The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-06
EVENING CHAT
By RUTH CAMERON.

''They say that truth is as strange as
fiction I heard girl remark the otiler
day, but. really and truly, nothing ike
things in story books ever happen in real
life. That is, people you and know II
may to people in newspapers but that
different"
That is a point of view which L have
often heard expressed, and with which |
am always ready to differ. l think that
just as strange and delightful and story
book things happen every day TO reaL
people, as written into fiction l.
can't say that truth is any stranger than
fiction. I am too much impressed by
o. Henry's declarat ton that he once read
in a story, " so be it, said the police
men, and that he is sure that truth can
offer nothing stranger than this
But do contend that truth Is Just as
strange and just as nice as fiction
Let me tell you two absolutely true
story-book happenings which came to my
friend of mine took care OF her
grandmother through the latters last III
ness. The grandmother was very
fascinating and delightful old person OF
some means, and was always doing en-
chantingly unique things that would not
have been at all out of place between tho
covers of any best seller. On one occa-
sion she called her granddaughter to her
and said, Mary, 1 don't consider that
you think enough about what you wear for
a girl in your position. Now, want you 10
take my hand, and solemnly promise me
that you will use the interest of this
money twice year to buy yourself new
L.
-''deaTheart' as she calls her-gave her
a thousand dollars.
Another time ''dearheart'' made her
granddaughter promise that she would
buy two lovely gowns with the interest
of her gift. and thereupon gave her five
thousand dollars.
string of pearls. There are 112 pearls in
TINS string-the number of days she
nursed her grandmother, bought by
"dearheart's'' orders.
Ar1nt Of a
girl, had to earn her way through college
and tried working as waitress at one OF
the big summer hotels. She and her
chum were the only college girls there
and were unkindly treated in every pos
Sible way by the other Mattresses. The
guests however, were very much inter
ested and extremely kind. and just as this
girls were about to give UP in despair on
account OF the cruelty of their mates and
the wretchedness of the food. my friend
received an invitation from some of tie
people she served % accompany them In
their next move She went and spent
three of the happiest weeks of her life
doing" New York as their guest Her
chum was even more fortunate, for a
family who had taken fancy to her,
actually took her abroad.
Now, you who think that real life Is al
ways prosaic, own up that If you read
these things in a story book, you'd say
such things never really happen
But they did Honest and true-cross
my throat-hope I may die
Nathaniel Hawthorne once wrote to his
vie 1T puzzles me to conceive how you
meet with so many more events than l..
You will have volume to tell me when
we meet"
Is it not true that there are some peo-
pie who are always hearing of and ex-
periencing interesting things, and that
there are others who never are so fortu-
nate?
Now Just because you do not happen to
be the kind of person who is constantly
meeting with romance, do not think that
story-book things do not happen in real
life-because they do.