voice,
strong and sweet, and the song was a
love song.
In her quiet garden Rosamond had
heard little of love- Her uncle had
|
The song as it foated out on the
spring air. seemed a call to Rosa
mond to come out and be free.
So she left her lace pillow, and ran
to the end of the garden, and climbed
from the stone bench to the low
branches of an old apple tree, and
| thence to the broad top of the wall,
and peeped over.
Beneath her was the man who sang.
His hat WAS off, and he was down on
his knees behind big red motor car.
Rosamond watched hum eagerly. Sit
ting on the top of the wall she sighed
for the things which were forbidden
her. Though the sigh was low. the man
beneath looked UP. 1t was as if her
desire had drawn his eyes toward her.
His bright smile shone out us he
saw her. Beg pardon, he said as
he rose to his feet; I'm in an awful
fix. Do you think there's any one in
there who can help me out? I'm
doctor, and I've got to get to a pa
tient as soon as possible
oh said Rosamond, quickly, III
see She ran at once to her uncle's
study. There she told her breathless
story.
..There-s a doctor outside, and his
motor car has broken down and-and
he wants help to fix it"
How, her uncle demanded, did you
know"
But Rosamond went on, unheeding
1T would DE cruel to keep him wait |
ing-when he is needed at a sick bed,
wouldn't it
He might have one of the horses" !
The young doctor, mounted on one |
of the big blacks, was a gallant figure. !
Rosamond never forgot how he look |
ed as he rode that morning out of the |
big gateway and into the sunshine
When he came back, Rosamond was |
in the garden, bending over her lace |
work
He took it out of her hands and
looked at her keenly. You ought to
be riding the big black horse he said
abruptly. You will be a perfect shad-
ow maiden if you shut yourself up in
this dark old garden
The color came into Rosamond's pale
face until she was as vivid as flame
"Oh, I hate it here she said, with
her little hands clenched: Il hate it,
Then why do you stay?' he asked.
gently
Uncle had his heart broken when
he was a young man." she said, SIM
ply. "He loved woman who mar
ried another man. My father broke ny
mothers heart-so my uncle does not
believe in marriage. He kept me in
until L was IS, and two years
ago we came here. He has always
lived In India. and he loves the stone
gods which he brought from there, and
he has put them around the fountain,
and I have to look "a them every
day
He took her little trembling hands
in his strong grasp
Look at me-" he commanded. and
glance. Listen am going to set the {
fairy princess free from the enchanted
garden. But she must let me do it in
my own way-and trust me-will !
she p
.'Oh, yes" she breathed. 7
Every day after that he came. Rosa
rnond did not know what power he
used to charm er uncle, but the older
man grew eager for talks and argu-
ments with tho young doctor. They :
,unched togef her and dined together
and every day Rosamond sat at the 2
table content TO listen, and meet me 7
glance of the steady eyes which r
seemed to say, always, Trust me" {
And she did trust him. even when '
one day he went by her with averted t
head as he passed through the garden
On his way to his motor (
At lunch she had the key to the stu Il
alton. ct have thought som etimes, q
her uncle said, restlessly, that the
doctor looks at you as if he loved !
you=it would be calamity If he =
should learn to care for you, Rosa .
nond" 4
Rosamond's own heart beat furious
Y, but she said care1essly. He scarce Q
Y notices me at all. uncle" a
The next day the doctor came early
o the garden. Il must speak to you
before your uncle comes" he said to +
Rosaraond, who had arisen at his ap-
preach. 7 love YOU want you for
ny Wife-but-I don't want you to
marry me in order to escape from a
bondage. You must know love, child,
before you leave your garden" =
Rosamond'S eyes dropped before a
he alteration in his ''There-there is =,
me man with whom I could live al z
Ways in my garden she whispered
He bent to hear her TELL me his t,
lame." he commanded. then caught s