The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-04-05
TIE EVENING STORY
Faded VioIets.
(By Philip Kean.)

James, briefly. IT prefer roses
The gray-haired man across the
room glanced up sharply as the clearly
| spoken words were carried to him.
The woman beside him laughed
| you aren't listening to me-" she said
you never miss one word that Phyllls
| James says"
do you wonder that [ do not?" he
asked. Isn't she the loveliest thing
| in the world?'
YES" Mrs. darmer agreed, "and /
| forgive you for not having any inter-
est in my story. When man goes
away and comes back after fifteen
years, to find the girl he left in her
awkward teens grown into exquisite
womanhood, it isn't any wonder that
he loses his head"
1.-THE only wonder is that she isn't
married." said Whitney.
"She has had more than her share
of admiration, but she doesn't seem
to care for anyone"
Strange" he said. GAS girl she
seemed to have very responsive ma
ture. You see, I knew her pretty well.
was a big boy home from college
when they moved next door to us, and
she was a youngster of sixteen. And
we used to be together lot during
the holidays. Then 1 went abroad
and we wrote to each other, and then
-somehow-we ceased to write"
He remembered with a sudden
shock that it was he who had ceased.
III
terest, to be explicit, in a widow of I'M
certain age and of very certain frivol-
ity And the pretty school girl had
faded from his vision until he had
come back to find her 'the beautiful
Miss James,"
At the other side of the room they
were still talking of flowers.
Il think like roses" Phyllis was
saying, "red ones-big and glowing"
''If YOU don't mind" Whitney MUIR
TO IRE q
over there and butt into that CONVEX
sation." He laughed as he put it
slangily.
be with you-she's worth winning
He crossed and sat down beside
Phyllis You used to love violets,"
he said softly
He had a vague memory of a bunch
he had given her, and her tremulous
word of thanks, her bushes, and. the
look in her eyes, as she had said You
knew 1 loved violets-how sweet of you
to remember"
There were no bushes now-only the
cool question, Did your"
He wanted to say, You know you
did" but instead he asked: when may
1 come and see your
Tomorrow week from tomorrow.
whenever you like she said. Il give
am such busy person"
"Oh, your book. Why should you
write books?'' he demanded.
why not?'
You are beautiful enough-you do
not need to charm otherwise-that you
write such exquisite verse is almost an
embarrassment of riches"
TT is my life she said, simply. Il
love it,
You should be loving other things
What, for instance?"
"a husband
She shrugged her shoulders. Have
you, then, learned sentiment in Italy?"
Il have always known sentiment. Do
you remember the day I gave you the
violets ?"
ment she. seemed to stiffen, then she
smiled at him serenely. Yes. But that
had nothing to do with sentiment"
II told you 1 loved YOU
THAT was a conventional protesta-
ton. 1t belonged to the summer days,
and the proximity of a pretty girl"
you think I did not mean it?
There was moments silence.
The candles on the tea table in front
of Phyllis made shadows which cut
them off from the view of the Others
When Phyllis spoke, her voice had
in it note which Whitney had
never heard from any woman.
Il know you did not mean it-and
you Know IL.
Then suddenly he said the right
thing. mo, did not mean it. But
I was a prig, an insufferable cad.
Phyllis. You were dear child. and
[ didn't know enough to realize the
wonder of you then. I deserve any
punishment But don't punish me.
Let me have a chance to prove that
I've grown away from the calf stage.
Let me prove that whatever my
faults I can at least give you some
thing worth while in the way of
friendship. Let me prove to you that
am at least man.
She was very pale, but her voice
was steady. 81 shall be very glad"
she said, eff you can prove yourself
a man
The words stung, but he bowed his
head ct deserve it,, he agreed again
AS she poured tea for him the next
day they had it out together.
Il love you,' he told her. CT know
I have no claim upon your considera-
ton, but 1 ask only this. that I may
come-and that you will not shut your
heart against me-
'"It is useless for you to come" she |
said quietly.
Then he blundered. "There was a
time" he said, when you loved me-
There was a time she said very
quietly, when 1 let you kiss me
because 1 thought our love was a
holy thing. I don't suppose any man
ever realizes how such a kiss burns
forever the lips of a woman. When |
I found out that love had meant for
you only passing mood I was heart |
broken. I might forgive you a thou |
sand times. but I could never forget. |
can never be the lover of my dreams /
as YOU were that day when you