The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-17
The Euening Story
Vera Goes Fishing.
BY Olive Roberta Bartou,)

VCE0 A1OCS r ASAnAA18s
(By Olive Roberts Barton.)
There had been time with the
Wigleys, when their little house OF
four rooms was bright from roof to
kitchen with floral carpets and wall
paper and varicolored upholstering on
all the furniture.
The soap business prospered, and
Mrs. Wigley learned. Their next
house of eight rooms had nothing flor
al in it's adornment. Instead. the
rugs everywhere had perfectly evident
oriental medallions. that might almost
have been genuine. the parlor discard
ed for q living room, and the furniture
SO monotOnOusly on the mission style
that 1t might have all been turned out
of u carpenter shop. Besides there was
an evidence of brass that was aston
ishing.
per. and Mrs. Wigley continued to
learn.
Next came a still larger house with
real Eastern rugs. rich dull mahog-
any. very limited amount of bronze.
and good pictures.
itself and Mr.. Wigley now having a
dozen irons in the fire to open the
money pots of the people. the Wig
leys had forged ahead indeed. Their
home was now a mansion. the fur
nishings the wonder OF feature sup
plements, servants in such numbers
as to be spoken of as "a body" and
the family was often abroad or at the
country home.
Vera Wigley, an only daughter, had
passed through as many vicissitudes
in her upbringing as the home itself.
At four she had played happily in the
alley with the Mulligans next door.
At twenty-four, she had her own
French maid, her own apartments at
home, her own limousine and chauf-
rope.
Mrs. Wigley kept pace with her
daughter and was a very elegant per-
son. to say the least.
But Pa Wigley was still Pa Wigley,
eating peas-no. not with his knife.
but with a spoon, and insisting on
wearing slippers in the house.
He was the milestone around the
social neck of Mrs. Wigley. No
amount of travelling, lecturing, tutor
ing nor pleading could polish him. He
was hopeless. Just as soon as Mrs.
wigley obtained a foothold upon the
social ladder, pa would slip and trip
them all.
Her despair was the more cor1plete
since Vera. too. had decided to.dQ her
own thinking of late. In spite of her
French maid, she was beginning - to
show decidedly plebeian traits-eyi-
IDENTIFY inherited from her father. 1t
had been much wz since their tr-
rival at the country pnse. The two
had acquired the habit Of putting on
old shoes and tramping for miles over
country roads. Vera's complexion was
being ruined!
And only yesterday-Mrs. Wigley's
eyes were still threatening to run over
at the very thought-she had discov-
cred them both back in the garden
digging for worms TO go fishing. Mr..
Wigley had explained unblushingly
that he wasn't using his other stuff
(referring to his expensive outfit = of
rods. reels and flies on display in the
gunroom) because he didn't know
what the blame things, were for
had cut on some of their rambles.
TT just means,* sobbed the un-
happy lady, that our names will new
er go through at the Country club.
What will people think of us? The
very servants are laughing"
But the most agonizing thought of
all was about the earl's youngest
brother!
In some manner they had managed
to meet him in Europe the previous
spring and he had seemed to like
Vera. When Mrs. wigley heard he
was at present a guest of the Jack
Turner's, their nearest neighbors. she
planned a wonderful campaign. Things
just now were at a standstill, however,
pending the decision of the Country
club. True the earrs youngest
brother was plain Mister-but even so!
1t was all too dreadful! And Mrs.
Wigley cried again. Dear knows
where her husband and daughter
were now. Tramping again-or fish
ing!
At 6 o'clock the wanderers had not
returned. Il know Just how Vera will
look" declared her mother. Really,
I'm ashamed for even Marie to see
her."
She paused. Here they come now.
Heavens! There is some one with
them Who in the world can they
have picked up at this time of day?"
She stood on the broad terrace that
overlooked the rolling velvet lawn.
Three persons had turned in at the
big iron gate and were passing the
lodge just inside the entrance. Its
man-in cap! He's got a rod,
too! Um-hum! Some tramp they've
picked up fishing, of course! 1 simply
can't stand this much longer. And
Just look at Vera! She's a fright. and
laughing like a minnie at something
the FOOLS saying
The fool evidently did not agree
with Mrs. Wiglev, for. he seemed to
have eyes for nothing else in the world
but pretty, tousled Vera in her broad
hat and rumple white linen dress.
As tne trio approached the steps,
an electric shock shot up Mrs. Wig
suddenly faint and leaned against a
pillar for support. She had recog-
nized the tramp" as the earrs
brother
Mrs. Wiley had never stopped
learning. One of the things stamped
indelibly on her brain was-never to
show your feelings! Smile. She had
saved the day many q time by smiling.
There was the time Mr.. Wig1ey had
shaken hands with the Jones's butler
Just now the sky and trees were
the terrace was rolling away in great
waves. but the earl's youngest brother
saw only q pretty, amiable woman