The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-23
The. Eoenis,e Story

'(By Emily Bee.)
Young Prof. StrakeE with longing eyes
watched his most cherished pupil as she
demurely gathered together her sheets
They. called hinf professor-an the
girls studying at the conservatory
an was enipently Sproper. Indeed. as
the catalogue of the institute stated. he
was doctor Of music. Withal. he was
scarcely more than a boy. young man
who. having lived the childhood OF a
musical prodigy. never had had time
to be a boy. and was now at "A acntely
conscious Of the boyhood he had missed.
Miss Natalie.'' =. he satd-and from the
saying 1t was clear that she was cher
ished not because Of her talent-"you
have artistic feeling, true feeling for
music. but you viii never express 1t I'M
til through hard work. devoted work.
your hands become the perfectly auto
matte instruments Of your mind"
The young girl looked at him with a
mischievous smile. It was not neces-
sary for her to state in SO many words
that she thought his advice not worth
while. The smile went to his head.
Rashly he brought his fist down upon
the plano. The blood leaped In his veins,
ran scarlet In his cheeks. hammered at
his temples.
why should tel you to work." he
demanded. why work? This-what is
1t? This" He swept a pile of music
disdainfuIly to the floor. over which the
breeze from the open windows scattered
the sheets like leaves. "This il not
life!"
The girl sasped Like the rest of her
light-hearted companions. she enjoyed
tantalizing, or trying to tantalize, the
young musical genius temporarily in
their midst. But until this moment she
had never seen him anything but the
musician.
Miss Natalie" he continued, in a
voice Of actual desperation. II am sick
OF being professor. am young. am
like all Of you. 1. too. would like now
and then to play-to have fun! Your
senior class is to have a dance next
week. May go with you? May. be
your escort?''
He had made his awkward request
with painful intensity. most discon-
certing to Natalie. who looked In every
direction as though for escape. The
color flooded her sensitive face.
II am very sorry she stammered.
very sorry. Prof straker. really
II cannot. You are too kind" She
had seized her music roll and was
making for the door. Thank you so
much, even though cannot. pnsaibly."
He reached the door before her end
opened it. She hardly knew why she
P@ucSu a. LILO tuIoSuOlO NatalJet
he said. with a faint smile. ''is it be-
cause am your teacher that you will
not dance with me? Is that why?"
She nodded. overwhelmed with en-
barrassment.
And, yet you are eighteen" He
looked at her with quiet w;stfulnees
And am twenty-four."
He bowed and she hurriedly started
away. coHiding at. once with little
Edna Gay. who was the most tplen:ed
and at the same time the most unfor-
tunate pupil Of the Conservatory. With
a mnrmured apology she went on. her
eyes bright and hnseeing. the pro-
Absurd that he& shoUldp ba only
twenty-four! Ridkn8u9 so go to.a
dance with onea pHo{ess.,r! How
amused the girls you'd 6e! A ncyv-
GUS laugh escaped her Of which she
was instantly ashamed And how very.
very nice he was! Mentally she ran
over the list Of those young men who
she knew. had been invited tu the
party. What girl would have a more
distinguished cavalier? If only. he
were not a professor! I.at tine ether
girls! They all liked their lessons
with him.. With the cruelty of school
girls they made game of him and
practiced their budding wiles UPON
him. Had he ever called one Of them
by her first name, as he hal her? Ma
tale he had said. She remembered
the very information. How much ex-
preston could he put INTO single
word. Perhaps-he liked her A lit
tie pride stirred in her. virgin heart.