The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-08
THE EVENING STORY
Thyrza's Vocation.


whom she had not seen since the
morning he sailed for South America
over year ago. had exchanged
greetings and inquiries as to each 9TH
er's good health and activities, young
Wales, looked critically round the
well-furnished modern apartment.
well, you're cosy here" he COM
mented. II don't know what 1t is,
but there's something nightly at
ITS atmosphere" laughed his
hostess. THE place is permeated
with it,
"Of course, 1 know you're an artist:
this
He waved a hand vaguely and set
tied back among the comfortable
cushions. Mrs. Wales-Wood laughed
| lightly.
Not at all. I have a poet here; or,
I should say, a poetess-a young wo-
man who has come to live with me
because I didn't like living alone'
that is, she has a room here. She's
stranger in the city; although 1
knew of her people before she came;
and she lives in a dreamland of her
own. I don't know where she eats
| or if she eats at all; She's POSITIVELY
the most ethereal-looking creature
I've ever SEEM
You interest me- said Lester.
smiling; but there was a touch OF
disdain in his voice An ethereai-
i looking creature, living in dreamland,
with mind for poetry and no appe.
| tite, was not Lester Wales's idea OF
| interesting womanhOOd.
Mrs. wales-Wood pushed forward
\ the little tea stand, and oI1ered MIN
| a cup of fragrant brew.
Its really pitiful. Lester" she
| unused, with a change of tone. Inc
poor child expects to become famous NOUS
! 1 suppose. I always feel so sorry
when her manuscripts come BACK.
Here's something she gave me to read.
| I wouldn't repeat it to any one put
you; but this will be the next tnlns
| to be winging its way to some editor
| iaI office.
it.Beneath a. cold, white moon, the
rose burned red;
| While a lone nightingale did pierce
| the shade with song;
The vapid clouds crawled grayy
overhead;
The silver streamlet serpentinely
swe-' along
ooh. s1ush.'' said Lester, handing
! his cup over to be refilled. Don
read any more-I understand.
But she has some lovely thougnts'
and she believes it to be her vocae
ton. She's such. a dear 100. IL
us that her real name?"
Yes and somehow it seems to suit
her. I wish you could see her.
words, the door opened slowly and
! Thyrza earle glided in. She was very
! fair and very frail, and her dencacy
was enhanced by the black costume as
she wore Her wistful blue eyes
seemed too large for her oval. pointed
face, and her hair, loosened by the
wind, fluttered in pale, half CURED
strands. AS Lester wales resaruso
her while she was slipping her tea, ne
found himself regretting that he hao
laughed at her poetry. The silver
streamlet serpentinely swept was
beautiful thought. after all. despite its
alliteratiVeneSs.
+ ThyrZa'S voice was low ana sweet
/ her smile was appealing
| Lester began to think that if only
a rose burned red in her cheeks,
and she weighed little more, sne
| might be quite an admirable person.
PERHAPS if some one were to get her
| out from beneath the baleful IN
| fluence of the "cold, white moon, she
would quit dreaming ana WAKE up ~
! play real part in the world: when
/ h. departed, he whispered to his aunt
! by-adoption, Its a pity she wants TO
be a poetess!'
| Young Wales was to be in town for
a month or more; then he was to re-
turn to South America, where he had
! established a branch business agency
/ in the beautiful city of Rio de Janelro;
1t was but natural that ne snoulu
spend most of his spare time in the
COSY apartment of Mrs Wales-Wood;
Int, lust why these calls should seem
so unsatisfactory when little 1nyTZd
i Garlic failed to appear, would not De
| so readily explained. 1t was not thaI
! the stalwart, breezy young man ad-
rnired or approved of his aunt's COM
nanion He resented her no1seless
: gliding step and dropping poses' he
: disIiled the dull. clinging garments
She wore: her wistful eyes and trem-
uIous lips annoyed him..
IT should think you'd paint her,
he said to the artist, one day Sne
looks like that picture OF Hope SIT
ting I'D on top of the world. blind
folded. and twanging away on one
| string. I suppose the foolish girl Is
breaking her heart over her failure
to gain public recognition
If really seemed that something
nortentous was lowering over the
frail follower of Sappho. She slipped
in and out like pensive spirit, ana
grew more wan and dropping. Mrs
Wales Wood found her in tears two
or three times, and then she called
Lester on the telephone and ordered
him to escort them to scenes of di-
version Those little outings seemed
to do the girl so much good
| One day, however, Thyrza begged
off. saving she had some work to fin
ish. 1t was during the last week of
Testers stay in town, and Mrs. Wales
wood, in one of her most fetching
costumes, was preparing to go TO a
studio exhibit, and then bring back
her nephew for a promised home
dinner" which was planned to include
the delectable dishes that he liked
most when a sudden calamity befell
the maid left, And my last
chance to entertain Lester at home, "
walled the agitated mistress. Look