The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-01
The Eueni,,e Story
Her Trip,
(By Olive Roberts Barton.)

Her Trip.
(By Olive Roberts Barton.)
Don met them at the train-Lor-
raine. her mother and father. 1t
seemed centuries since he had seen
her, Lorraine. Of course. although it
had been but two weeks since she
had gone away.
The parting had been full Of fore
boding for Don. Su a trip was sure
to be prolific in young men. At home
it was bad enough, and Don had to
have the prowess of a gladiator and
the cunning of a Chinaman to keep
these unwelcome attaches from bob
bling up constantly. To make things
more omin GUS, Lorraine had intimat-
ed before leaving that Signorina Lolita
had foretold tantalizingly vague
things Of a tall young man with
brown eyes and dark hair. This was
thorns and nettles to Don. whose eyes
were gray and hair q decided auburn.
He Low searched her face anxious
ly. Had the dark young man mate
rallied in the fortnight's vacation?
There -as nothing there to tell. Lor-
raine was as sweet and smiling-and
might j1st as we'll try to analyxe the
feelings of the Sphynx with its secret
eternal. He had hoped for a little
extra Welcoming light in her violet
eyes, some sign that the two weeks
away from him had been long and
lonely. But although Lorraine's
greeting was all that could be desired
as to cordiality and friendliness, it
smacked too largely Of the dear. big
brother variety. There was almost
the same brand for Bridget and
Prince at the house.
He was asked to stay to dinner and
accepted gratefully. He had a logged
determination not to leave until he
had verified, or dissipated. his fears.
Two things favored him-the moon
and the al ival Of the preacher. The
back yard swing soon had two occu-
pants.
Lorraine suddenly became talkative.
The whole thing was heavenly, Don.
From the minute we left until just
now
Thanks
You're welcome, grouchy. I'd
think you'd be glad to see me back
Instead. you've been glooming around
like a funeral. Well. I'm going to tell
you all about it anyway. I've just
Der about Signorina Lotta-all she
said about a dark man and every
thing?"
Nor killing a mosquito. What
did she say? Surely you don't be-
lieve the rot a fortune teller gets on ?"
"Oh. but 1 do. 1t all came true:
almost every word Of It. You see, it
was this way" gazing rapturously at
the moon. when We got to Balti-
more the city was all decorated for
the big centennial There were flags
and emblems and lights and-well.
anyway. it looked very nice. After
We had seen the decorations and all
that dad wanted to 60 on q battleship.
So we took car and went down to
the place where you get boats and got
lame and made an awful noise.''
well. where does the fellow come
in?"
Just wait, Mr.. Impatient. I'm
coming to that. When we got within
speaking distance of one of the big
gray battleships they wouldn't let us
on. 1t was dinner time or mess or
something like that.
But WHERE
Ssh! I'm coming to that! Then we
whoppfng man-of-war that made you
feel all glorious and patriotic
But When
BE quiet; I'm coming to him soon.
They let us on that one. We went up
a funny little pair of stairs they low
cred over the side of the boat. You'd
never think you were going on one
of those awful boats that can blow up
a whole town. And the guns! You
Just ought to see the guns, and the
turrets and
But what has your brown-eyed
! friend to do With"
For goodness sake. be quiet, Don.
You're worse than Prince barking for
q bones Where was I? Oh. yes! The
guns! Well. mother and I were look
ing all around everywhere. not able
to believe that all that gray. plain
looking stuff was armor plate a
couple OF fet thick Dad had wander
ed off by himself and in q few min
utes he came back with the tallest.
handsomest. darlingest broWneyed-
Don coughed painfully behind his
hand.
Poor boy! what = cold. Well. as
L was saying. dad came back with the
tallest, hand"
I II heard you first time"
"Oh, did you? Well. he was. And
he treated m just lovely. He took ~
lots of places other people weren't al
lowed to 90. for he was an officer. His
uniform was gr-r-a-a-nd. He had
come up from Annapolis with the mid
shipmen for the parade on shore I'm
the afternoon.
..And when We were ready to 30
boats that was just leaving.
s@Then afterWafd, Lieut.. Erdcson-
that was his name-got ~ splendid
seats for the parade on one Of the re-
viewing stands. The parade was COR
geous. Army and navy, you know:
and he was In 1t. He saluted US when
he passed. Ny. but he was hand
some!- (Sigh-)
Silence.