The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-30
EVENING STORY
Her Terminating Spirit.
(By Flora A. Monty.)


bunch of travelling men at the picnic
shut my mouth and enjoy myself as l
please. What do those men want to
come up here for, anyway? I'll wager
anything that if we went to Norfolk
where most Of them live, there
wouldn't a one of them even take us
to a movie. If they happened to see
US, they'd dash by, pallid with fear
lest we'd show we expected them TO
say, How do you do?' No travelling
men in minei I'll go to the picnic,
though. and give them a taste of some
thing new-one girl who has decided
to make things come to her instead OF
splitting her energy around as I've been
doing"
Anne concluded her declaration of
independence with zestful madcap
dance, indicative of unfathomed en-
ergy, and then pumped herself once
more in the grass with the other girls.
But, Annei" reproached Zetta
Hayne, Tho was the instigator of the
picnic, don't you want to have good
time %
want to?" Anne burst forth Am
I normal human being or merely a
useful stick of wood? OF course |
want to. But I've been making myself
a continuous entertainment committee
for the last three years, frantic with
the fear that people might not IKE
me. I've simply fawned on people till
j
it has suddenly dawned on me that I'm
not the one who's been getting the
good time out of it. I've been singing
to these fellows and feeding them ana
otherwise amusing them Iusslng
around like a wet hen, in doubt if 1
could please them, and never until this
morning did 1 realize that I've been
advertising my own defects-ano SO
are we all"
s.Anne," gasped Zetta, who disliked
being irritated.
well. it's true!" was the stout as
sertion. .'They are judging us by the
brand we've put upon ourselves. How
much would any of them sell II they
went around to merchants 1nimatlng
that their stuff wasn't very good, but
wouldn't they please puy some, any
way? They know they've got the
goods-or they make a bluff at KNOW
ing it-and they get away with it. too
I've constantly praised and admired
Phil Langley'S success and never nad
sense enough to avail myself of his
tactics I'm Anne Stanhope, young,
good looking, clever, and with a gift
of song, and I'm now about to label
myself as high-class goods and be
taken on my own merits. Being
craven about my charms never got me
anywhere, so now I'm going to follow
nv hearts desire. I revel in the
thought"
Anne! You'll spoil it ALL" walled
Hazel Sproat.
ooh. come: I'll agree that I've ac-
uuired a new importance but not so
much as all that" was the rejoinder
I'm going chiefly to entertain myself
this afternoon. I'll not bother any
one else. I'll just be and do what
my reborn intellect tells me. My sub
conscious craving is cropping out to
public view, SO I'm about to indulge
myself"
Indulge herself, she did. Phil Lang
ley, who was apportioned to her IN
the trip to the woods, found her su-
pinelv indifferent to his handsome
face and the artfu1 Establishments
which had hitherto brought fourth an
eager response.
.sWhy the muffler today, Miss
Anne? nl-Bad news?' he querlea.
She rewarded him with a ringing
laugh. Never felt better or gayer,"
she declared.
Indeed? You certainly aren't
much like your natural self" was the
puzzled rejoinder.
.sMv dear Mr.. Langley, you know
absolutely nothing about my natural
self" Anne informed him with spirit
Its something you never saw. so,
pray, don't feel SO competent to
| judge
She was inwardly convu1sed at the
gasp with which he received her
words Finally, leaving him to come
on alone with her basket, she raced
through the woods ahead of the party
trilling merriiy to herself, and reached
! their destination fully ten minutes
ahead of the others.
During the process of helping the
| gifts spread the cloth and arrange the
tempting food, Anne was volubiy gay,
addressing her remarks only to the
girls. When any of the men ventured
| word with her. she looked slightly
perplexed, then wholly Indifferent,
and, with the briefest possible answer,
sought immediate diversion in another
part of the woodland dell they had
chosen for their outing.
They finished their supper with the
sunset and the dying glow cast a
charm upon them all that made itself
felt for the most part, by desire to
stroll off by twos to various spots along
the border of the creek.
Anne'ss quick eyes noted the symp-
toms, and her feet fairly winged her
away from the crowd before any one
could join her and attempt mean
ingless filtration.
She had need of her quickness, for
she was no sooner beyond a heavy
grapevine than they missed and called
for her. She dashed into a c1ump of
bushes, and sat on the ground, entire
| ly hidden, chuckling to herself as she
| heard Phil say. go on, I'll find her
/ Well stroll up the creek"
She remained under the bushes till
she heard him strike off in an oppo-
site direction. Then she crept out,
and, choosing a sheltered nook near
the bank, lounged in comfort with her
back against friendly tree. At first
she countered a sharp loneliness, in
which she wished that Phil had found
her after ALL Then the peace and still
ness of the woods entered into her
soul like balm, and she dreamed in
silence, a growing sense of strength
and calmness stealing over her, and
she suddenly knew things were right
and that Phil would return before the
others.
/ He came after some time, and sulk-
lily demanded, "Where've you been all
this time p?
Anne smiled whimsically. Here
! Why did you disappear so sudden