The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-15
THE EVENING STORY
Cupid,s Lucky Move.
by olive Roberts Barton.

dreamed Of marrying until he saw Mrs.
| harsh, and Mrs. Marsh had no desire
to assume matrimonial VOWS for the
| second time until she met the senator.
| They had met at a reception at the
| Italian legation one afternoon and as
| soon as the senator had made his best
| bow to the bright little woman in the
stunning gown and hat of kings blue
Cupid began to get in his work. The
blue velvet hat on the soft golden hair
made her look very girlish, and the sen
ator, looking from her to the slender
girl beside her, wondered if he had
heard Alright when presented to her
daughter.
! Mrs. Marsh and Isabel met the sem
ator often at teas, dinners. theaters and
balls. Washington began to look wiEs
| and nod it's head when the senator
took to dropping into Mrs. Marshs box
after the first act, or walking home
from church with the widow and her
daughter And Mrs. Marsh was always
wearing Violcts these days huge punches
with the usual orchid.
The man was in love with the widow.
But the trouble was this: He was poor
poor, as senators go. Having no Ole
10 support but himself, he was able to
afford the show tho world demands of
q senator. He mad an apartment that
was all that an apartment should be.
Anu Ills CiOAn6S, MS servants ana rs
car came up TO the public demand. Until
now he had resisted lnarIiageable
Daughters, debutantes and vido VS..
On the other hand Mrs. Marsh, after
ten years absence, had come back to
Washington, taken a small house with
a huge rent, and she and her daughter
wore gowns which were the envy of
every woman in the capital. 1t was
true the gardener did run the electric
car for them and the same maid was
always in evidence, but what of that!
Such gowns and such a Well-kept house
seemed to signify an ample supply of
money to the senator's simple mind.
Il won't marry any woman who
can't live on my income" he said
over and over again to himself. Even
if she has her own money I've got to
feel 1 can keep her. No, it's no use;
so guess it's home to Wexford coun-
ty for Elias when the sessions over.
Anyhow, it'll be good to get back to
the old house and Jeremy will be glad
to see me-good old dog-and Allen
and his wife and the horses. Oh, the
simple life for me; and yet things
somehow won't seem just as they did
before. Allen and Sarah do make me
comfortable, that's sure; and Jeremy
dog is a good old scout enough, morn
ings hunting and nights by the fire,
but if there was just somebody to
The som body wasn't so vague as
it sounds. There was a clearly defined |
vision always before his eyes But,
strangely enough, instead of wearing
blue velvet she was always clad in
blue ginghams-somet imes with a
dainty white apron and smiling at
him across the breakfast table Some |
how he liked her in the gingham. He |
grew absent minded and morose-
One night to get away from every |
thing-at a debutantes ball-he hid |
behind some palms in the conserva- |
tory. The dance music, soft and |
dreamy so far away, and the faint |
splash of a fountain were soothing. |
He had his dreams to himself. Mrs. |
Marsh and Isabel were both at the !
dance, but both were in demand. He |
had danced two with the former, and
there was a long interval until the |
next with her. He had none between.
But if he couldn't have his lady love,
or at least be with her, he was becom-
ing contented with this vision of her
the lady in blue bingham.
The music and fountain became
and slowly stopped. The
senator's head nodded and he slipped
just over the edge of day-dreamland
into real dreamland with the same
sweet golden lady leading him on He
did not know the difference until he
heard her voice behind him on the
other side of the palms.
Mercy, Isabel I should have died
IL I hadn't had this chance to rest
Just think, Annie and I finished all
that huge ironing and here am
dancing. Tell me, dearie, you don't
think momsy is an old goosie, do you,
for really liking a good time so well?"
Senator Lansing gripped the arm of
his bench and started to rise. No-he
couldn't. One step and they would
see him, and he would not dare let
them know he had heard. The stu
alton was frightful for him, but there
was no help for it. He must stay
He did not hear IsabeFs low answer
it might have been a mere kiss Then
Mrs. Marsh went on.
We'll anyway, dearie, it's about all
ended, isn't it? Are you quite sure
we will have enough money left to pay
O'Hara and Annie and get back de-
Gently to Claytonia after we sell the
carp" Again Isabefs low tones an
swered inaudibly but Mrs. Marsh's
distinct voice could not be ignored
Anyway, dearest, I'm glad we came
is all gone and we've got to- am
glad Charley knows about our pow .
erty. oh, Isabel you ought to be the ,
happiest girl in the world I am so ,
glad for you and to have you so happy
IS worth coming for
Then Isabel answered more plainly !
and with a happy laugh And I do {
not believe any one knows we make
nearly all our gowns and every hat
we wear. No one would blame u.s.
lear, for wanting to have a good !
lime even if it did take our last cent
% do it. I really think people like ,
u.s. They seem to-
But what was that. Mrs. Marsh G
sobbing. by the godsl The senator
yasped. Then IsabeTs voice: There, [
don't, oh please, please don't. i
Yes. I guessed it. I know all about it,
and he is an old dear, too. But why
ne doesn't say something can't IN
1erstand. There, there, dear, that is
peter. That's it. Put your head down
here. It is too bad we can't just live
here, on your account, momsy dear
But maybe we can come again some
ime, and maybe he will he here then. c
co."
1