The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-06
The Eueni1,g Story

(By Louise Oliver.)

A Fair Su1fFaeette.
(By Louise Oliver.)
Beatrice bit absently into q peach
provoked. wiped the fuxx from her lips
It's beyond mel" she burst out inn
patiently.
"What?'' inquired Bob, her brother.
THE State Federation has written
to our suffrage society for more funds.
body made q motion that we earn the
money ourselves. And now all Of US
girls have to dig down and get the
money some. way without any outside
help. I rever earned q cent in my
life.''
You might collect soap coupons
they are redemmable for cash."
Beatrice looked her contempt. 1T
isn't q laughing matter, Bob"
Getting money never Is. Why do
you girls belong to suffrage society
when you don't know how to do any
thing? II you ever get ballot the
state il going to remove all the laws
which compel men to support w0.
men,
I'VE girls have heard that until we
are tired. That is exactly the reason
why we are doing this. We will show
people that we can earn money. and
earn it honestly. We've got to scare
UP $50 apiece"
Bob whistled. How
Never mind. BY our wits. perhaps"
"Humph!"< Bob put on his panama
and went to work.
Beatrice finished her toast and went
out to the shady front porch to look
over the morning papers.
It was then that she saw on the
first page OF the Star that a prize of
$50 was offered to the person who could
identify a certain Mr.. Blank. He was
described as being feet II inches high,
weight $50 pounds. dark brown hair,
gray eyes. clean shaver and about 80
years of age.
and might fit anybody" Beatrice
frowned as she noticed the age. II
might try to go after this wonderful
prize man il he were twice as old
but 30! And the Star says he will be
on some of the downtown streets today.
No. thanks! There will likely be some
where between 10 and Is thousand men
downtown today, and at least one-tenth
of that number will ut this description
On another page were more COM
plete directions for the finding OF the
mysterious Mr.. Blank. Certain words
must be used in addressing him. Be-
low there was a rough sketch of the
back of the gentleman's head, with
the hat he was to wear that day.
Beatrice scrutinized the picture
searchingly. There was nothing here to
help identify him. either. except
that
Down in her heart something stirred
consciously. and a flush dyed her
cheeks.
What was there about the blurred
newspaper cut Of the back of a mans
head that made her think Of the time,
a whole year before. when she visited
the Dalzells at Long Beach? Was it
because. in a general way, it remind
ed her Of some one whom she had
known there? AS she looked long and
steadily at the picture she thought OF
the long, happy days and evenings at
the summer shore, and David Dalxell.
Janet's brother. who had been her al
most constant companion.
1t had been to David that she had
aired her first views on suffrage, hav-
ing become a convert to the cause
shortly before her visit. He had out
wardly sympathized with her, even
when she had gone still further and
declared that she would never marry.
1T is only silly, weak school girls
who think Of love and marriage now>
adays," she had said. Real women |
for better and higher things. am
going to devote my life to the eman- |
cipation of my sex"
She had come back home with a |
dull ache in her heart that !
was only partly soothed by the re- !
of the look in David's !
eyes when she said ''Good-bye.''
The newspaper fell at her feet. She |
started. The day dream was over.
And now for a way to earn that !
She bit her lip. There was |
not way In the world she could |
think of. Shed better get her hat !!
and parasol and talk 1t over with one
of the girls.
The morning was warm, and, her
walk taking her through the park, /
she kept to the shady GOODNESS Of the |
bypaths There was magic In the air |
today, at least SO 1t seemed to Bea-
trice. She stopped beside the little |
lake and watched some children with !
their nursemaids sailing little boats. |
She spoke to them. praising their !
skill and pretty toys. Instantly they I
were friends, with the unconven- I
little plump grille seized one Of her
hands and reached up on tfptoe for q |
kiss.
The yellow and red OF tulips, the
blue of the sky, bushes exquisite with
japonfca, Hlacs and snoWba1ls, and |
tiny swelling rosebuds. the trflling Of I
birds everywhere. proclaimed the
wonder of spring.
She gave herself up to the beauty
of 1t all. There was no hurry for her
errand now. Suffrage could wait! |
After all. somehow. the idea and the
morning didn't seem to fit. What did |
she care for politics in weather like /
this? OF course she would have to |
get the money. She had pledged her
self to do 10. But It could wait q /
while, too.
she turned aside into = shady little
circle Of trees where there was q
bench In view. The turn OF the path /
disclosed q second bench heretofore