The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-11
HE EVENING STORY
The Peacemaker.
(By Nellie Cravey Gillmol

! MISS J0m1Ina PeLClgreW ndQ the
plainest face as well as the plainest
i name in Haverford. But she had the
! kindest heart, too, and the gentlest
voice. People forgot ali about her
| LONELINESS when they talked to her
! or thought about her.
! Everybody liked Miss Jemima. And
! they all had a way of going straight
/ to her when they got in trouble. Thus
| it was that William Truesdale did
not go to club for luncheon as usual,
but dropped in on Miss Jemima for
one of her steaming cups of coffee
/ and oil for the turbulent waters of
his heart. She gossiped with her
guest in good natured strain till the
| line between his eyes disappeared and
his mouth began to look more normal.
Then she asked him pointedly what
was the matter.
Truesdale felt rather sheepish. Miss
Jemima had OWNED his mental stress
at a glance; she had dissipated the
bulk of it after her own magic fashion.
and she now calmly proceeded to I'M
ravel the remaining tangle with deft
directness.
There's no use beating about the
bush, Billy. What's the trouble with
you and Marcia? % She dropped an
extra lump of sugar into her cup. She
looked up. Truesdaie was regarding
her with a little anxious pucker be-
tween his brows "Well!' she prompt
ed with gentle authority, What are
you hanging back for, boy? Didn't L
make the first pair of trousers you
ever wore? Why, I'm almost your
grandmother, William Truesdale!"
The fioodgates of Truesdale's heart
flew open suddenly under Miss Je-
ninla's sympathetic touch.
yes he burst out, ut is Marcia,
and the-the DEVILS to pay-pardon
me- Miss Jemima; it's the truth. She's
gone and sent back my ring with a
miserable little 1etter-this letter.
Read it," He drew forth the crumpled
1, e-I,r two
Miss Jenrima received it half hest
family.
''PIease."
She smoothed out the wrinkles. adj
justed her spectacles and glanced
through the contents.
Dear Billy-Here is your ring.
We've made a mistake, dear, and it
can be remedied better now than af-
terward. We are both too poor to get
married and struggle along the rest of
our lives. In this day and time none
but imbeciles risk it. You are young
and strong and have brains. Alone,
you can work your way up. With
wife tied to you, it would be different.
I care far too much for you to allow
you to ruin your chances. AS for my
sell, the world offers thousand
openings to a woman-and 1 mean to
make my own way up, too. OF course
there will be no other man in my life,
ever; but I've thought this all out
thoroughly-and it must be final. Low
ingly, MARCIA
When she had finished he sought
her eyes eagerly for verdict. Miss
JeTnima took a deep breath. Its too
bad, Billy. I'm sorry. And you.
Have YOU done anything about it? 1t
doesn't seem to call for any reply. I'm
sure"
THE letter only came yesterday |
Miss Jemima Strengthened up quite
suddenly. Her little faded blue eyes
twinkled above the coffee urn Let
her distinctly alone, Billy. That is
best
A quick expression of alarm over
spread the others attentive face. But
Miss Jenlirna! That would mean that
| was willing
rake my advice. boy. I'm
woman myself. you know
Truesdale rose. THANK you," he
said simply. IT'S hard, but 1 guess
you're right Do you-do you think
she'll come around after bit ?"
.'Girls are curious creatures, Billy.
Let's wait and see.
He bent over her hand and kissed it.
Miss Jenirna cleared away the
Guns lifted the shades and took up
her knitting. She was smiling.
"Come in
Marcia Ainsley pushed open the
door and entered softly. Miss Jemima
glanced up without curiosity. Only
the beaming placid smile of welcome
irradiated her homeIy features as al
WAYS before. But it was all she could
do to keep from exclaiming. The
girls face was pale and swollen and
the eyes more pink than blue.
Miss Jemfnla, you must heip me!
I'm all broken up I'm perfectly
wretched, miserably unhappy. But I
nust be strong-I must bear up no
matter what happens
Marcia, are you crazy, child? What
in the world
lust this, dearie: I've sent him
svay-Billy, you know. OF course 1
owe him to death and all that. but
TT can't marry him. 1t would wreck
his career-drag him down to moth
ng. We're both so poor, you see. I've
been reading a book and in it the
heroine
s.Tut. tut, Marcia, For every book
+hat's written there's an antidote. Now
rye lust finished a book where the
young folks threw off the yoke and
-oolx their future in their own hands.
Thev loved each other SO much that :
they won-tosether."
ssBut that is theoretical, Miss Je-
nina. Look at poor mammal"
And I read another book. Marcia.
where they didn't throw it off and
he-the man found another girl. Men
re rather tickle you know, and IL ,
wasn't any time before he was quite !
Happy and concentrating himself on !
having escaped making terrible mis-
AXE"
Billy is different was the some
what defiant answer :
Perhaps. And perhaps not !
And you would really advise me ]