The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-28
The EDening Story

(By Elinor Gates. }

| a newcomer, Mrs. Ruel Latran, who
had taken the Farms under rather a
! long lease-Green Farms, to be exact,
/ the show place of the colony. Who
ever lived in it must have money, also
social sponsors, also, beyond all, per-
sonality.
You see, Olney, who owned the
Farms although tired of the place, yet
held it in a certain petulant regard,
which made him exacting as to posi-
BILE tenants. He had let it stand empty
save for caretakers and sundry of his
employees in the vacation period for
two full years, losing thereby in taxes,
interest and repairs a very pretty
penny.
The which is illuminating-both as
to owner and new tenant. Olney had
never seen her, but what he had
heard from a mutual acquaintance SO
prepossessed him in her favor that his
inquiries had not gone beyond her
bank account.
She had taken possession all but
-covertly-with the noiseless, unhurried
ease possible only to wealth, COM
bined with knowledge. Notwithstand-
ing, she did not in the least affect the
pose of grande dame. Contrariwise,
she herself conducted business with
the tradeSfolk, selecting the shops
that were most inviting, asking with a
charming smile to be served with the
wisdom of the sellers asking also a
strict rendering of weekly accounts,
adding generously, that in case of
rush orders the trouble they made
should be considered in the bills.
Also, she asked modestly in regard
to a pew-if st. Asaph's rented sit
tings, please give her the best avail
able. No, she might not occupy it
always not even often-but
she wanted her place there of right.
not of courtesy. Of course. when it
was vacant she would be glad to have
the sexton fill it with casuals. She
went even further on finding plenty
of pews vacant-took three, each for
deaconess to let sundry poor gentle
women know they We're free of them.
Add to this that for all her Paris
thi ngs, her frocks and frills, proclaim
ing the exclusive avenue shops, she
found occasion to buy from the local
milliner, the struggling and struggling
local dry goods store, and you will see
that Hiidreth-Chesley had reason to
rejoice in it's new inhabitant even
more than it gossiped about her.
The colony, of course, swarmed in
welcome to her. That she was dis
tinctly new was all in her favor. A
vague haze of romance enshrouded
her past. Some said her millions were
mine bred. Others limited she had
acquired them by the parlous paths of
divorce. Still others made her one of
The rarely lucky ones who, choosing
to be old mems darlings, are rewarded |
by swift widowhood. Whatever the |
fact, she was surely not unconsoled |
any more than she was indecorously |
gay. Her manners, indeed, had just |
the touch of half-mourning that made |
her clothes so wonderful.
No armor is so impenetrable as a |
casual frankness that scouts the name |
Of secrets. Mrs. Latran was amazing |
~ frank-evena bout her age Twenty /
1,O, he -ier
ing that it was so near to thirty and |
waving away consoling speech that |
she hardly looked twenty-five. Fur
her, she spoke Of her college, of her
native country, touching very lightly |
IN the fact that she was the last of her
ace. Oddly, she did not think ever
o mention the ia mily name. but there |
vas no tripping her, even if anybody
had tried it. over country sights and
and habits of mind.
1t was even odder-women took to
Ter amazingly. Not that she kowtowed
o them or put herself about to fas-
innate them. Unconsciously they sensed
n her a detachedness. a lack of po-
entail rivalry. Which is another way
If saying that she let severely alone all
heir masculine appandages, present or
This IN spite of being
charming to every moth
RS son of them. AS Teeny Ware put
t. she was the best sort of good fell
ow.
OIney, who came down in August,
aughed over the saying His coming
vas a surprise. OF cours he did not
70 to the Farms, but he did meet the
mistress of it many times. Also. he
tudied her intently-a thing he had
arely done for any woman.
Notwithstanding, they got on ad-
Mira bly,. She apparently ignored the
haIlenge of his scrutiny and was gay
nd cordial as with all the rest So
here was really scant warrant for his
aying to her at the end of a fortnight,
Madame, whatever the game is
enceforth you must count me in
mot yet. 1t would spoil every
what mirth and mockery
anced over her eyes and mouth. IT
are not even let my whole self in {
he ran on. THE experiment is as
orserous as a soap bubble-and as J
asily broken
Il won't break it, Oilney answered,
indy. Tell me by little. As. for in 7
lance, isn't Dan Langton the original +
rst cause of it ~
you are his best rriend?'' she par =
led
Olney nodded, but said quickly: 'I
ome next to you No-he hasn't said .
} outright-but when he talked of '
on the very first time-I knew !
What did he say of me?" she asked !
reathlessly-
"Oh, nothing much. Just that you
ere the wonder or the world, and I
lore of that sort. You know it by o
cart, I'm sure
$50 that's why you let me come C
And I have believed it was all my s
onderfuI man of business. Say.
hat did ne tell your" c
'.Nothing-had no chance" Olney a
lswered TRANQUILITY Then, dropping j
a pIaintiye key: please remember 2