The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-05
TIE EVENING STORY
When Ghosts Communed.
(By Dorothy Douglas.

|
| Moores had existed through two gen.
erations. 1t was young Roger Lanes
grandfather who had fallen in love
with Kate Moore's grandmother when
that dainty little lady was even then
wife and mother.
Moore family, and before the crisis
came, Hates grandmother had quietly
passed away with the sad knowledge
| that she loved a man other than her
husband. In that former generation
the lovers had been wont to meet at
| the foot of the old garden that lay hid
den from the windows of the two
dwellings. Since that time the gate
connecting the gardens had been locked
and the estrangement between the
families grew and took on added bitter
ness even as the ancient lock gathered
rust.
1t was said and firmly believed By
many habitants of the old world
village that the ghosts of the lovers still
haunted the garden and were frequent
ly seen communing among the flowers
and trailing about in the moonlight.
Scarcely a soul in the village would
have dared to enter that secluded gar
den after the town clock had struck II.
1T is haunted"' had been whispered
from lip to ear for two generations and
the riot of flowers that held many
memories, both sweet and bitter, were
left to their own tender care.
1t was Kate Moore, the younger, with
her intrepid spirit and love of romance,
who ventured down into the garden one
night when the village was wrapped
in slumber. She had returned from
school after an absence of three years.
If Roger Lanes ghost comes here"
she unused, I want to see it, She
laughed softly as her feet touched the
messy grass of the garden and her
long robe trailed in tiny ripples be-
hn in
ghostly raiment that her actions might
not be mistaken for those of a mortal.
The rusty lock fell apart and Kate
found herself trembling slightly amid
a kingdom of understanding flowers.
She stood still for a moment, both
beating rapidly with the wonders of the
flowers that erected their odorous
heads to a moonlit night.
Roger Lane, the younger, opening his
eyes suddenly, blinked, rubbed his eyes
and sat up. He had been having his
midnight smoke in the garden and had
dozed off. From behind a clump of
hedge plants he kept fascinated eyes
fixed upon the vision that had entered
into his domain.
GIVE me a ghost gfrl-if they are
all like this one!'' he calculated under
his breath. Her hair is like a lost
moonbeam and the light in her eyes-r'
Rogers vocabulary failed him and he
drew sharp breath.
Kate had drawn nearer to him and
with a little soft laugh had kneIt down
to bury her face within the heart of
great pink rose.
You perfect beauty" he heard her
exclaim. She paused for moment as
if thinking while her eyes roamed COM
prehendingly about the garden Some
one has been nurturing every flower in
this place. She continued her pere-
grination, and Roger Lane heard from
time to time tinkling laughter and
joyous delight in the flowers.
He dared scarcely to breathe, so
fearful was he of losing her. In his
spotless flannels and white silk shirt
he, too, might well be mistaken for a |
ghost. His head with it's mass of sunny
hair resembled a Greek God carved in J
marble. |
Kate tripped swiftly toward the
clump of hedge plants 1t was as ifl
a hand had dragged her. Arriving |
there she caught a sharp breath, again |
put both hands over her heart and |
did the only sensible thing girl could |
do under the circumstances.
Lane jumped swiftly to his feet and |
took into his arms the figure that had |
crumpled down at his feet. Her head |
fell back against his arm, and Roger |
trembled when her hair swept over his !
hand.
There was a tiny fountain in the center |
of the garden, and toward that masculine I
remedy for all fainting women, Roger |
carried his burden.
Hates white brow. Very gently and very I
slowly Hates eyes opened and shone full /
upon Roger
So suddenly had been the ensnarfng of |
his heart that when he reluctantly re- |
leased Kate from his arms Roger felt as |
if he had relinquished the world and all |
that lived therein.
He stood still hardly knowing what
his tongue might utter when it finally |
broke bounds.
II am not a ghost" Kate said.
81 think 1 realized that" Roger told her
and in the moonlight a blush rose grew in
Hates cheek.
I'VE are enemies" was Hates next
Roger stood for a moment in deep
thought, Then he pointed to the wide
marie bench that lay almost hidden IL
Come" he said gently. Tets talk Il
over
Kate followed him through tiny arch
and they sat down on the bench that had
held the ancient lovers.
Your grandfather made my grandmoth
er love her. Kate began accusingly.
.tShe loved HMM return remember
that Roger put in in self-defense.
Hates head dropped slightly.
err Roger continued in a gentle tone-1t
is the same today as it was then and will
be until the end of time-isnt it so, Chose |
Grip
Kae's fingers f1uttered against great
wistaria bloom, and she drew it close to
her lips. After inhaiing its fragrance
.F-es, it is true-but if two people can
not meet-they cannot fall in love" She
turned mocking eyes upon him.
IF they have already fallen. the man
can always find way to see the girl, |
Roger said. Take for instance, you and
t. his tone was light but deep in his
eyes Kate saw something that made her
treunble IF we loved one another
would suggest that we become for the
g. abs IL