The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-28
The Evening Story
Music and the diamond.
(By Dorothy Douglas.)

Music and the Diamond.
(By Dorothy Douglas.)
When John Robinson courted Madge
Atwell he did so with such whirlwind
force that the girl was swept complete
ly from her feet. She had consented to
marry him and had accepted a most
exquisite solitaire to complete the en-
gagement.
| Robinson possessed wealth and social
standing, while Madge owned a splendid
voice but scarcely the money with
which to have it cultivated. She
only regretted her poverty because it
withheld certain branches OF study.
from her which. in the dark hours OF
the night. Madge's soul 1onged for.
Never did she let the world know her
desires because the world might fling
| either pity or scorn at her, and Madge
was proud-too proud to accept help or
| condemnation.
When Robinson came into her life
Madg not only found herself strongly
attracted to him. but she realized also
| that his money would put her before
the best instructors the world afforded.
She was not In any way mercenary'
but she was thankful that love and the
| chance for advancement had come
hand in hand. She could not be really
| happy until she had won fame for her
self, and she loved love the more be-
cause it afforded her opportunity to
succeed more quickly than when
hampered by poverty.
She had been engaged to Robinson
for two joyous weeks. A particularly
trying day lay behind her and she
greeted her fiance with q tired but
happy smile.
II will be glad when you have given
up all this nerve-racking study" John
Robinson said. you are firing your
| sal ,rf Wi h
me straight on, SO that 1 could COM
mand you to give up your feverish de-
sire for music" He had spoken laugh
ingly. but Madge had felt a rush of
cold blood through her veins.
! II never intend to stop studying" she
would make me happy without my
music. intend to be a singer: !
thought you knew that" she added
and gazed wonderingly at him.
Il have always considered 1t joke"
Robinson told her, and would have
subject. but Madge eluded him.
IF you mean that" she said with
firm voice, II may as well tell you i
will never marry you"
Robinson grew a shade white. 81
have no desire to have my wife singing
in public and perhaps being away from
me just at the time / want her most
You will have plenty to do entertaining
and managing for me. Come-don't be
silly-I will do everything 1 can to make
you forget your desire for a career"
mo one could do that" Madge said.
and shook her head slowly. 1T is too
deeply rooted in my life dreams. No.
she replied. ST want my music more
than 1 want you-under the conditions
She drew the beautiful diamond from
her finger.
Robinson's eyes flashed. His quick
anger frightened Madge.
Don't give me back that bauble," he
said roughly. Its no good to me. and
I would only toss it into the street"
He flung himself out Of the room while
Madge watched him with a feeling
akin to relief.
When he had gone she fell to wonder
ing why she was SO little affected by
the smashing up of her first love affair.
With firmly set lips she put the ring
into her bureau drawer and shut the
romance from her life.
The following day she discovered
upon looking at her bank book that her
account was perilously near to totter-
ing. 1t was then that Madge wept bit
terly. She knew that the piano she had
rented for So month must go. She
could not afford it longer. That 81
would be needed for bread and butter
When she had finished weeping she
, was white and her eyes shone brilliant
| ~. Snc COulQ not i've WITHOUT a pldHO
Out of the depths OF her misery came
the realization Of the ring lying in her
drawer. 1t was a perfectly useless
; jewel that meant nothing to her and
the price of which would buy her a
, splendid piano! A friend of hers had
once sold a piece of jewelry for sci
: of furs and Madge saw no reason why
. she could not exchange her ring in the
same way.
, The advertisement she put in the
paper the next day was eagerly read
by one Jimmy Canes. Jimmy was in
tending to propose to Nelly Wake
but did not feel that even Nelly was
worth going into debt for and she wa.
the kind of a girl who would prize ar
! engagement ring. Jimmy could not
! spend q couple of hundred dollars
. just at the moment. but he could sac
/. rifice his piano. Nelly was not in the
least fond of music, and much as
Jimmy regretted the fact he felt that
! she had other good qualities
He sighed with unconscious visit
fulness. Jimmy had always pictured
!. a golden haired woman sitting at his
rosewood piano with a soft light on
? her upturned face while she sang to
: him and soothed away all worries OF
the day. Alas for dreams! Jimmy'z
! piano was to be q thing of the past
: He hoped that the fellow who wanted
: it would take care of It. Jimmy sup
, posed the person who had advertised
: was perhaps some man whose girl had
) Tilted him and given back his ring.
> Since he felt more OF less anxious
} to get the proposal over and his fu-
ture settled. Jimmy went to the ad-
dress mentioned in the advertisement
} AS he climbed the stairs in a b.
hemian part OF the city, he paused to
/ listen to the voice that penetrated into
tho halls from one Of the rooms II
, was a voice rich in timber and one that
set Jimmy's music-loving heart to
! beating excitedly. He hardly breathed