The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-29
TIE EVENING STORY
..When 1 Am King
(By Virginia Blair


ing flakes, thought of that summer
morning long ago, when Rex had sung
to her the old nursery song:
''Lavender's blue, diddle-diddle
s'Lavender'S green,
when 1 am king, dlddle-dldule,
you shall be queen!
She unused sadly on that promise
Somewhere far away Rex was llVlng
in luxury but he had forgotten the
playmate of his boyhood's days
when l am king, diddle-d1ddle'
'TYou shall be queen
She found herself hummlng tne
quaint tune as she prepared her fru-
gal supper. She was too tired to toast
the bread, so she ate it dry, WITH
cup of tea Then she went to pea anu
Law awake in the moonlight. wonder
ing how she should get through the
next day in the weary "orArooiii
Then. mercifully. sleep came to her.
' She walked to find the world so
white that she seemed in a dream
citv and wondered if she still slept.
From the regions below her land
you can't get downtown. The cars cars
aren't running You just wait ana
have breakfast with me-.
''oh, I can't; thank You; Hester 81 n, amt
swered over the stair railing hiu
GO if l have to walk. 4ba
Mrs Adams came putting up 10 IN
ton floor. 'FWeH, you just can't walk,
b br,g We had griddle cakes this
norninp and I'll bake plate OF
niping hot ones, and pour out cup
| Of coffee for you, and you stay IN
bed and rest for once ;, IN s: s4gr Hester.
.ratef,111v .sbut if 1 don't get down
this morning I may lose my pietoe'
and then what would ] doE
| ssYou know you're welcome TO KEY
| - lem honey said the good
Ioonoan ssuntil you get something else
But I couldn't let you hos. lose n m0 e2ey
| like that" cried Hester, ~, i going
good fortune comes TO me ! III sSi--e
| 70 remember you, and We'll share.
AZ she said it Rex's words again
| came back to her w men am niiie'
you s MAJ q az friend.', she said to Mrs
| Adams. who had entered her room u
and was sitting on the bed, ana ne
always used to say that wnen ne "l ind
| me And Yesterday l heard from an
old school friend and she says tha at
| Rev is right here in this city, ana IndI
an invention of his has brougnt nun
| Ea1f a million. and=and-he's for
ssDid YOU love him. dearie?" asked
the old landlady. softly. d when we
| wont to school. But his father ana
mine were ancient enemies ana tlit =
broke it off. Then Rex Went away 70
school and faJn61 ldllc0 anu OAtes
4 7 had to go to work, and came TO
the city-and found you, dear Mrs
wei, if that Rex Of fly, yours plad k MTv
ADAMS. sfhe'd be hunting you up.
You're You're too frail to work in all kinds
of weather He won't be finding you
at all if he don't look out out III Mrs
Adams" said Hester, cheerfully, and
then she began to dress % L really
must go" she said when Mrs. ADAMS
eA Through the white drifts; Hester
n1onghed her weary way. Her frail
bodv7 breasting the wind, seemed
beafan hack and bruised by the heavy
blasts. Her cheeks. pink at first With
tl1e sharpness of the cold, grew white
I'm afraid I can't go on" she salo
70 policeman at the corner helped
her over a drift. you'd better &C
: into drug store md get something
hot MISS he advised. on look as
| If Won were half frozen
Hester tried to laugh Il snail ge'
on All right" she said, and was toe
: nroud to tell him that she dared not
spend 10 cents
! she struggled on for a half dozer
h1oc1~s and saw ahead of her only e
weary waste of snow. Far downtown
} thew were probably clearing the side
walks. but out in this residential sec
1 ton no attack was oeiiAS iiiNN "a '--'
4 drifts.
Hester turned from the side stree
t into a wide avenue, lined on each SIDE
( by brownstone mansions Here sh'
2 found the walking better, ana snlV
? ering. breathless, she sped on mel
l way.
.If If only wasn't so far" she sait
e 70 herself. desperately. She stopped
= for a moment to fasten her coat more
e closely about her REQ ilill e,-llif
stood at the curbstone ana cnaul
, fel1r in a fur cape and gloves waited
> for the man who was descending TN
: steps of an imposing mansion.
. Hester gave one look from man t
: master, then fled, STUN ping, gas .'.ss
1T was Rex she said to her heart
wildly 20. he mustn't see me. H
| mustn't see me-"
!, But he had seen her Hester
:. Hester" he was calling
\ She would not turn back. She fel
O consumed with shame tnat ne ShOuA
{ SCI But ut he was beside her, eager, ex
postulating-
4 Hester, dear girl he said, will
II his hand on her arm ara sne stoppe'
II and turned to him, and when she say
II the frankly adoring look in his eye
II she broke down and cried
You poor litrie thing, you poo
-? little thing" he said At last nav
He made her lean on his arm
s.I'n going to take you home" sal
Rex. briefly, but first We've got t
gel something to warm you up
II can't invite you in there with a no
Is; of. his head toward the house, be
= cause it's a mans club. But there
a tea room at the corner
Hester ate little. It was enough for he
70 basIS in the comfort of Rex presence
% and the color came back to her cheek
lie and the light into her eyes. as he talke
to her. ,
d i've hunted everywhere for you" b