The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-23
EVENING STORY
Aunt Persis Has a Plan.
(By Louise Ollver-)


This morning 1 Weakened as happy
tonight L feel like the fellow in myth
| ology who had to keep the world
balanced on his shoulders And what
has made this wonderful difference
in my outlook on existence since
| your bath is ready, sir.' and the
present moment?
A girl, of course.
And such a girl!
| When I think of the way her hair
curled over the tops of her ears ana
her eyes-teasing one moment and
| then half closed to see how you'd
take it the next-it drives me mad.
Here is what happened:
I came yesterday on visit to Aunt
Persis. 1 came for various reasons
First because mater and pater wished
it You see, Aunt Pers has the fam
/ lily fortune, and so of course all the
branches out to the sixteenth cousin
are nice to her. So as l finished
college last week dad said: You
must make your Aunt Persis a visit
and let her see what a decent fellow
you are. She may have some plan
up her sleev for you, son, aid SO
humor her as far as you. can. IL he
says girl don't shy like an unbroken
colt till you see ow things turn out"
L
night
Well, as l said. 1 wakened heart
whole and care free and enjoyed a
good breakfast-until Auntie said:
Addison, do you remember the little
Lambie girl you used to play with
next door? The one you got cross at
| one day for laughing when your pony
| threw you into the mud and whom
you chased with a handful of burrs
| and stuck them all through her
curls?'
The memory brought guilty flush
Yes 1 remember, Aunt Pers.'
She nodded. We'll, Grace is
great favorite of mine now, Addison.
and I've taken notion I'd like to see
you two married. She'd make you
wonderful wife. She's been educated
to the. last notch, but she's just as
sweet and natural as that morning
out there. 1 love you two young peo-
pie better than anything in the world
and I'm getting Old significantly.
Then she went to a desk and brought
out a box. I've had another fancy
lately, too. I've had my jeweler de-
sign a ring that any girl would be
like it?"
She held out the box. I'd never
seen anything SO superb or unique as
that ring. The platinum frosted with
tiny diamonds held a large square cut
diamond and sapphire in the center.
.'Wonderful,' 1 cried, with mixed
feelings.
You might put it in your pocket"
suggested the old lady. And now,
Addison. don't you think you'd better
apologize for the burst
Things were moving a bit fast, but
remembered what dad said, so I
showed the box into my jacket pocket
and patted her shoulder, reassuringly.
TIL look over the landscape, Aunt
Pers, if you wish, but I'll not promise
to jump any hurdles-just YETI
You haven't seen Grace yet" was
all she would say.
Well, so far everything was lovely
and harm done.
There certainly was risk in mo-
toring over to call on old friends, SO
took my roadster and went over at 10.
And after that 1 proceeded to make
such a general all-around jackass of
myself that I'm sitting up writing to-
night instead of going to bed, for how
on the earth am l going to tell Aunt
Pers about the ring and everything?
oh, heavens. what a mess,
| Well, I was going along the road
that leads to the Naples and just be-
fore | came to the big gate a little
car jumped around a curve and i hit
it. A girl few out into some bushes
as my car caught hers and carried it
along bit. I finally got the engine
stopped and ran back as fast as I
cOulu, put the girl wash hurt d bit
and there she stood, tousled with a
smudge across one cheek, but laugh
ing and looking too sweet for any
thing. I'll bet my heart hammered
harder than hers. Such eyes, and, as
| said before, the way her hair curled
softly over her ears.
Aren't you hurt?;' 1 called.
! DO I look it %
No, you certainly don't, but are
you sure you're not? Have you felt
al1-all your bones?"
Every one, tibia, fibula, femur,
radius, ulna, humerus, clavic. soap
ula- she Enumerated rapidly
stop, cried You sound like
class in anatomy. Won't you come
out in the open and walk around to
make sure, and help me to ascertain
the exact amount of damage to your
car I'm responsible, you know"
| 1T was my fault she protested.
mo, mine,''
Il beg of you" Then something
/ familiar struck me
! Is your name Grace?"
| Il thought so. Don't you remem-
| Der me? am Addison ennings. [
was just going over to pay my re
spects.'
| She was silent minute, then
lieve 1 do"
1 was piqued that she should for
get oh, don't you? 1 was just on
my way to ask YOU to marry me- See,
Miss Persis Grants nephe W."
She took the box. puzzled rs it a
joker
certainly not
Miss Persis told you to do it. no
doubt
ASKED me to, to- be exact And
I'm being dutiful''
! Her manner maddened me. I was