The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-21
The Euenine Story
The Outsider.

seS 1OSSsSsk8 O
The Outsider.
(By Laura irkman.)
Kenneth Grey WINGED AZ he passed
a group Of young people on his way
to prayer meeting. He knew that
their amused eyes were on his highly
polished shoes, which shone brightly
in the glare Of the street light.
"6potless," he heard Jessie Dean gig
gle as he passed.
He'd say immaculate. corrected
another voice mockfngly.
Kenneth was glad when he reached
the church. Inside its solemn arms he
was able to forget the derisdon that
stung him on every side. For. although
he had always known himself to be an
outsider in Greenville Center, he had
never become accustomed to the spirit
Of mockery with which he was treated
by the towns young people. Although
he was their own age, he had not
friend among them. Sissy Grey" he
had been called ever snce he could re-
member.
On this particular night he entered
the church as he had done q thousand
times before went into his pew.
bowed his head q moment. then
raised his eyes to give one sweeping
glance around the church.
But there the similarity to his con-
duct on other nights stopped. His
sweeping glance terminated on the
slim hand OF q young girl sitting in the
pew In front Of him and he caught his
breath. The hand was manicured!
Kenneth stared at the strange girl.
She and he were the only two per-
sons in Greenville Center with mani
cured hands. He felt almost relation
ship for her.
who she?" he asked himself re-
taa71v T. "a
Is she some ones city relative?'
At length he decided that she was
a summer guest. He had heard that
old Mrs. Hartweu intended advertising
for some this summer.
Little did he hear of the sermon. He
sat through tn evening as though
spellbound. Here. before him. was a
new type Of girEa girl who would not
would never think of laughing at .
man whose nails were manicured.
answering. He could merely sit and
look at the back Of her pretty head
until meeting was over.
Then he followed her home. She did
come from old Mrs. Harwelrs- She
was undoubtedly q summer guest
As the girl turned up the walk. and
he wandered on thinking about her. he
saw that Bob Granville was coming to-
ward him M Iur .at!e .., when s,, they had
well was a distant relative Of Bob. Not
for years had he been to see her.
Kenneth halted In the shadow Of an
elm tree and listened. Plainly he
heard Bob's voice ring out:
AUNT HANNAH repeated Kenneth
Indignantly. las IL he ever called her
that before! He's just trying to make
friends with that girl. He thinks she'll
go around with him Just because he
has Yn0nav-fhn oil fD.o SrYo
do. Well, she's not a Greenville Cen
ter girl One glance at his grimy FIN
gernails will be enough for her"
1t was relief to him to see, as the
week new by. that although Bob Gran
Vile called on the summer girl every
night, she never went out with him.
She can't 90 any more than be po-
lite to him when he calls" he told him
self hopefully. TITS me she'll go out
with-when meet herv
at q church social. Quite frankly, ne
went up to old Mrs. Hartwell and asked
her II the young lady would object to
meeting him. As he made the formal
request. he heard one Of the town boys
giggle and repeat his words to one or
two Of the girls.
Now wen see Sissy Grey make an
tmpression-with his fingernails" came
In loud tones, just as Mrs. Hartwell
presented him to the girl.
AhO Blu AC0IO oH0 looked 0SnlnQ
her In surprise. Then, casting a swift
glance as Kenneth's hands, a light of
understanding broke over her face; she
had grasped that his nickname was
Sissy"
After a few hurried land nervous
words, Kenneth excused himself, and
left the girl. He walked swiftly from
the grounds. Up the street. he flew.
Binding tears stung hts eyes. The
girl had been prejudiced against him
>vy 4%n2 -
Judge Of him.
For in that light Of understanding
that had passed over her face he
thought that he had seen as well a
shadow of derision. Perhaps she was
amused to see the hands Of q country
boy manfcured Perhaps he had not
taught himself In the right way; he
had only had directions from a maya
zine to follow. Or perhaps-he stood
still on the sidewalk as the thought
came to him-perhaps the polish on
his nails was ridiculously bright. He
had noticed the polish on the girls
nails was decidedly duIler. Had this
been oversight or intention?
After this he kept away from those
places which the girl frequented. He
felt III at ease in her presence. II
she had noticed his difference from
the other town men naturally 1t would
not have been SO bad-even II that
difference were Overdone. But now
that her attention had been called to
it-now that she was watching for It!
The last possibility Of their ever
becoming friends was shattered when
Lefty Gleason made friends with her.
Lefty was Kenneth's worst enemy.
What fun she'll have telling the
girl how diligently I practice on the
pianO!" he thought bitterly.
That .story-a true one-was one Of
Letty's best pieces OF evidence against
him.
For q time he let his piano 90 un-
touched. He preferred to piav In the