The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-12
The Epenine Story

(By lola Forrester.)

DevOtodlys BILL"
(By lola Forrester.)
Where are the matches?' |
Nan stumbled over a tabourette and
emitted q startled exclamation.
'Forevermore! Eleanor, where ON
earth are your
STAND still until can find whore
the switch is, goose" There came the
click of a button and the long recep-
ton hall lay revealed in q food Of
wasn't shut of. Everything else
seems to be. It's better than waiting
five hours at the station, anyhow, and
we can get a little sleep before we
catch the morning train"
Where are you going? Don't leave
mulligrubs now. It's like q haunted
housed"
Esther smiled down at the forlorn,
tired figure on the offending tabour-
cite. II just want to call mother up
on long distance SO she won't send the
car down to meet us at daybrealk."
She lifted the receiver from the stand
telephone. Hello. hello? Operator
Why. this is turned on. Man.
I'VE could go to a hotel" dubious
ly.
well. we won't Well go right up
stairs and go to bed in comfort"
Eleanor drew on her long gloves and
yawned.
1t was after IL, and they both need
ed rest more than anything after the
trip down from the mountains. Nan
peered down the shadowy hall.
Empty houses are awful places. 7
think. They always seem sort of
dead. Do you remember Tennyson's
Deserted House ?, sxszrz
Life and thought have gone away.
mo, don't, 'Fraid Cat" Eleanor
picked up her suitcase and cloak. II
don't believe in ghosts or gobble'uns.
or any fearsome things at all. Come
along"
room suite upstairs. The rooms con-
nected with each other. and Nan ram
bled about, her brown hair in two
long braids. and q kimono wrapped
about her, looking at the gfrlish knick-
nacks and photographs scattered
about. 1t was Eleanor's own special
corner Of the house. One could trace
each of her college years by the books,
pennants and kodak pictures. All at
once she stopped short. Tucked into
a corner was one photograph that
seemed different from all the rest. It
was such splendidly manly young
face that smiled out at one from 1t.
He seemed to take the whole world
into his confidence. Nan turned it
over and read on the back in q
scrawling. boyish writing:
"Devoted1y, BILL"
Over at the little white dressing ia
BILE. Eleanor sat brushing her hair.
connected her with college boys who
signed themselves. 'Devotedly. Bill"
She was SO self contained, SO rather
imperious in her ways. At old Brang-
waine Hall, where Nan had been her
classmate for four years. the other
oip nfnkn0 mod her oOnAan
Eleanor But Bill did not belong to
the Brangwaine days. Nan knew there
had been a special course up at Cor
nell when Eleanor had left the hall
Bill surely belonged to that period.
And suddenly Nan chuchled to think
that dear old dignified Nell, as they
had called her. should have had ro-
nance all by helself with this wide
eyed, joyous youngster.
What are you chuckling OVER"
asked Eleanor.
''Devotedly. BILL"
The face reflected in the oval mir
ror colored swiftly. Eleanor turned
around, her fair hair falling loosely
"oh. Men, didn't mean to stir mp
"Oh, It's an right. You didn't strike
any heavy minor chord" She looked
down at the photograph tenderly.
HE was just a boy 1 met up at Cor
nell last winter, the very first boy
that ever dared to love me. You
know, Man. how it seemed a. II AZ
ways rather frightened away men 9
rest of you girls And up there one
day I was in the library about sun
down, looking up some references. 1e
came up behind me. and never even
head. and kissed me good and plenty
.s3ieee his old brave heart inter-