The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-18
ZM EVENING STORY
Waiting for Edna.
(By Molly NcMaster.l

position on the platform Of the ele-
waited railroad.
'Is there q woman living who can
tered. IF there is would like q
photograph Of her,. Dean took out
his watch for the sixth time and strode
restlessly up and down the 10th street
station.
there for Edna Waters that they might
travel az far as Thirty-fourth street
i together And ON each of the six morn
ings Dean told himself he would not
wait another minute but would board
his train alone. And az surely as he
made the resolution he invariably,
glanced up Manhattan avenue to see
Edna tripping quickly along to meet
him. The sight Of her trim, erect little
figure always banished impotence and
lingering doubts az to his fondnees tor
her. Dean had been thinking of Edna
during the last few weeks as the girl
to whom he intended to offer his heart
and salary. Aside from the fact that
she was notoriously lacking in pune
| tuality. Edna was certainly desirable
| bit Of the feminine world.
Edna has broken even her own
limit today" Dean muttered, and
made up his mind to take the next
train to the city and let Enda do the
waiting.
His determination was no sooner
1 AO0A4Ae0
into a pair Of anxious eyes that were
not Edna's.
The girl whom he continued to gaze
at seemed to be awaiting the arrival
Of some one. She. too. glanced I'M
patiently up Manhattan avenue.
Dean found himself fascinated by
wtsp OF golden hair that blew dain-
| thy across q tinted cheek and played
about the anxious eyes He very
quickly and unexpectedly changed his
I - - 49, To- lint hea4
| pulled into the station. She. the girl,
was not getting on.
Dean told himself by way of ex-
| cuse that curiosity as to whom she
was waiting for prompted him to
stay.
rarely beautiful smile. Dean followed
the glance of her eyes and saw broad
| shoudered man coming toward them.
| The man raised his hat In response to
| q wave from the girls handkerchief.
Dean found himself congratulattng
/ the approaching man on his good for
tune.
In the distance. behind the man.
Dean caught sight OF Edna He. too.
raised his hat
The girl. standing rather near him
| on the platform, cast quick glance
at him. Evidently she grasped the sit
uation and cast q half smile from her
eyes at Dean.
1t seemed to be q race between Edna
and the strange man as to which would
| reach the station first.
| Dean and the girl on the platform
were vaguely conscious Of a stirring
excitement. Whether it was caused
by the two hurrying figures below, or
merely the knowledge that some one
attractive was within reach. neither
could fathom. The fact remained that
Dean felt greater interest in the girl
beside him than he did in the one hur-
| rying toward him.
| When the approaching couple mad
reached the ticket chopper and passed
| through the gate Dean stepped forward
| to meet Edna, while the girl slipped
| her arm Familiarity within that of the
man.
| train the preceding couple nau entereo
and sank into q seat opposite them.
| II am SO sorry was late" murmured
Edna raising a pair Of beautiful eyes
! to Deans face. 1T 10 good OF you to
wait for me-.
Dean smiled down ct ner ana Iouno
himself wondering whether or not the
girl opposite was engaged to the big
won deserve-well-that I should
come uptown today and take you to
lunch and the theater." laughed Dean.
as that sufficient punishment for your
| tardiness?"
.aThe punishment il harsh but de-
liehtfully acceptable" Edna told him.
It was not until she had left him at
| Thirty-fcurth street that Dean again
turned to the girl who had kept watch
with him on the station platform. The
| broad-shouldered man had gone and
the girl was gazing pensively out Of the
| window.
Dean considered 1t his lucky day be-
cause the girl remained on the train
until 1t reached John street. Then she.
| too, got on. After that she was lost
| in the business Of making money. She
had disappeared in that wage-earning
throng before Dean could quite realize
it
During the day the girls eyes re-
| turned occasionally to haunt his vision
but 1t was not until the next morning
that he saw her in reality.
He was waiting at the station again
for Edna ard the girl, too, was watt
ing. 1t was more thin dincult to re-
frain from smiling into her eyes when
at the same moment Edna and the
the ro:.d-shouldered man came swing
ing around Manhattan avenue.
Dean had found the waiting for Edna
all too short He began to feel glad
that some girls lacked the sense Of
punctuality. He found himself hur-
rying to his post every morning always
with the certainty In his mind that the
other watcher would be there. The
situation became humorous, yet pro-
who longed to know each other
Every morning the two waited and
every morning went down to the city
ON the same train. On one happy oc-
casion the girl had taken . seat next
to Dean. and he felt the thrill Of her
arm long after she had vanished from
his side. Edna became merely = Girl
- nj