The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-05
The Euening Story

The Euening Story
| Cinders.
(By Laura Kirkman.)
1t was their first quarrel. Helen
sat out on the veranda staring into
the darkness. John sat in the library
la thing he had never done before
in the evening.
Anyway, that CHASTITY dinner is
lover" sighed Helen thankfully. as she
tapped the floor nervously with her
islipper.
i 1t had been a chastity meal indeed.
The quarrel had come before they had
finished soup, and frigid silence
had reigned all through the meal.
Helen had sat with one hand chnched
; under the table, afraid that the tears
would come from sheer nervous ten
sion.
In which case. suppose. he would
have thought I was sorry,' she re-
Elected. Il sorry for what was not
my fault at all. AS if were to blame
because Bridget happened to forget
to iron one of his shirts
For it was over so trivial a matter
as a shirt-trivial to Helen's mind at
lleast-that the quarrel had arisen.
John that morning, being in a hurry.
had put on newly laundered shirt
without giving it close inspection.
downtown he had met a wealthy
business friend and had invited him
to lunch. At the end of the luncheon
following his friends eyes. he discov-
,, cred that the front of his shirt was
: unironed!
I'm delighted to have McGrath
think we have our clothes wet
: Washed" he had told Helen, sarcas-
: tically. over the soup.
Then had begun the quarrel
Helen's defense of her housewifely ef-
, ficiency-John's insinuations that q
little less time spent at card parties
|, and q little more at home was not q
| bad thing for the general running OF
the house.
He was horrid-just horrid!' she
: told herself, making a quick dab al
her eyes with her handkerchief. For
now the tears were coming freely.
Then she sat up. petrified. John
was stepping through the door-com-
ing toward her! II he discovered her
crying, he would think she was sorry.
She sat up stiffly If he could have
seen her eyes, there in the darkness,
he would not have thought her exact
ly melting in penitence.
II He halted before her. do you
know where my old fishing boots
are ?" he asked briefly.
Then he was going away for the night
with the men-he was going fishing or
l IL o9
tired of her! He was looking back
longingly at his bachelor days!
She tried to make her tone convey
that she didn't care.
"Oh. in the closet under the stairs '
, she threw out.
When he had gone in again, she
leaned forward and buried her face.
She did care-care horribly. She re-
membered when he had thrown the
old boots into the closet and said that
{~~ H1<nv<7 =
traction for him. That was a week
after their marriage.
She was still sitting with buried head
when a heavy step sounded again on
the porch. He didn't come close. this
! time, however. He stood near the door
, and called to her.
IT say! They're not there"
/ Helen's fingers gripped the arms Of
her chair. Would she have to go in
and find them for him. go in there in
! the full glare of the light?
Before she had decided the mans
| voice came again. this time a bit sar-
castically:
Perhaps Bridget has put them some
, where!'
u His tone said plainly: ''She seems
. to be running the house."
II Like an iceberg, Helen arose from
! her chair and sailed toward him.
She passed him with a silence that
, must have been chilly. Like cold
|
closet under the stairs. She found the
boots where she supposed they would
be. She picked them up gingerly. Leav-
ing him to dust them, she set them
down ON the hall floor and started
: back to the veranda.
! But she was intercepted. In the door
{ way stood John, obviously blocking the
way so that she couldn't pass. He had
! seen her red eyes!
''Helen!' he said in low voice as she
CT ri hafn h I'M ff,T
him to step aside.
RI She made no answer.
''Helen!' he said again. Then, as
she still remained silent. put out his
hand and caught her arm. SHALL we
make up?' he asked with boyish ap-
peal. Come! I can see you want to-
Helen.''
He had said just the wrong thing: That
he could see she wanted to. She sprans
| | away from him, furious. Then he thought
she was appealing to him with tears;
thought she was pleading for his forgive
ness!
i. Her tone trembled as she hurled back
her answer:
Wake up? No! A thousand times, no.
II have cinder in my eye. I Year you
have mistaken their redness for signs Of
deep grief
He let her pass now. He stood back. as
swung down the hall after the boot.
Helen sat out on the porch till he had
gone; then she went in She went up to
her room and flung herself on the bed.
She did not attempt to light the gas. or
to undress: she was too wretched.
denly, she sat up. She leaned forward
| in the darkness and listened. What was
that sound?-a latch key?
1t surely was q latch key. And John
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