The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-04-02
The Euening Story
Amabel's Desire.
(By Bryant L. Rogers.


been gratified.''
! "O1d?" scoffed Stella Mayse- AS
if you could ever grow old!a
ut is because you look so content
ed Miss Walton, that Stella and L
wondered if you really suffered from
an unqualified desire" Marion Reeves
smiled at her instructress with lus-
trous gray,green eyes the
gray old college buildings wearing
their ivy green NANTES with dlgnlnea
submission to the passing years, ana
| a tender smile touched her sort lips:
There is one unfulfilled wish that
baunts my hours" she admitted at
last.
II knew it." triumphed Stella
do you mind telling us about 1t
TT is such simple wish that you
will wonder why I have not srat1neo
if am dying to wear pink-a SOFT,
rosy pink gown-there, am not per-
fectly idiotic?"
The little teacher of music at Fen
ton college looked appealingly at the
sympathetic girlish faces of her ia
vorite pupils.
| seWhy don't you wear it, them"
marveled Stella.
Miss Walton touched her beautiful
4 snowy hair. Because it would be. so
absurd-at my age. But how longed
to wear it when was a child! lived
with a maiden aunt who was severely
plain in her beliefs. 1 was permitted
TO wear gray or brown or blue-but
pink was looked upon as frivolous
color and so it was banned from my
wardrobe.
Aunt Matilda had maid who once
told me that pink was most unbecom-
ing to met made me look yellow;
so l cast aside her pink sunbonnet
which 1 had worn to the meadow, and
with it 1 threw away my last hope of
wearing the beautiful color of hope
and youth. AS the years passed on
could choose colors 1 never bought
pink frock, though L longed to-
believed it to be unbecoming; and the
years have gone by and I've worn
black and white and blue and brown
and lavender, but never bit of pink
and there is my ungratified wish!
Miss Walton's soft brown eyes were
very bright when she finished and
there were two pink spots in her I'M
wrinkled cheeks. With her snow
white hair she was beautiful and the
hair which might have added weight
to her years, also lent a freshness
and bloom of a youth which was not
very distant.
but that is no reason why you
should not wear pink now. dear Miss
Walton insisted Marion. DO
please,'
"A woman is as young as she
looks."
"And you look very, very young in
deed. Won't you wear pink fTock
Miss Walton hesitated. 81 must have
a new frock," she admitted.
DO let us go to town with you and
select it, urged the girls, and at last
Amabel Walton consented.
The night of the October reception I
AmabeI regarded her reflection in the I
mirrorswith mingled distrust and de-
light /
Could that charming being dain
lily gowned in rose pink crepe de /
chine be Miss Amabel Walton, in
I1sa6 Oh
at other receptions? Black charmeuse
soft white frocks-once dainty
violet crepe-in all these gowns she
had looked charming but mature.
In this delicate pink creation she
looked a slender girlish fgure-lil<e
one of those Dresden china bits on
her mantelpiece.
The door burst open and Stella
and Marion stood there in their SIM
pie white frocks.
"Oh, Miss Walton!'' they gasped
in delight and were very silent.
DO 1 look very-foolish? she
asked at last.
You look heavenly" cried Stella
while Marion bent
and kissed her soft cheek.
There was murmur of surprise in
the room when Amabel entered with
Stella and Marion.
There was such transformation
from the plainly gowned little music
teacher that Nine. Drouet, the French
teacher, elevated her sandy eyebrows
Hanford.
Professor Hanford frowned and his
eyes followed Amabefs pink clad form
with such a mixture of admiration and
turned quite yellow with
jealousy. The rude remark of
thoughtless freshman added to the
French woman's discontinue.
Dear mel" whispered the fresh
man at mademoiselle's elbow, doesn't
look a fright?
quite like an egg salad with plenty
of mayonnaise," returned her com
panion in the same giggling whisper
Mademoiselle swept away and Pro-
fessor Hanford, glad of his release,
wandered aimleSsly around until he
came upon Amabel sitting alone in the
deep bay window, a roll of music in
her hand and her brown eyes shining
with unshed tears.
You are to play for US ?' asked the
professor in a pleased tone.
Amabe1 shook her head and essayed
a faint smile.
Marion Reeves is going to sing-I
am to play her accom- paniment-"
The professor looked down at her
with infinite tenderness in his eyes.
'.You-you are distressed?' he asked,
shyly.
quivered Amabel. 81 have worn this
frock-'
tRidicuIous,'' interrupted the pro- !
lessor. 1T is charming. 1 am won
dering why you do not wear it al
ways"
Il am too old to wear pink" sighed {
Miss Walton, without coquetry.
"A woman is never too old to wear
what is so infinitely becoming" pro- $
tested the Greek instructor eagerly. S
1T is pity that more women do not c
the art of dressing becom- c
ngly. Now, pink-pink is my favor I
tie color
Something in his tone made Amabel t
blush. t