The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-06
THE EVENING Story
.sThe Wild Irishman.'


whisper loudly to her cubbish nephew
Frank: You have got to take out
Peggy, Martin-that pink dowd, over
by the window-she must have one
dance-the next is a Quadrille' no
doubt you can drag her through it
somehow"
She had flushed wildly, setting her
small teeth hard--then improper pride
had come to her help. She had look
ed Frank Lane over hesitantly and
said at last: 20! 1 remember, you are
the Lane boy that is going to college.
You need practice, perhaps that is
why you are asking me. But 1 don't
mind the sacrifice-being very good
natured."
Frank had gasped, half turning away.
But she had risen while speaking, to
stand 1.-THE and slim, beside him, over
topping him half a head and feeling
herself insultingly tall. So he had had
to take her out-With the worst grace
possible. He did not speak to her
all the other couples were chattering
like mad. 1t did not need that studied
affront to put Peggy on her mettle,
and in turn upon her very lightest,
trickiest feet. She loved to dance,
therefore she danced divinely when the
mood fell on her. Tonight after play
ing. wallfower until nearly midnight,
she was quite mad to be tripping 1t
with the rest.
She did not dance-rather she f1oated.
This, according to one spectator, who
stood beside the musicians smiling
family. He bent toward them, muir
muring something. Instantly the beat
changed. To the new rhythm the call
er shrilled: wild Irishman! In!'' In
stantly the spectator had become an
actor. He was in with vengeance,
snatching a swing here, balancing to
somebody's partner there, crowding
away the lawful mate, darling wildly
into place in the grand chain, his eyes
dancing as merrily as his feet, leav-
ing smiles, even laughter in his wake,
and feeling himself followed by linger-
ing glances. They were indeed his con-
slant portion. Since he was one-and-
twenty, and came into his fortune, ev-
cry girl in Minton, either home-bred Or
outIander, had done her best to catch
him. Who would not-when besides
the money, he had fine old name,
handsome person, and was withal,
man of parts?
Back in the days of pigtails Peggy
had known his rather well. Fate had
sent him now, she felt, to avenge her
upon her slighters. She had been slight
ed-there was no getting around it.
Better not to have asked her than
let her come and sit unnoticed till al
most the end. She had realized bit
terly what was behind the asking-it
was pay for the time and trouble she
had spent on the supper and the dec
orations-a week at the least. If she
had spent it for herself perhaps she
might not look the dowd she unques-
tionably did. Her pink frock, though
fine enough, was at least four years
behind the fashion. Her hands were
so stained she had perforce to wear
thick gloves, and at the last minute
she found her only good pair of white
ones quite too soiled. She had been
forced to borrow-her borrowings fit
ted badly and were openly cheap. Fur
Their, she had not taken time to do
up her hair properly-it was stringy
when it should have been wavy-but
she had not minded until she found
out. the difference it all made.
If she was almost abjectly poor,
and worked for a living. hitherto no.
body in Minton had made her feel l.
keenly, not even thrifty Mrs. Lane,
who led society in virtue of her thrift.
She made three times the show OF
other folks who had four times her
money. Witness-her dinner cards cost
her nothing. Peggy did them out
pure gratitude, yet Mrs. Lane knew
she made her living by such work.
Mrs Lane told her conscience Peggy
got good advertising-which is motor
iously costly. Also that she herself I
was justified in such economies. was
she not putting her brothers boys
through collegeE
1t had cut her deeply when their
sister had eloped at seventeen with an
actor who had mistaken her for an
heiress. Divorce had smoothed out the
mistake after a sort-now, after
decent interval Helen had re-entered
society-in the stricest confidence be 1t
said-with the set purpose of marrying
again. This time she had set her heart
on Logan Wyeth-the tall fellow now
playing Wild Irishman.
He had danced with her three times.
She had elected to sit out the quadrille
and had done her best to keep him be-
side her. He had escaped with all suav-
ity; experience here is a friend indeed.
He had glimpsed Peggy, sitting alone,
search of her, when he saw her floating
and fiittering despite her lumpish part
ner.
'I resign. Frank you are a wild |
Irishmanr' he said, when he had Peg
gy by both hands, swinging her on tip !!
toe. It was a child's trick-one he had |
taught her
him contemptuously away. and swept |
Peggy into the next figure.
Peggy looked up at him saying plain |
lively: You are wicked-to spoil my /
only dance. That oef'-nodding towards /
her late partner-''has neither head i
nor feet. All he can do sto bum
ruin everything
Poor little honey-dropl It is turning /
all to vinegar! But I don't wonder"
Wyeth answered laughing softly
Frank, indeed, was showing a lack of |
head and feet-he had rushed like a /
bull at the very next pair of dancers,
snatched thu young woman violently /
from her partner, and pushed him to-
ward the middle of the floor. Then
han Ir CT