The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-01
The Euening Story
When David Wore a Rose.

woman, on her hands and knees at
her task of weekly cleaning
4 am sure L should like to know"
said Elizabeth. why David Hincl1Ie
has suddenly grown so clipper, ac-
tually wearing a rose in his button
holei"
You know what I'd say" re-
sponded Nellie. "I'd say that Mr..
Hinckle was thinking of getting mar
ried. That's what it would generally
mean
stuff and nonsense" snapped
Elizabeth. "Who ever heard Of a con-
firmed old bachelor marrying and
who on earth would have him any
but of course he has barely enough
to take care of himself and he hasn't
done a stroke of law practice for three
years at least. All he cares for ere
his pipe and his books, hunting N
season and his garden the rest of the
time. A likely sutton he'd make I'm
sure. Very strange, though, for him
to be wearing that rose Times are
hard enough, dear knows, so there is
no reason for his feeling very cay
AS a matter OF fact, there as no
reason why David EIinckle should be
cIassed as old bachelor any more than
that Elizabeth should be put in the
''old maid" category. Still, in the
eyes of the small community their
title to the distinction was clear.
Elizabeth was thirty-two, and OF the
type of tall brunette that. like the
flowers of late summer, reveals its
true loneliness only after sprinetime
has passed. And Elizabeth would
have been very lovely, indeed, in spite
of her severe dress and blunt man
ners. had there been any one in the
small town to appreciate her worth
DO you know, Nellie" she said
later in the day, addressing her only
confidant-for Elizabeth lived alone
in, IaY. 20 clx1a old home I13 Nid
Hinckle lived in his-''do you know,
can't get over that rose that David
was wearing this morning, l saw him
come back with it on at noon. L
think he had been down TO the court-
house And the worst of it is he
knows 1 saw it, for 1 happened to De
on the veranda at the time. Nellie,
suppose you get on your things ana go
down to the florists and get me a
bunch of violets. l would just like
to show that neighbor of mine that /
am just as lighthearted as he is
though ] am sure we haven't either OF
us. much to laugh about, dividends
getting smaller and smaller
Great Scot Michael, but our neigh
Dor is starting out with big bunch
of violets.' David Hinckle was put
tering around in his garden-Eliza-
beth had taken good pains to time
her exit ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS she went
forth late in the afternoon to make
spoke to old Michael, his gardener and
man of all work.
Michael grinned, leaned on The
spade with which he had been digging
and began to laugh.
You know what I'd say, SAID
Michael. I'D say Miss Elizabeth had
a beau, and you needn't look so sur
prised, either. Mr.. David, for haven't
/ often been tellin you she is fine
iool1in' girl for all she's a bit stiffish
and reserved like
''She may be good looking enough.
Fact is, I've always thought she was.
agreed the lawyer-gardener- But
goodness knows how any man could
ever put up with her disposition"
Michael grinne6 again. I'm not
blamin' her meself," he said, digging
vigorously. You never step foot
inside her door and you were brought
up almost like brother and sister"
The next morning David started out
earlier than usual.
Don't be surprised, Michael he
said, eff 1 come back with new hat.
This one is getting pretty shabby
When Nellie's next cleaning day
Mike at the back fence. For good
ness gracious sake, what's got into
them ?" she asked. First I saw your
Mr. David with a new hat on and
then one day l saw my Miss Elizabeth
with her new hattie milliner told
the next day Mr.. David was sporting
new oyercoat and now Miss Eliza
beth is off this morning having her
self all done up at the hairdressers
and I took a peek in her wardrobe
and goodness laws, but she's got
new Sunday dress and she told me
before she went to come an extra day
this week and help do up the oarlor
curtains and things She's got the
piano open, which it hasn't been for
years.
I'm not sayin' much" Michael OBJ
served. but Mr.. Davids none too
pleased with the way she's been
takin' on, being used to havin' her
heard him say it was kind O. funny
that her investments gave SO much
better dividends than his
Then why, man, is he spending so
much? Don't see with my own eyes
that he has got a new buggy top and
there is a load of sod in the front
yard that you are just starting to layo
guess things like that costs money,
don't they?"
1t was two weeks later that Miss
Elizabeth made the announcement to
Nellie that almost caused that good
woman to upset the pail of hot soap
suds she was carrying.
Nellie" she began, I'm not con
tent. I've decided I've got to do
something, to be something, and YOU
are the only soul in this whole place
that I can talk to about it. I've de-
cided to study something 20 fit myself
for something-art, music or journal
ism or osteopathy. ] am sure I don't
know just what it Will be. You know.
I guess, that my dividends haven't
been paying very we'll So I've decided
to get my life insured and manage to
borrow on that enough money to study
to do something to earn my own living
and then I'll pay it back I'm going
to go down town this afternoon 10 the
insurance office to see about the pol
icy. One thing I've got to do" Eliza
beth went on, II am not especially
keen about. on know in order to be
able to borrow on a life insurance you
have to get some one to vouch for you,
and 1 don't know of any one to ask
but Mr. David -
When Elizabeth walked down the
central street of the small town that