The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-04
TIE EVENING o
One Moonlight Night.

OlQ anu cOL1lOluR ana IaC- But Tor
the sons c~onfiding nature it would
not have been known to all the guests
within three days that the governor,
meaning his old man, was on the
look out for a second wife, and he
wanted a young one at that.
The Hon. John neither denied nor
confirmed the story. He simply look
ed like a man who would marry If he
round the right woman There were
mammas who secured introductions
to him when they heard of his wealth,
and there were a very few daughters
who looked at him from afar off and
wondered if they wanted another
grandpa.
1t was when the Widow Savage ar
rived that the flutter began. She was
fair and forty. She had the indie
pendent toss of the head that goes
with widowhood after the first year.
She had littel ways with her eyes and
mouth that made all the other wom-
en- Jealous the very first day OF
course, the stupid men simply looked
upon her a. a widow, but it was her
own sex that unmasked her. When
one of them said: That widow has
come here to catch a mani" all re-
peated it in chorus.
There were plenty of young people
at the resort. Some widows, as soon
as hearing that h Hon. John was
Wffe-hunting, would have gone man
hunting in return. The Widow Saw
age didn't. h eluded him. She
VIZ = O0A AO q SOug DIS O11
women did. She forced father and
son to keep their distance and select
ed only after three or four days. Her
victim was a young man. He had
already tangled himself up with a
blue-eyed girl a year younger. but
that fact did not sway the widow the
least bit. When she got ready to ap-
propriate him she did so.
The blue-eyed girl made a very
poor attempt to show the people she
didn't care, and then it was noticed
that the Hon. John was giving her all
his ~enti They sat together and
and the fat son saw things and took
his father to task by saying:
Now, Gov, don't make a fool of
yourself. That girl won't make a
nanny for me: Why don't you go
for the widow 2"
james, the widow is blase," was
the reply. 1.-The second time a wom-
an marries she marries for money. |
She marries to boss the resort. She
marries hoping her husband will soon
get off the earth and give her a
third show"
But she's a slayer, Gov. Fine
locker, and what a walk she has on
her! If you are elected to congress
next year what a team you'd make!"
But the Widow Savage, James, has
almost snubbed me. 1 will confess
that I had an EYE on her for a day
or two, but she is cold and distant
colo ana distant. Sn0 ma argue Lndt
/ would outlive her"
But, as if to prove that the Hon.
Johns diagnosis was all wrong, the
Widow Savage threw herself in his
way the very next day and was most
entertaining. The nose of Miss Blue
Eyes was out of DIN again. Her
second filtration was spoiled by the
widow. Her eyes flashed with anger,
and when the Hon. John asked her to
sit in one of the grottoes h coldly
declined.
Forget her, governor, and go for
the widow" was the advice of James,
who didn't do any flirting but kept
his eyes open.
"Blase, James-blase! Blase and
artfuli- She'd twist me around her
her now and then, but my mind is
made UP on Miss Smith. In fact, I
ave already talked love to her and
led her to expect a proposal"
Miss Smith was walking by herself in
the hotel grounds She was thinking of
widows as she wa1ked-one widow in par
at the head of smart, good-looking girls,
and she had been Inundated She bit her
lip and gritted her teeth and felt the
tears started as she sauntered. Her mother
had said it didn't matter in the least, but
1T did matter. 1t mattered just the diff
ference between victory and defeat, and
and
And then the Widow Savage suddenly
appeared and took her arm and walked
her up the path to the Outlook, and when
were seated on the rocks she softly
said:
II am not your enemy, but your friend.
You don't wish to marry that old ma&
do your"
Mercy, no." was the reply, as Miss
Smith forgot her desire for revenge.
But you-you got Frank away from
me-"
"And I'm going to give him back.
7 called him a hOCbV a moment ago, !
and he'll be on his knees to you tomorrow.
The Hon. John is to be my next husband.
but how-how do you work things So!
by being a widow. Now, listen to me-"
The evening came on with a full clear
moon. The moon so worked on the sent1-
mental nature OF the Hon. o as Wen
vited Miss Smith to wander with MIN: TO
his great joy she accepted his arm. They
down and gazed at the moon. Porpoise
Rock, Fish Rock and Whale Rock also
were near at hand.
After the silence had lasted TOUR or I1ve
minutes the Hon. John cleared his throat
The noise set the frogs in the POND a
piping. After another interval ne TOOK
a third interval, and then he began to .
tell her his life history. 1t was a sad
mothers and boils and collie and kicks
from COWS that cared not for his forlorn !
He had married and not been
and lost his wife and not been
over that, and for years and years
had lived a lonely life with only a fat son =
10 cheer him. He was rich, but lonely.
was rich, but he yearned. He wanted =,
a fireside with a cat and a wife. He ,
wanted to come home after a hard days
work in seeing the district leaders of the c
Zenith ward and have some one call him
o
AT intervals of about a foot, as marked g
off on a tape measure, Miss Smith sigh
I'd and cuddled, but that was all AS the il
Hon. John brought his story down to date o
and his voice broke and he had to use
handkerchief to wipe away the scald- d
ng tear, Miss Smiths own handkerchief y
got away from her and the night breeze ] b