The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-04
EVENING STORY
As Lydia Liked 1t.
(By Catherine Creamery


under twenty-five, Lydia did not set a
high value upon it. She accepted it
as casually as she did Strawberries or
cantaloupe in season-pleasing and
desirable-but not Indispensable.
On the first evening of a house
party at Mrs. Hornsby's charming
mountain cottage. Lydia was taken in
to dinner by Jack Madison, who had
taken +urns at teasing her and max
ing love to her for years. Her neigh
Dor on the other side was Stanley
Barnes. q dignified man of perhaps
thirty-five who had the double dis
tinction of being a successful lawyer
and a remarkable Shakespearean
scholar.
Dear me. Jack" said Lydia, in a
dramatic undertone, tell me some
thing from Shakespeare quick! Some
thing l can throw in for good meas
ure when talking to my distinguished
neighbor on the other side"
'Frailty. thy name is woman"
quoted Jack promptly.
" Take him for all and all, he was
a man, snapped Lydia, land there
fore ready to find fault with woman"
Better not start anything with
that wiseacre," said Jack, still smil-
ing at Lydia's quick retort. 1T will
be wasted sweetness on your part and
intellectual condescension on his. Be
sides, L saw you first and 1 love you"
Just for that" Lydia indignantly
ignored Jacks avowaI of his love and
turned to Stanley Barnes with a win
ming smile IN her sparkling brown
eyes.
MIR. Barnes, do you think the
shakespearean revival this year will
tend to create more general inter-
est in the immortal bard?"
Stanley Barnes lifted his eyebrows
and opened his gray eyes wide in sur
prise as he turned to reply. He would
not nave been more surprised had the
austere teacher of English who was
his dinner partner and his hosts sister
suddenly asked him if he didn't adore
some popular matinee idol.
+ 'Why'er, l hope SO. Miss Parker"
said Mr.. Barnes, doubtfully, and
Lydia mistook his slowness in answer
ing for the intellectual condescension
Jack had predicted. The truth is that
Stanley Barnes was thinking what
charming Katharine cT Rosalind this
viyacious questioner of his would
make, but Jack and the teacher of
English just then Joined forces to take
their minds from Shakespeare and,
later, when her distinguished neighbor
addressed Lydia, he touched upon
lighter themes. She inwardly deter
mined that she would some day com
pei that terrific highbrow' to recog-
nize her as something more than a doll
baby in conversation.
Please let your lamps rest on a
poor devil of lowbrow," said Jack.
soto Voce, as they rose from the
table. Il m beginning to feel as much
of dead one as Alas, poor Yorick,'
ever was"
Lydia caught the teasing note in
Jacks voice and ignored his plea
Evidently, The rest is silence"
said Jack, marveling as much as Lydia
at his fund of quotations from Shakes
peare
The next morning Lydia crawled out
of bed early to take a peep at the
mountain sunrise, and she saw Stanley
Barnes in khaki and heavy shoes and
puttees setting out for a climb all
| alone. Being already in an adventur-
Gus MOOD, she decided to take an
earnly morning ramble herself, and
who knew but she might meet the in
teresting, if Indifferent, Mr.. Barnes as
he returned?
What are you up to, Lydia ?" called
Alice Mason, sleepily, from the twin
Lydia.
up to see the sun rise. Don't you
want to come, too?''
No, indeed" came the sleepy re-
spouse as Alice turned over and drew
the covers close about her neck
In her corduroy suit and high
brown boots Lydia started out for
climb The cool stiffness of the early
morning made aer feel V ry tiny and
helpless, but as the sunlight warmed
her body and frightened the coppery
tints in her hair, she was once more
seized with the spirit of adventure,
and went high and higher, with eyes
alert for all the beauties around her.
She forgot all about the man who had
preceded her up this mountain road
way The odor of the pines. the sing
ing of the birds, and the broad view
| of mountain and valley gave her a
of things, and she stood long with
her bare head held high and her
brown eyes sparkling with pleasure
It's absolutely perfect" she said
aloud. Nothing more Is needed"
81 agree with you, Miss Parker, yet
I hope it will not mar the perfection
of it If 1 join you in enjoying it,"
| Stanley Barnes was standing on
Lydia's head, and when she looked up
and met the smiling question in his
| eyes she answered it with a frank
smile that brought him quickly to her
side They stood silently looking at
the changing lights on the distant hills
and listening to the occasional whir of
the fitful morning wind among the
pines.
ssWords are sadly unequal to all
this" said Lydia, throwing out her
hand to indicate the sweep from
zenith to horizon.
".For we, which now behold these
present days,
Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues
to praise"
| Lydia was unfamiliar with this quo
tation, but she felt its aptness so keen
| w that unconsciously she slipped her
hand into SANKEY'S as her sign of
acouiescence without words
aHey, therei" came Jack Madisons
voice from far below. Come down
to earth and have breakfast
With a sigh they left the loneliness
that surrounded them there and
obeyed Jacks unromantic summons
| When they Joined the rest of the
guests on the sun porch for breakfast
Jack saw a serious light in Lydia's