The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-24
The Evening Story
John and Mary.
(By Helen Merritt.)


and she had a new and beautiful
gown. What more could a girl want ?
AS she entered the reception room.
John rose to greet her. She paused
before she reached him, and. letting
the long cloak slip from her Shout
ders, stood revealed in all the bravery
OF the new finery. For just a second
she waited, then her eyes sought the
face of her lover with eager question
ing.
Immediately some of the joy went
out of her own.
Don't you like 2" she faltered
He might have been diplomatic in
his reply. He might easily have evad-
ed the question and returned a kiss
instead of an answer. But that was
not Johns way.
So he blurted out bluntly mo, I
don't"
Tears rose instanter to dim the
brightness of Mary's blue eyes. She
looked at him, mutely reproachful.
'Why?" she asked. after a long
pause.
But specific explanation was quite
beyond John. He did not like the
dress. That much he knew. He could
not find any definite fault with it. He
did not even insist, as some men might
have done, that it did not appeal to
him. He simply stood and gazed dis
appointingly at it. and under the
shadow of that look Mary broke down
and wept openly. Then, without an
other word, she ran from the room.
John sat him down again and wait
ed. Mary, he assured himself, would
not go out with him in a dress he did
not like. She had gone to change it
for one one which he had set the
seal of his approval
But when a half hour had passed
and Mary had not returned to him,
.JOhn hRRan have n1jSQivinVg Ar
the end of another ten minutes. he
rang the bell and requested the maid
who answered it to say to Miss Mary
that he was waiting.
When the maid returned she hand
ed him a note and a tiny package.
John opened the note first. 1t was
very brief. He read amazedly: II
am not going out with you-now or
at any other time. Mary"
Then he opened the package 1t
contained the engagement ring which
she had permitted him to place on her
finger.
Besides being straightforward to the
verge of brusqueness, John was stub
born. He felt that he did not deserve
the punishment which was being
melted out to him and his sturdy sense
of justice cried out against it Be
lfeving himself in the right, it did
not behoove him to make overtUres.
He would not try to see Mary again
eAieAi oilC i1oo LII 81 lIldIlltSl0Q d us
position to be penitent for her harsh
treatment of him. He put on his hat
and went home in that frame of mind.
And the breach thus opened widen
Ell steadily as time sped on. Mary
sent no conciliatory message. John
made no effort to readjust matters
Bctf were miserable. but neither
would be first to seek a remedy
Mary, with nothing much to keep
her busy, moped and fretted- John.
with business on his hands. was q
trifle better off. but in the long, dull
evenings he wanted Mary. She had
always been SO ready to cheer him up
and make him see the bright side
when things had gone wrong. He
missed her sympathy and companion
enough to sue for forgiveness, when
he felt quite sure that he had lone
nothing which needed forgiving.
Mary's maid went to her mistress
one day and asked: Miss Mary, what
had we better do about the rough
laundry this week? Old Mary hasn't
been to get it,
Young Mary turned languidly from
the book she was only pretending to
read.
Perhaps she's sick" she suggested
III go over to her place and see
about it,
1t was a sad enough spectacle which
confronted Mary when she reached
the poor home of the laundress. The
few bits of furniture were piled up
bonnet of rusty black and her Paisley
shawl. was sitting beside John, her
rheumatic old husband. trying vainly
to comfort him.
The story was soon told. Johns
rheumatism would not permit him to
work steadily any longer. Old Mary's
painful earnings would little more
than pay the rent. 1t was starvation
or the poorhouse.
For myself I don't care" old John
that proud, Little did 1 think when
L married her that she would have to
end her days in the poorhouse."
Young Mary thought rapidly and
the end of her bordering brought glad
relief to the face of old John.
''Ill take Mary home with me-" she
said authoritatively. There's a little
room over the kitchen she can have.
She can help the cook when she is
able. and she'll he well looked after"
Praise bel" calculated old John
piously. 81 can go myself to the poor
house with a good heart. God bless
you, Miss Nary"
An hour or two later. leaning on his
stick and shuffling his way to the
road leading to the poorhouse, old
John was halted by a CHEEKY Erecting:
Hello. john What's up with you?
You haven't been around lately to do
he lawn"
The old man repeated the tale of his
Its the rheumatism, Mr.. john" he |
explained. Its got me all tied up in |
1 knot. Mary and me has to go to |
he poorhouse-leastwa Mary would |
nave had to go along with me but for |
L kind hearted lady that has given |
her a home"
1t was Johns turn to take the role |
If good fairy. He knew how these old |
-olks had always dreaded the poor
house. The "kind-nearted lady" who |
mad taken old Mary in had set him a
good example which he knew he
would do well to follow.
You won't have to go to the poor |
house, ne told the old fellow. you
come around TO the garage with me.
There's room there the under garden
ar used to have. You shall stay there
The cook will feed you. When you feel
ike doing bit of work, why, do it.
When you don't, there won't be any,