The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-30
The Euening Story
When Bluff Meets Bluff.
(By Catherine CoOpe.l

about what? - introducing the
speaker? It's az simple as shooting
fish," said his chum, consolingly.
Make pretty bow. show your teeth,
clear your throat and go on to say
that Nine. So and So-and SO and
So
''Never mind! Do it yourself, il you
are such an adept. I'm all right and
perfectly at home with the fellows.
and presiding at q regular meeting OF
the league is fine, but when it comes
ders and a real live lady speaker, I've
got cold feet-that's ALL"
The Young Mems league Of the viii
lage Of Rawson had been prevailed
to have a speaker come out from the
city to talk on woman suffrage, it be-
ing campaign year in the state.
George Madison, president OF the
league, was the chairman Of the even
ing, as 1t had been planned, and was
to introduce Mrs. Robert Lane Law
ton. famous suffrage speaker, society
leader, etc. The whole village. suf-
frage sympathizers and anti-suf-
fragists Of both sexes would be pres
ent. Madison was to have his car
stop at the train, and he, himself. be-
ing possessed of the one and only
limousine in the village, was to escort
the speaker to the hall-han OF agony
it now seemed to him.
The train was painfully prompt and
SO was the strikingly dressed person
who alighted from it wearing q tiny
yellow satin rose-the emblem by
which she was to be known to the
reception committee.
Madison approached her and raised
his hat. MRS. Lawton?" he asked in
a voice strangely unafraid.
'Yes-a-that is, Mrs. Lawton was
taken i'll at the eleventh hour, and L
Dorothy Lane-being her understudy,
so to speak, had to come In her stead.
She's SO distressed, i
Don't worry for moment"
George fastened to say. II assure you
coming to SO unimportant meeting"
They had stopped before the COM
Portable Limousine, and Madison him
self opened the door to let her in. ITO
the high school building, Horton"
And in an undertone to the trusted
family chauffeur, There's no great
meeting
little sigh as he took his seat beside
Miss Lane. DO you expect big
crowd ?" she asked. And then he was
sure of the nervousness.
Oddly enough, all his own fear had
vanished at sight Of the lovely young
woman. YES" he said, butt is
a crowd unaccustomed to the educated
speakers of the CITY,"
He heard another sigh, muffled as
best the girl could muffle it in such
necessarily and gave every evidence
of being unhappily i'll at ease.
I'm going to introduce you." Madi-
son voucksafed as if to put her at
him.
"Oh. how very meet" said Miss
Lane.
"A-ah. yes-nice of you." added
George.
Then there was silence. The car
moved silently over the good country
roads. Presently George turned to the
girl at his side. What? Could it be
possible? yesMshe ss was-sh sr., was
trying to hold back the sobs. but they
would not be checked.
"Oh, Miss Lane-I-" George
stopped. He knew not what to say.
T-I-Im SO desperately fright
ened-so dreadfully nervous that l.
Il The girl went on crying.
George let her cry for q moment
while he tried to think Of something
sane to say. He knew almost how
she felt. He had felt that way him
self until he had seen her.
her equilibrium sufficiently to look at
him through the remaining tears.
! How perfectly awful she said. try
ing to laugh. but failing woefully.
Yves" sighed George as II in
great relief.
Then Dorothy Lane did laugh.
Were you thinking you were shut
| up In you, car with a lunatic?" she
asked.
"Oh-oh, no." he fastened to as
sure her. "Only-"
| "Only men do hate women who cry,
| especially strange women. But I'll
| Just confess 1t all to you now
| And in a few words she told him
how she had been leafning how to
| speak In public for the cause she
was so earnest q worker in, and Of
how this opportunity to try her abfl-
| ity in q remote village had come to
her And then, when she had seen
the dignity with which she had been
met, and the status OF the audience
that was awaiting her began to be
magnified in her Imagination she
could not contain herself for fright.
| She was utterly panic stricken.
And 1 was SO sure OF myself when
| I left home. I was sure could blum
YES. that's the Word-any one into
| thinking 1 was q seasoned public
speaker, and"-she threw out her
! hands-''this IL the result IL cry
| like a school GIRL A flne suffrage
speaker, am n0t?"
The president OF tho league then
confessed his own misgivings and
connded to the beautiful Dorothy
Lane that he had been on the very
verge Of feigning illness when the
time approached to 60 to the train
to meet the formidable New York
speaker.
"But now he added, 81 feel a. II
! I could make . lrosentation speech