The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-09
The Evening Story
Donna Nathalie.
(By lola Forrester.)

cite pushed back her white SunDOnnet
belligerently. Down on her knees. she
was wedding out the sweet pea rows.
Her hands were soiled and unseemly
looking, her face was flushed and
freckled. and altogether she looked
absolutely unpresentable, as her moth
er would have said.
.It isn't every one who has such
a lovely mother. Can't you appreciate
that?" asked Santangelo, amusedly.
He leaned over the fence from his side
of the garden, large flexible Panama
shading his dark. strongly lined face
How old are you, Babette-four-
teen?"
mo, I'm sixteen, going on seven
teen. And I'll never have the ghost
of a chance, Sanity. She takes every
last fellow away from me that comes
to this house" Babette's tone was so
ira gic it was laughable-
you mean your youthful compan-
ions admire your mother more than
were brimming with enjoyment of her
Indignation You know the remedy
for that-marry her off"
Babette looked up at him then, full
in the eyes, and the suggestion gripped
her fancy. Then comppunction seized
her
But she's the dearest thing in the
whole world, Supposing she wasn't
happy after 1 had done it ?"
what is happiness? A delirium of
of the mind. a fantasy. Happiness is
that butterfly so near your shoulder,
my Psyche. Happiness is the unattain-
able, and when we attain it it ceases
to be happiness"
You're an awful old grump, Sanity.
hYou know, when L see you get on one
of those grouchy spells, 1 wonder who
| hurt you"
\
Babette nodded her head.
| Some perfectly lovely woman. 1
| like to picture her as very small and
winsome and blonde and a regular
| cat
Then gray and silver car slipped
into the curving drive around and
| house and Babette jumped up.
| There she is now. And DR.. Romley
with her. He's an explorer, Sanity.
with medals all over him and scads of
That means she likes to lean back and
| listen to him tell tales like Othello of
his exploits. Didn't you ever have any
exploits?"
IT am a gardener and a poet"
smiled back Santangelo.
He watched the slim figure in the
| linen skirt and MILDLY speed away to
the car. His eyes glowed, watching
her alight, the lady mother, as Babette
loved to call her. She was hardly old
er than thirty-four, slender and beau
tiful as an artist mind counts beauty.
Santangelo had painted her portrait
twice. 1t had hung in the salons and
been admired abroad and On this side,
and yet he felt unsatisfied. He had
never caught the infinite, tender
charm of her after all 1t eluded him
even as she herself always had in the
years of her long widowhood.
And now her child Babette was
growing into womanhood. Childish
still in many ways the grace and good
looks she had inherited were bringing
admirers to the pretty stucco house
| overlooking the great bay. And the
time was drawing near the limit that
he had imposed upon himself when
he would ask her mother again for her
love. 1t had almost grown to be a
yearly springtime joke between them
that he should ask her again.
DIR. Romley stayed long. Over the
hedge just budding Santangelo could
see them sauntering around the gar
den before the house and hear Bah
cites clear laugh. Then they went
up on the screened veranda for tea and
he was alone.
The shadows were beginning to fall
along the far horizon line of the sea
when he heard Nathalie call him at
the little opening between the two
gardens.
Are you very busy?"
Never, never too busy,' he called
back cheerily. She watched him as
he came toward her, this friend she
had held away from her for years
| Back on the veradna Babette held
court.
You know I am almost tired to-
night" Nathalie said.
Once long ago she had told him hall
} in jest. half in earnest, that if she ever
/ accepted him it would be when she
was very tired. Why? Because he
= | har nd NJ
peace and well being.
, Let us walk down through the
garden to the beach,, he said. taking
, her lightly by the wrist. And he knew
/ suddenly that she wanted to breal
, some news to him
i DO you like DR.. Romley?"
Very much" he said heartily. "Hs
is splendid chap
, He is twenty-six." she hesitated
; but he has really accomplished sc
! much one never thinks of his age Hs
: is leaoer now in all lines of scientific
, research"
! Undoubtedly" agreed Santangelo
! And he is well liked and prosperou,
and very good loking. What else
Dona Nathalie ?''
She looked down at the sea at hel
l feet. The tide was outgoing. Many
smaller craft moved down the bay
s Others came leisurely in from the oper
' sea to escape the night. The tree.
( about them tremb1ed in the breeze. A.
I she looked up the young leaves seemed
e to flutter like tiny wings against each
t other.
/ 81 wonder If he will make a goo6
e husband, Santangelo," she said softly
/. He drew in a deep full breath of the
\ keen air and smiled at her.
e And I was just considering how
D could warn you in the tenderest man
ner that 1 should ask you but ones
V more, and, 10, comes the conquerer anC
0 bears you right out from my sight, all
e my Nathalie
: She turned her wide dreamy blu,
e eyes on him with q startled expires