The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-06
THE EVENING o
The Wedding Gown.
(By Jeanne O. Loizeaux.

"AN4A q nv 44lC II 0LOOR
ed in the sultry mid afternoon, and
Emmie dropped as she made her way
to Miss Stills to try on her new blue
dress. She no longer cared about her
dress, and she was afraid the village
dressmaker would ask her why she
a quit goin' with Elmer Hayes"
Miss Still. though kindly, was curious.
As Emmie languidly vent through
the village with it's dozen struggling
dwellings set at random about a nu-
cleus of station, saloon, general store
and square," she wished she herself
knew why Elmer had ceased coming
to see her. There had been no quar-
rel. Three times she had seen him
with Rose Greene.
Sarah Still talked volubly through
the fitting, and Emmie stood while
the gauzy, pale-blue thing
she had chosen because Elmer liked
to suit the slim lines of her pretty
figure. Her small head, heavy with
fair hair, was held high and her blue
eyes were Indifferent. h was pale
mentioned, which relieved her, but
that showed her that the village folk
thought her sensitive on the subject.
She looked about her, determined to
seem cheerful.
Dresses of various colors, half fin
ished, were pinned up to the walls and
curtains; patterns and scraps every
where. pins all over the carpet. Near
her hung a dainty, lacy white thing.
She put out a hand to touch it's shin
ing daintiness.
How pretty!" she said with a wo-
mans instructive reverence for such
garments. 1T looks like a wedding
gown!"
Miss Still, busy with a refractory
fold, answered through a mouthful of
pins.
ut is. Don't touch it. Rose would
nave a fit if she thought any one
a--As~.,- 10 I---- T 49, T
promised not to! h wanted to sur
prise the village with her weddin'.
You won't breathe it to a soul?"
Il will never mention it," promised
her heart sinking. So Rose would be
Elmer's-wife! She steadied her
thought on a trifle. isn't it rather
short?" she asked steadily about her
own dress. And I'd like the neck
a little closer" h began chattering
about clothes and kept it up until she
was again dressed and safely out of
that. house. Ia
The sun was still screening. but
Emmie could not go home. Alice
Robbins, Roses best friend, called to
her from the porch to come in and
visit, but she could not bear to be
watched by any one. They might
mention Elmer, and all the world
knew She and Elmer. while not ac-
tually engaged, had been ~inseparable
for a year past. Indeed, she had but
a month before, for his sake, refused
to marry Harry Stevens, who came
out from the city for a vacation ana
hung persistently about her until she
Sent him away. About then the cool
ness between her and Elmer had be-
gun.
left the little village, street and turned
up the country road leading not to
her home, but away from it to the
lake. Perhaps the sight of water
-.-. - -A~ @R1I 1
fight it out with herself and get rid
of thi misery. Neither pride nor
anger seemed to help her hurt. She
simply cared, and knew she cared,
and he must know that she cared.
he was to marry Rose whom he
used not to like a h was a bit
forward and boy-like in manner!
Emmie walked on and into the bit
wood edging the small lakelet, a
blue patch of mirror for a blue sky, I
and sitting down on the grass threw
off her hat and tried to think things
out. She would have to do something
herself before h could face even
her mother. |
An hour passed and she hardly
a sudden ~darkening of the sky
it grew almost black. hen, she
to her feet, and started to-
ward the road, knowing that h
not reach her farm home, but
to get to the village before. the
Thunder began to roll before
She had gone a dozen steps, and her
old child's terror of a tempest arose.
lake was gray, driven into a
wrinkle of little waves. Then a flash
Of lightning blinded her.
Rain began to beat down as she
crept under the fence n gained the
road, and the flicked up at the
of the drops, and then lay wet
md flat. She picked up the skirt Of
white dress and began to run, for
- I1fA L~~ Lok t. Ahnl
woods. AS she ran the merciful tears
came, relieving the pressure of her
heavy heart, running down her
cheeks u~nhindered. h wild dis
vas, seemed to clear her mind as the
1eat and brightness had befogged it,
Breathless, she stopped running and
.ook a steadier gait. By now the rain
vas heavy. and h was already sc
that she could be no wetter, and
| half mile away h saw, gray and
the nearest house.
Splashing along, the tears and rail-
her face, she did not hear the sound ]
# hoofs behind her until a shout sent
Ter in alarm out of the a and al
most into the ditch. A man in yellow
driving an open cart, drew IN
lis horse, the animal impatient and
norting. !
Didn't see you'll! Nearly ran over
-ou." he said. ..why-Emmie." She
ecognized Elmer as he did her, and {
TODD helpless before him, but very
traight. and not even trying to hide
Ter tears. why are you out in this !
.wful storm? Come here this min !
take you in. child 1 can't
,et down, this beast is so unruly." :
She held back a I'M and then ]
anne obediently and let him take her
n. He spread a rubber blanket over
nd about her, and the horse dashed y
IF. :
did the storm frighten your" Hist
dice a the old tenderness, and for
moment his strong, tanned face turn a
d toward her. Have you been-cry-s S