The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-03-30
The Evening Story
Across the Street.
(By Olive Roberts Barton.)

Rosemary jumped out OF beQ with
her eyes shut, and had the alarm
silenced before she opened them. The
room was dark and chilly, for
o'clock il early in March. In summer
Rosemary got up at 5.
She lit the gas and caught sight OF
the ribbon on her finger, tied there
the last thing the night before.
Memory. suddenly logged. woke up.
Mackerel! Thrat was it! They were
out OF salt mackereI for breakfast.
and she knew that Uncle Peter would
peeve If it were missing. She had
not discovered that the kit was empty
until bedtime, when she had gone to
the kitchen to put it to soak. Uncle
Peter liked it pretty salt. SO she had
decided to hurry and dress in the
morning and slip down to the store
before the neighbOrs were up. That
would give the fish two hours to soak,
for Uncle Peter never breakfaSted un-
til 9.
She dressed, then looked at herself
in the glass, undecided about her curl
papers. They were not becoming
in fact, they were decidedly the re-
verse-but their removal took time.
and time was precious.
When she was dressed and her hair
properly curled and arranged she
looked like the first half of her name;
that is. if she were with pleasant peo-
pie who took her out Of herself long
enough to forget the slaty grayness
OF her everyday life. Then she would
become really beautiful, the years
seemed to drop or and she was a girl
again. vivacious and charming.
But she generally was called by the
last half. Uncle Peter had chopped
OF the Rose when she came to keep
house for him. He said it was Flip
pant. And SO. little by little. he had
chopped on the best. things in her
life until only the bare and ugly
things remained. In time. Rosemary
had begun to look older than she
really was. This morning in the gas
light and curriers' she looked forty.
In reality she was thirty-three.
A month ago she would not have
given the papers q single thought.
But things were different now. What
If she should happen to meet the
boarder across the street?
She glanced at the clock. She
would have to risk it anyway. 1t was
nearly now and she must hurry.
She put on a sweater, tied q scarf over
her head and started down the street.
The shutters of the Blacks second
story front were closed and the win
dows all down. He was probably
dressing and had yet to eat breakfast.
She was safe.
She sighed. Pretty plump little
Polly Black probably looked as fresh
as d Oa1Sy In the IHOIHlHS. 01l0 ulO
not need curl papers for her thick,
wavy, reddish brown hair. Mary
sighed again, for as she was picturing
to herself charming, smiling little
Polly handing the bOarder his cup of
coffee, she caught sight Of herself in
a p1ate-glass window.
Don't be such a silly" she ex-
claimed. why, you don't even know
his name, and you certainly have no
identity as far AZ he goes. He prob
ably thinks you're the maid; for, dear
knows. he always happens along when
you're out cleaning windows or pol
ishing the door bell Didn't he even
day he hunted for Mrs. Blacks cat
in the alley! That is, II he noticed
you at ALL she added to herself.
The store was open when she ar
rived. She bought her fish, but held
1t away from her. for the odor pene-
trated the brown paper wrapping and
it made her sick. She hated fish.
I. Going home, she planned for the
days work. Her purchase had
knocked sentiment out of her head.
Love may laugh at locksmiths. but it
turns up its nose at other things and
walks away. Mary was wondering If
she could get the lunch dishes washed
in time to go down for some new tea
toweling and be home before the
baked beans for dinner would burn.
when she slipped on two-thirds of
square inch of ice and fell.
1t was a most awkward fall-the
kind when ones seIf-respect suffers
most. To make things worse, her
package flew, the dampened paper
, parted and Uncle Peters breakfast
lay shamelessly exposed upon the
brick pavement.
First we listen for q laugh-if we
can think of anything but q Jared
anatomy-next we glance surrepti-
tiously to see how the public takes It.
Everything favorable. and If our be-
longings happen to be anything In the
world but fish we pick them and our
selves up and march away, haught-
lily or belligerently, according to our
dispositions. ~
Nary didn't hear any one laugh,
but before she had time to pick her.
! self up, much less her BELONGINGS, she
saw q man running across the street
toward her. Horror Of horrors! It
was the boarder!
Are you hurt?" he asked anx-
! iously.
Mary shook her head. She felt that
| her face would soon burst IL the blood
did not stop rushing to It 20. mo.
thank you. she finally Hammered
and started to get up.
He helped her to her fest ana
started for the n6h.
"Oh. no. mol Please DON'T" she
protested '.I'n get another. It's only
d few steps hack to the store" In
her confusion she had not noticed
that her scarf had become loosened
until it dropped IT her feet With =
49, 49,