The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-11-24
the EVENING stony

(By Martha McC.-Williams.)
"If only had a whole hundred doll
lars!" Margaret sighed
Joe Award laughed provokingly.
asking: What in the world would you
do? Start q revolution?"
mol don't know what would do
| hrst-that Is, unless I died OF sheer
happiness Margaret answered. run
ming on quickly. IT want 10 much. 20
many. many, many things! Only think
las much money as I handle. It n
virtually spent before touch tits
simply dreadful. how one wastes casn
paying debts.''
IAN abominable habit" Joe chuck
led. "Stin now and then the gray OF
1t has a golden lining ~.
IT never get even q glimpse OF IL.
Margaret interrupted plainttvefy.
| Award shook his head at her. Hope
on-you're going to-" he said. In fact,
my business here is-to give you peep
at it."
stop Numbering, Josephus!'' Mar
garet commanded. Thereby ne Knew
she was at the end OF patience. Jose
pheus, which he hated sadly, was her
rod in pickle for him.
IF people didn't pay debts, even OLD
British ones. shouldn't have the pleas
ure Of handing you-not an even hum
bred dollars-but a hundred and one"
He suited action to words as he nm
ished.
Margare. stared at him. at the mon
ey. drew a hard breath. got a little
white. then said slowly:
You're fooling. know you meant
to be kind. Joe: but, of course, can't
take money from you-from anybody.
Then I shall have to make you q
ward in chancery and put this in bank
to your credit" Joe retorted.
As Margaret again caught her breath
he told briefly how an outlawed claim
money paid az surely by her grand
father-had finally burned the pockets
OF the man 1t was paid for to such an
extent that he had sent It to his deb
tors heirs. with interest. else 1t would
never have gone round the forty-odd
Of them.
Being her mothers only child, Mar
garet did not have to share with her
half brothers and sisters. Joe laid
stress on that-also he charged her.
| now that her wish had come to pass,
to spend the money with intelligence
| that Is to say, upon herself. She agreed
| meelly to obey-indeed she was SO near
crying she was ready to promise any.
thing.
You are too young for q fairy god
father. Joe," she said. ALSO not quite
fairy-hke in build-you weigh near
100
Islander! Only a hundred and
eighty!" Joe interrupted.
She went on unheeding: But I'll
| remember you always ashore beau
tiful than sun. moon and stars sing
ing together. Once in my life shall
be hundred dollars fine-with the
Granger dance Just a fortnight ahead"
Margaret was Is; the twins, who came
next her, q. Her mother had died at
her BIRTH Major Ellis had consoled
himself in six months. His wife had
been good to Margaret, making up to
her as much as might be, for her loss.
therefore, when she in turn was taken,
leaving half dozen boys and girls.
! Margaret stepped into her vacant place
Observation-Disclosures dead woman had
for years been head OF the family ow-
ing to the rheumatism that kept her
husband prisoner most of the time.
There was no pinch Of poverty-in-
deed. plenty Of everything, but it took
managing and continuing to keep out Of
debt. Margaret had a horror OF it. She
tried to make the others share 1t. But
the twins fretted not a little. They
were beauties. gay and light-minded.
who craved the things they knew would
set on their looks. She did not give
way to them-rather gave up to them
turning. contriving, making over for
herself, the better to afford handsome
new frocks and bonnets for her sisters
She would not have minded the
as Of right Olivia, indeed. said OPEN
ly: "Of course you don't care for
clothes-betng 30 much older. I'm
just miserable II am not az well
dressed as anybody in the crowd"
If Alice were less outspoken Mar
garet knew her Of the same mind.
Hence tho satisfaction with which she
viewed her present prospects-of
which'she resolved to say nothing un-
til the very last.
Party preparations kept the twins
very. very busy-they had new frocks
to make, pompadour affairs Of pale
pink and blue. Therefore" said Miss
Olivia to MarEaret you must wear
ion. know-but your corn color
would simply kill our dresses We
want to look our best when We meet
the great Jan Van Vert
I'm love with us-and couldn't tell
which-nor one from the other ?"
Alice cooed.
Margaret laughed. you forget he's
q novelist" she said. Hes used to
don't puzzle him. what RIM curious
over is his real name. Somehow /
feel in my bones It Is Smith or Brown;
also that he hsps. and II about up to
my shoulder"
margaret" cried the twins In .
breath, but Olivia did not forget to
add: You will wear white? That's
/ . good old thing"
IT will surely wear white" Mar
garet answered. What IL better,
am going from Alwarden with Zoe ana
his mother. 90 there win be room In
the carriage for your pride - wen ~
jour frockA"