The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-29
The EUening Story


II were you, went on MyTd
Oberly the town gossip, shrilly, Il
wouldn't pay the least attention to
what they say
The they was accompanied by an
expressive jerk in the direction of the
new house across the street.
What right have they to move into
a new place and set themselves up as
ju 1ges of the other people? What do
they Know about you or Charleen,
Mrs. Trent? Not thing. And if
Charleen here wants to have beau
now and then and go to a dance when
she's asked, I'm sure it isn't any
business of that long faced Methodist
trustee across the street nor his kill
joy wife nor the bookworm son either
And if
Myra was interrupted by the post
mans ring, and, having unburdened
herself of all she had come laden with
and uselessly eXerted all her ingen-
uity TO extract an Invitation to cine,
she made her Gdieus and departed.
Il wish,' said Mrs. Trent YEARLY,
that Myra would stay away"
.'Oh, don't listen to her silly gossip,
mother" laughed Charleen.
ITS not all talk, dear. 1 can feel
the Crawford's disapproval in the air.
Mrs. Crawford has no time for parties
or theaters or anything more frivolous
than her clubs. And Mr.. Crawford
told your father he thought card play
ers worse than inebriates-"
thinks your daughter is a foolish
creature too silly to notice because she
dances and goes to parties Tat is the
real trouble, isn't it, mother? You
wouldn't care a fig what Ma Or Pa
Crawford say about us if son John
didn't turn up his sanctimonious nose
at me. 1 don't care for what he
thinks." swapping her fingers
But i'll spite of her outward indit-
ference, Charleen was piqued at the
] .f lob
more so, perhaps, because she was
accustomed to homage from all men
She might have been any one or
dozen Mrs. SO-and-SO'S in town, put
instead she mad chosen to give her lIe
| to a more serious profession even than
matrinony. She had, in fact, spent
three years in training in a city nos
pital, and had left behind her tran
of healed bodies and wounded hearts
for internes are as susceptible as
dancing masters, and Charleen's gay
etv and beauty had never deserted
her while discharging ner duties as
nurse.
But her health had suffered. and
after graduation her parents lnsi Iste u
upon a year at home before launchlng
upon her professional career. Ihe
! Crawfords har moved into town just
after Charleen's arrival, and in the
midst of all the dances and parties IN
her honor. "A good time won't hurt
her" DIR. clifford declared Recreation
is better than all the phosphates ana
! iron could prescribe
So Charleen had danced and dined.
ridden horseback and motored, and
was generally happy-except TOT Johh
! Crawford! She had met him twice
once at a lecture, again at dinner.
Greater frivolity he never INDUCED in,
so there was little chance of their
coming together.
He was very handsome it was con-
bod Z n a he =
fords were rich. Besides, Johns law
practice, though young, was growing
miraculouSly. So in spite of his set
tied taste he was smiled upon by al
the mammas in town.
Charleen, dressing for dinner, and
incidentally, a dance later, was enjoy
ing the late afternoon sky through hel
curtain when she saw man ride VI
to the Crawfords, dismount and hitcf
the horse to a tree. A moment later
John Crawford in riding clothes came
out, mounted and trotted off.
Il wonder why the liveryman SEN
him Grim-he has such a nasty tenn
per. l don't believe my neighbol
knows that"
Charleen fixed her hair most won.
derfully, donned filmy lace lingerie
and stockings of shell pink silk. She
was taking the trees out of her slip
pers when her eyes fell upon her rid
ing boots. Il wonder if he took tbs
upper road she said to them Sc
: think it's wicked for Mr.. Smollett Il
send him Grim. It's lovely evening
to ride If it were not 80 late-''sh'
hesitated, land dinner-oh, bother, W,
eat too much any way. and it's a sill
) to waste an evening like this"
She put the forms back into he
slippers, pulled out her riding boot
and clothes and took up the telephon,
l on her table.
: In ten minutes. she was ready 70
; her ride and Tinkle, her favorite it'll
mare. was at the door. Then sh,
mounted and galloped toward tn
sunset.
II Half mile out of town, where tn