The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-22
TIE EVENING STORY
The Lie.
(By Joanna single.)

EXACTLY Year
perore Dorothy Meredith had looked
MN straight in the eye and declared
i that she did not love him. And when
ne had marched up to ask her to mar
~ MIN he could have sworn that she
| loved him as he did heri
On this particular slushy 22d day
| OF the second month, he walked dog
gedly to the schoolhouse where she
| taught. and marched in as the last
| bell rang and the yelling group of
youngsters formed in line. He hadn't
seen the girl for a year. Probably
she didn't want to see him, but that
made no difference. 1t was the dav
open to visitors. He would visit. If
ne chose to gaze at the slim, pretty
Ozark teacher, instead of at the chill
dren with their hatchets and flags
and artificial cherries, their pieces
| herself!
Keith entered boldly with a group
OF clucking mothers. and stalked to
the back of the crowded room, where
ne stood with his arms folded and his
brow drawn into a frown: Dorothy
and did not see him.
me exercises were well under way
and Patsy Dugan was speaking a
piece" when the teacher saw her tall
a sign that she cared. She only sat
very straight and quiet and grew a
shade paler. She called the room to
order and the programme began.
year ago he had been a rich mans
son. Since then his father had died.
arter losing almost everything in a
bad speculation. Keith was beginning
at the bottom, but his position, his
ability. his name would t1and" him.
He rejected that now he had little to
offer her Perhaps she was even glad
that she had refused himi
Still he stood looking at her while
the children sang America and the
Sta1r-Spangled Banner" and did flag
| drill. He saw Dorothy's face soften
with tenderness as she watched them,
and his own eyes grew dim. He had
always loved that tender quality in
I her.
+ Then a toddling child, a little vis-
itor, got away from the sister who
brought him, and. mounting the plat
form, reached up his hands to the
+ sweet-faced teacher. 1t was the girls
inevitable attractiveness. The fat old
/ director smiled and mothers whispered
and laughed. Dorothy took the pretty
baby. up and announced the next
number.
It seemed long to Keith, who was
wondering what would happen when
1t was done Would he dare go up
and speak to her? Since she had so
coolly told him she did not love him
a year ago-his pride had softened.
Now, more than anything else in the
world, he wanted her to give him
her hand in the old comradely way
and be his friend as she had been
since they were school children to-
getherl If she wished he would try
to ask for nothing more. He would
do just as she desired in all things.
1t was while he was again vowing
himself her lover for all time If secret,
but outwardly her friend If she wished
! it, that his interest was again awaken
ed. The programme was evidently
finished, but Dorothy. still holding the
pretty fair-haired child on her knee
spoke to them.
1--WE still have a few minutes left.
a hno o1,fT
dreni I know you will all love the
flag and George Washington, and our
country better for this. But what was
it that made George Washington such
great, good MANI"
The answer was a prompt chorus:
He couldn't tell a 1ie.''
She nodded, and the mothers smiled. !
Dorothy's face was very earnest and
serious. She put the baby down on |
the floor again. and rose, coming to
the edge of the platform. Her dark !
noted that the proudly poised figure |
was too slim, that she was very pale. !
She was overworking. His hand |
closed hard on itself. He SO wanted |
her even now in comfort. She began |
to talk.
Children, want you all to remem-
Der never to tell a lie. No matter
tell it. don't do it. It will never real !
ly help you. No matter how afraid |
you are, tell just exactly the truth |
about everything, just because it is
right! Tnat is why we love George
Washington. We love our mothers
because they tell us true things. When
they tell US anything we know it is
so.
Telling what is not true will make
you unhappy 1t will make you dis
honest. 1t will make dirty black |
place on your clean little white hearts.
Will you remember %
They all chorused that they would
always, always rem ember! They
loved the little teacher. Then she be-
I'VE have five minutes left Any
child that wishes to may ask me
question" She paused In a twink
ling Patsy Dugan's hand was wrig-
Cling high in air.
well, Patsy, what is it?'' the lad
rose, eager, Irish, inquisitive to his
backbone. On the breast of his rag
ged coat he wore a little Ratchet, an
artificial cherry filched from his sis
ter's best hat, and two flags-the Stars
and Stripes-and another tiny flag
green as grass! This was his question:
Please, Miss Dorothy, did youse
ever tell q lie yourself?" The children
turned to look at him in sorrow and
anger at such a question. The moth
ers Uttered. That fat old director tried
to keep his face straight Keith gazed
straight at Dorothy, who seemed not
to see him. She had always been al
most painfully truthful. That was
one reason why 4C AAeAu SIMPLY tuAAtCd
about and walked away when she de-
clared that she did not love him. He
waited now for her answer. If she
ever had lied she was too truthful to
deny it, She smiled queer little smile.
Don't look at Patsy, children. He
didn't mean to be rude. / am glad
he asked me- / will answer what he
asks, so you will be even more care
full to tell the truth hereafter"
Every bright eye was strained with
interest The teacher paused a mo-
ment, a queer, serious look on her