The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-25

been % demanded Aunt Keziah.
What have you got in that bundle !?
Not the hat, I'll be bound!"
Haltingly,s Mirella explained her
transaction with the youth. Its
worth two hundred dollars she
added in order to p1acate the irate
woman.
Two hundred fiddlesticks." re-
torted Aunt Keziah sharply, filling
the teapot. But it's none of my
business, Mirelia Elwood. If you'd
rather have a twangling fiddle than a
new hat, why, 1 don't care a mite,
only folks will certainly laugh at YOU
for wearnirg that old black straw an
other season."
One hot August morning the Ell
woods were making blackberry jam.
Mirella sat on the, back porch looking
over the luscious fruit and her finger
tips and her lips were stained with
the ruddy juice. In the kitchen Aunt
keziah was singing in a high cracked
voice some ancient love ditty of her
faraway youth.
A quick step sounded on the grav-
eled path and Mirella looked up to
see tall young man standing before
her.
Miss Mirella Elwood?" he asked,
bowling, hat in hand, before her
YES" said, Mirella.
My name is Hastings" he ex-
planned, George Hastings. I came to
thank you for your kindness to my
brother few weeks ago. Some of us
would have come down before this,
but Harry has been seriously i'll with
typhoid"
Mr.. Hastings sat down on the steps
and in a few words related the story
of young Harry Hastings passion fer
music and his desire to adopt it as a
profession. The elder Hastings being
a man of hard, practical ideas, had
opposed the notion. and finally,
Harry had run away from home.
when 1 stopped at the postoffice
to inquire the way to your house, the
postmistress took occasion to inform
my brother and now, I know the
whole story-how you sacrificed a
much desired hat in order to help
save a boy from Starvation.
Mirella blushed confusedly. 1t had
seemed such simple thing to do at
the time, with Harry's hungry, home
sick eyes upon her; but to hear it
from the lips of Harry's big brother
filled her with a wild desire to run
away and hide herself.
1T is nearly time for winter hats
now" she stammered, and really
didn't mind it at all. Tell me, is your
father going to allow Harry to study
music %
Yes, he has promised him that he
shall go to Paris as soon as he re-
covers his strength. The boy is wild
over 1t. 1 have promised to bring him
down here as soon as he is able to
ride"
Aunt Keziah, who had heard
enough to satisfy her curiosity, had
hastily changed her dress. Now, she
came out in a lilac dimity gown with
a dainty, lace trimmed apron, and so
gracious was she to Mirella's morn
ing caller that he accepted her invita-
ton to dinner.
Mire1la, darkly beautiful as ever,
was conscious of a strange singing
happiness in her heart. The whole
world looked fair and lovely and the
future was a rainbow tinted dream.
Hats and red roses were relegated to
the background.
The following week the whole
Hastings family motored down from
New York to see Mirella Elwood and
her aunt. Harry, looking gaunt and
pale, smiled radiantly upon Mirella
and when Aunt Keziah heard him
play on the violin which Mirella
brought forth the old lady declared
that never before had she heard real
music. After that Aunt Keziah Ell
wood never referred again to p