The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-23
THE EVENING STORY
Loves Me-Loves Me Not"

|
(By Temple Bailey.)
MARY" that was all he said, bu
he stood waiting.
1T must be-no,'' she whispered a
last.
He dropped her hand and walked
| from her to the edge OF the frozer
lake where he stood looking towart
| the sunset which cast a bar OF goi1
against the gray sky.
| rs there-anybody else ~ he asked
at last, conventionaIIy.
She flushed. Please-don't-" she
| begged.
He turned quickly. who couI6
there be?" ne demanded you
| haven't been out of town for year
and there hasn't been any one here
There's the-minister."
! 1t was just a whisper.
"Elliott?''
YES"
But he's engaged. There's a cir
in the city-he's only waiting for an
other call to place where he can
support a wife,
Il know all that" she spoke rapid
ly. But he's different from any
| body 1 ever met-you know that. He
better dressed and has better man
ners-and it isn't that 1 love him
only he's shown me what l want
My heart has never been satisfied
here
THAT is pure snobbishness"
| head was up. But I haven't found
the man 1 want to marry up here i'll
the mountains"
his hand to her.
"Jirn. where are you going?"
''To the city, he said, ito get city
ways That is what you want-you
shall have it, 49,,
For a moment , she LOCKED :9as3fd at him #
The man blazed at that. DO you
think he demanded hoarsely. that
YOU can keep me dangling? Ana th9h
tell me that I amt good enough
"0he lin her eyes filled with
tears you are good-but-I don
and you don't love the minister
only he's the kind you want, w.
I'm going where can learn TO De tii@'
i-il He started up the mountain path.
hut she called after him. "Oh, you
haven't any right to go this way ..r
He stood looking down at her.
80 mans pride" he said, that
nons+itutes my right to get away from
Girl who thinks I'm mother klno-
He was gone before she could pro
test. and she turned ana Went SLOW
" M the opposite path TO the pros
,,eroIs looking farmhouse which was
Pc oon+rast to most of the cabins on
contrast ~
IN Tba next day she went to church.
Tin, was not there, and she heard the
woisner, Hes gone to work in the
city, There were Chances cast IN
her direction which seemed to connect
her with her lovers disappearance
The week that followed was full OF
,oneIiness Jim had been her near
neighbor and close companion since
chiIdhood. He had always been on
hand, as escort. and on SATURDAY
nights had given her the little treats
of candy and of new magazines which
her own prosperous but somewhat par
simonious father denied her.
On Sunday night the minister call
ed On the following Sunday he called
again. A month later he asked mary
to marry him. There had been no en-
oa cement with another girl, he said
She was simply an old school frleno
whom he had hoped might care, but
she would not live in the mountains
He felt that a minister should marry
and he had chosen Mary.
There was nothing of alteration or
Of worship in his statement. Mary
missed Jim's fervor. But she was
battered by the thought of the honor
that he had paid her. She said "Ye s-
and wondered why her heart felt 50
heavy.
soon as possible. Mary, a little in
swa of her future husband, felt a
sense of bewilderment. He made de-
hands upon her which she hardly
lDevU how to meet. IT want you to
study with me-" he said, as they
made their plans. "A minister's wife
should be ready to teach and to pre-
side at meetings. You-you are dear
girl. Mary. but you haven't had the
advantages you are entitled to. You
are not to blame. I fancy 1t was
Iour fathers fault But as my wife
you viii go out into the world. and
will be Judged more critically than you
would be among your own people"
Mary felt a sense of revolt. Wasn't
she good enough for him? Then
there came to her suddenly, the mem
ory of similar things she had said
TO lin, dear Jim, who had loved her.
On the minister's next visit he spoke
somewhat hesitatingly about her
wedding dress. MY people will be
here" he said ct wish you might have
your gown made in the city-frst i'm
pressions mean so much and these
dressmakers here haven't an idea how
to set off your beauty
So Mary went to the city to have her
dresss made And the first person she |
met on the platform was Jim.
He stared at her, as one who sees
a vision. How in the world did you
happen to Gomez he said. IT rushed
down to the station to send some
things out to mother by one of the
boys, but I guess it was fate, Mary, |
you're the loveliest thing I've seen for !
Come and have lunch with |
me-
She went and conf1ded to him the
fact of her approaching marriage 20