The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-24
TEE EVENING STORY
The Lady of the House.
(Rv Ward Trail.l

| She met him first at the oyster sup
per in the Memorial church basement
where she was helping to serve. Com
ing from the little kitchen with a
large tray heavily loaded with CRY, "
she had looked very pretty with her
| face framed with little curling tendrils
and flushed from exertion, and he had
gone to her instantly.
He relieved her of the heavy tray
| and masterfully took her over to eat
supper with him, and she did not serve
any more that evening. They were
never introduced because every one
thought from the look of recognition
that passed between them that they
had met before. He laughingly called
her attention to it, explained it to her
| obvious satisfa ction and demanded her
name in exchange for his.
All her life Electra Arnold had
! lived in Rockville, and all during the
grown-up portion of her life she had
been waiting for the right man to
come and take her away She hoped
he would take her to New York. She
had spurned the tentative attentions
of the village SWANS that she might
be fancy free when he came. In her
dreams his name had always been
Charles Algernon, nothing less, but
when he owned up to Arthur Taswell
Palmer, she thought that even better.
He saw her every day and escorted
her to all the village social functions,
and she was much envied and more
quizzed by the neglected bellies. 9th
ers there were who loved Electra, and
they warned her of the dangers Of
taking up with a man whose people no
one knew. He might even be married.
The warnings fell on deaf ears.
He had told her of his work; he was
a writer, and one day he told her that
he had succeeded in landing in an
editorial chair at q salary that permit
ted him to marry and live in New
York. She never knew exactly what
it was he had said or what she had
oI1 h1If q kissed
and again and slipped a ring on her
finger as he left her that night. 1t
was much more wonderful than any
thing she had dreamed and frightened
her a little.
The next morning she went in to
the city and browsed in the delights
of chiffons and such. trying to decide
just what she would buy for the won
derful wedding. Her means were
small, and when late afternoon came
she had handbag comfortably filed
with samples and three style books
under her arm. She was very tired,
having entirely forgotten to eat lunch
con, and had to run to catch the
o'clock car out. She tumbled pell NELL
into her seat just as the car pulled
out, dropping samples from the hand
bag that had come open during the
chase.
Presently her attention was drawn
to the two men in the seat ahead by
hearing the name "Artie Palmer
u u
and deliberately listened. Whatever
concerned Arthur Palmer concerned
her.
Eyes I'm glad he's tied up at last:
The lady is quite all right, too, and
Artie needs the money
"But it does seem a funny thing
to think of Artie and the lady of the
house hitting it off together, he's
been free-lance SO long"
wonder how he came out on that
trip to Rockville? Bet he hung
around some skirt there all the time
digging out ideas of village wom-
an for that blessed paper. Well. SO
long, old man. See you tomorrow"
and the speaker swung off at the no.
tel.
Electra sat huddled back in her
seat. They were never talking about
her when they mentioned the lady of
bring him. Was it possible that he
had merely been getting ideas for his
paper from her? He had told her he
was a writer and was looking for
thinking and many things seemed
possible. When she left the car her
mouth was settled in a hard, straight
line
She slipped softly into the house
and up to her room. The fashion
magazines she hid under the bureau
and the samples were consumed ruth
lessly in the open crate. Two red
spots burned in her cheeks and she
had forgotten that she was hungry.
Presently she heard the sound Of
wheels on the hard road outside the
gate.
''I'll just drive on down to the cars
and wait for her there" the grave,
tender voice floated up to her, and
she threw herself on her bed in
agony, stuffing the corner of the
spread into her mouth lest she call
him back.
Next mornings mail brought her a
letter.
my darling" it ran, 81 was so dis
appointed at not finding you last