The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-09
TIE EVENING STORY
Pansy Love.
By Laura Adelia Kirkman.)

/
stone one would think its purchaser the
most liberal man in the world she
mused And he is-in big things"
| In big things! Those three words
comprised her unhappiness. For David
was not consistently liberal; in little
| things he was what Alicia-being a
New Englander-called NIGH His
| Scotch blood had given him that one
trait-thriftiness in petty ways.
To a girl as generous hearted as
Alicia, this one unworthy trait SEEM
/ ed to outweigh all his noble qualities.
! She had learned his nature well enough
| to know that, after marriage, if he
1 were to give her a nickel for the pur-
pose of buying postage stamp he
would expect to have the remaining
| three cents returned to him.
| And 1 should loathe him thenv' she
said aloud. mo, couldn't be happy
with such a man. If only-only-he
| were little less generous in big things
and little more in small
But what good did all this wishing
do? For the past week she had done
nothing but go over and over the Situa-
! ton; now plainly, the only course to
| rebellion. She could not change this
stolid Scot of hers. She must either
take him or must leave him.
| For a long time she sat looking
shady veranda, down the path to the
gate where the letter box stood. Should
she rebel, and drop into that box let
ter breaking off the engagement?
Should she take the ring from her
finger. put it in box and send it away
forever?
She decided-but not without tears
that she would-that she must.
And at once, too" she said firmly.
She knew that if she waited till the
next time he came to Chenille she
might weaken and try to overlook his
fault. She knew well what power he
had over her when near-that his
Scotch-blue eyes. his splendid strength,
his Neutrality-suspicious. of tenderness,
held her in complete thrall.
But I mustn't marry him. she re-
affirmed. II couldn't be really happy
with him. only think I could be when
he's near
She took the ring from her finger and
placed it in a small, white box. Then
hurriedly, she began her letter:
Dear David have come to the de-
cision that I can't marry you. I don't
love you enough. When you are here,
from me, I know I don't. I'm sorry,
David. I should have told you long
ago. did not, because was not sure.
But now I am sure, and know could
not be happy with you. Penitently.
Alicia.
"P. S.-The ring, I shall mail as
soon as I can get into town to regis
ter it,
snatching an envelope, she addressed
and sealed the note. Even now, she
was half afraid of weakening and not
sending it. after ALL
But I must!' she kept repeating. 1T
know I couldn't be happy with him.
There'd be times when I'd loathe him.
Money shouldn't enter into love; when
it does, then that isn't true love. II
think he must love pennies more than
he loves mel"
Catching up the letter, she started
for the mail box.
But on the veranda steps she was
detained. An old neighbor stood be-
fore her.
Good morning! It's not too early to
make a call. is it, the woman was
saying. Land, but I'm out of breath. |
It's going to be a terrible hot day."
Alicia sighed. She L4lew that for at |
least an hour she was to be held in the |
shackles of the towns greatest talker. |
mot at all too early: I'm very glad
you came" she struggled to answer |
politely.
Her eyes fell on a bunch of pansies
in the woman's hands.
"Oh, how beautiful she exclaimed |
involun.drily.
Alicia loved flowers. Her dead |
mother. before her. had loved them.
These pansies were the most beauti- |
full she had ever seen.
yes, amt they pretty?" chimed
the pleased old woman. Every one
says to me: Mrs. Billings. you have
the loveliest pansies I've ever SEEM
You see I take more care of them
than of any Of my other flowers; 1
give them the richest earth and
water them the most. But" she
dropped to a chair and leaned forward
with a mysteriously confidential air.
Il never told one of 'em why I take
such care of my pansies! Not soul
knows wfy!"
Alicia started. Something in the
old woman's manner awakened real
curiosity within her. Remembering
that the postman would not pass for
half an hour. she delayed mailing the
letter, and sat down on the steps
Are you going to tell me?" she
asked, almost forgetting her unhap-
piness for a moment
Mrs. Billings thought for a time.
Then she looked up and nodded.
81 will tell you. You amt the kind
to gossip over things. It'll do me
good to talk to somebody about my
self. Why. haven't talked about this
since John died!'
A thrill of real sympathy shot
Alicia. She saw the loneli-
ness that had filled the years since
the poor old woman had become a
widow.
.'Tell me-" she said softly, touching
the pansy filled hands, do you make
real friends of the pansies-is that
what you mean? Do you sort of think
they understand
The gray head moved from side to !
side.
Not quite. OF course they do mean {
a lot to me, but in the way of memo !
ries It's quite little fairy story. my
dear Yes, a fairy story with real
prince in it" She seemed to drift
away into some land all her own
But soon she returned. You see, :
John was not what the world calls ,
handsome man; he was pockmarked, !
and his eyes were very prominent. and I
he was oh, much shorter than I. None s
of the other girls in the village would
have anything to do with him They /;