The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-17
TIE EVENING STORY
Time to Think.
By Jeanne o. Loizeaux.

| at first, but as the hours passed her
gaze became quieter, more thoughtful.
She leaned her cloud of gold-browr
hair back against the seat and idly
fell upon them.
Down the aisle a few seats and
facing her sat a youth with his hat
| tipped back on his head. He was
playing cards with a Kansas farmer,
travelling man from Chicago. and an
old German woman. A little old lady.
perfect in feature and every detail of
dress. still beautiful, was amusedly
watching them all. The youth caught
the travelling mans glance as for the
thousandth time it rested on the girl
Easy to look it, isn't she?" quoth
the youth. But she wouldn't stand
for any freshness-from you, say!' he
observed.
The man laughed with uneasy inn
pudence. eff Kansas and I lick yoI
and the lady in this round, I'll show
you'll I'll go over and make good with
that girl-my trick!" And then the
little old lady slowly rose and made
her way to the girl, whose eyes were
feverishly bright. She smiled, as any
thing alive to finenesS must smile, when
the old lady took the seat beside her
not like protector. but as one seek
ing company.
You are alone. nv dear?"
"Quite-Quite alone!"
Then they talked, inpersonally. but
with friendliness, as strange women
of the same world approach each other,
the older woman wistful at the fresh
ness of youth, the girl wishing for the
tranquility of age. This landscape was
quite dark when she spoke again.
"I was-goins to California" she
said. And then, brusQuely, Did you
ever do anything you were7sorry for:
/ mean, any really big thing? Did yor
ovo- decision h0cauSe-yOU
were blind with ignorance, and be sorry
and-Scared after you had time &c
think?'' She hurled the questions at
the old lady, who accepted them calm
ly. She had watched for this chance.
feeling something was wrong.
yes, my dear child. You are .
stranger, so don't mind telling you.
Once. because I felt uneasy, I got off
at a station after had been started
by my father to a girls school. J.
reached his office just in time to save
him from suicide from melancholia
over my mothers death, and thinking
my education was taking me also from
him. I never left him again-not even
when I married"
Forgive me-but did you marry the
right MANI" The little old lady laugh
ed inside. and turned the worn we'd
ding ring on her finger. She had
known the troubled look was because
of a man! 1t nearly always is! She
reached for the girls hand, which
tightened about hers, and continued:
"I went UP the altar steps twice
once to realize at the last moment
that it was to meet the wrong man.
1t was the terrible moment of my
life, but held on to my courage. l
Whispered to him that L could not go
with it. and then I mercifully tainted
A wear after, I married the right man.
He lived only two years-but I had
a before
after, was only for that-and have
my son."
aThen you would always-follow
your-?"
always follow your heart. If you
let yourself be quiet, there will in any
great event be still voice that will
show you the right path to choose.
The old lady waited.
The girl grew very pale.
But if you-had promised your faith
er-when he was dying-to-marry
somebody. and. you liked him, and re-
snected him! And when it was almost
time for you to marry him and you
were all ready, and the whole world
knew about it., supposing some one
else came. and you knew in one mo-
ment that he was the right one? And
Won felt instantly that he knew it, too?
And then when you were taking the
train west to the first mans mothers,
where all your wedding things were sent
on, what if the real one forgot him
self at the station and-showed you
his hearth" She was breathless and
white, but her voice was very low.
The old lady was silent.
what would you do?" insisted the
Young voice. cant you help me?
can't YOU tell me what to do?'
"You are very nervous. Better be
o,,iet and tell me about 1t. You know
If is not right to marry where you
do not love. Nothing can make II
right to do wrong.
.aTbe dead cannot live for the dear
ones they leave behind Your father
would not hold you to it, nor require |
such q sacrifice"
ssBut the mamie cares for me, he
has built me a home.
ssTell him the truth. If you are sure |
about this, ask him to release you. If
doesn't love you, that also would end |
it. There is only one right way. 1t
would be wrong to keep this from |
him. Am I right?" The girl nodded. |
The baff1ed travelling man passed them /
on his way to the dining car.
The old lady rose decisively. I'm |
famished." she said. and you have |
me, and be sensible, and we'll decide
what to do. We have an hours wait |
Il am bound for California, too Should |
be there now, but have been on a |
hurried business trip to Denver for my |
SON. Come. my dear"
The girl followed and ate what her |
new friend ordered. Finally they re-
turned to their car
You will think it strange that I |
am alone. 1 have lived with a cousin.
She was to take me. but 1 started a
week early. I could not trust myself /