The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-16
The Euening Story
News From Home.
(By Leslie Granger. }


(By Leslie Granger)
Laura had never felt so blue in her
life. Nellie, her sole companion and
side partner in the big busy city, had
been married the night before to Jim
HarIowe, and had gone to Nevada to
live.
1t was dreadful to lose Nellie, and
worse still to have her move to the
antipodes to spend the rest of her
life cooking for sheep men and rails
ing a family of little shepherdesses of
her own. But. to make matters
much worse, the postman had just
left two letters.
The one from home she laid aside
for more leisureiy reading, but the
thick white paper of the other iden-
tilted it with. a wedding, and Laura
opened it eagerly.
To her dfsmay, the names of Alex
McCune and Harriet Turner stared at
her from the paper. Below was the
date of the recent wedding. That was
enough. Laura dropped the invitation
and reached for her handkerchief.
Alex, her old-time sweetheart, had
deserted her! He who had vowed
everlasting faithfulness in spite of
her vague answers to his Emporium
ings,
She had meant to marry him some
time. She had always told herself
that even though his letters had been
allowed to lie unanswered for weeks
together.
'I am getting old and lonely" she
cried into her handkerchief-Lau
was 22-..and there won't be a soul
to care for me now, I can just go on
forever plugging away at this old
ypewriter'-giving the machine on
her desk a bang-.'and cooking sau-
sages over the gas light, and doing
my laundry in the wash bowl. 1t was
sort of fun when Nellie was here, but
now it's dreadful
Laura walled some more, then
picked up the letter from home and
looked it over. Il guess [ ought to
go back, but it's awful to iron and
churn and sew for dozen youngsters
and never get a new dud from one
years end to the othert'
The office. save for Laura, was emp
ty. Mr.. Jennings had put on his hat
and overcoat and gone home While
Laura was in the middle of another
good cry, he recalled something he
had neglected and returned.
why, Miss Sheridan, What in the
world is the matter?''
'No-nothingt I'm not CRYING
Then beg your pardon. Since you
are perfectly happy, I presume there is
no need of sympathy. l have an ex-
ira ticket tonight for the Lyric club
concert and thought you might make
use OF it, If you care for music" He
laid the BIT of pasteboard on the type
writer keys and turned to go.
Laura sprang up. Thank you." she
exclaimed, dabbing at her swollen
eyes. Il guess 1 was crying-wasn't
II"
TT looked a bit like it. Won't you
tell me why?''
Mr.. Jennings's sudden interest and
kindness startled her into answering:
''Nellie's gone and Alex is married and
I'm all alone and nobody care for
pity drowned speech just then.
80 Alex is married.
She looked up surprised What do
you know about Alex?''
Well I got to know about him
some way. Regular letters and all
that, I suppose. Besides, I couldn't
be deaf to an allusion you made over
the telephone one day. Did-did you
like him so very much ?''
Laura brindled Well. I guess
I'd have taken him long ago.
Mr.. Jennings nodded approvingly
Laura went ont was comforting
to have some one SO sympathetic: 81
don't know what to do now that Nell
| lies gone. l really ought to go home
to the farm, 1 guess. Mother keeps
writing
DO you mean to say you came
from a wholesome place in the coun-
try to this sin-ridden city just for ad-
venture ?' Two lines had drawn
themselves sharply between his eyes
| Yes" wonderingly.
and father and mother and sisters
and brothers and cats and chickens
and cows and everything on earth
worth while."
| Yes"
why did you do it?"
/ Il never got any clothes, and I
wanted"
''Then you were a very silly little
girl and you'd better go back He
put on his hat and went out. even
banging the door bit after him.
For the first time in her life she
had seen Mr.. Jennings jolted out of
| his welI-poised. gentlemanly self And
he had called her silly and banged
the door! He was very rude! Her
cheeks famed red.
He needn't think 1 want to go to
his old concert" She picked up the
ticket. meaning to tear if across and
! lay it upon his desk where he could
see it in the morning. Then the words