The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-01
The EDeni1g Story
Jack Has His Way.
(By Louise Oliver. }

Haven't sobbed Lura.
| Don't love ycui Just because I
| happen 20 have an idea of my own
about a wedding! I like that!'
| It's sIch-such i horrid idea. I'd
rather not get married at all than
have it the way you say. All my life
I've dreamed of a white satin dress,
and n veil, fluffy bridesmaids and
millions of roses"
And all my life I've had a horror
of marching through a crowd of peo-
| pie, wearing white gloves and flower
/ in my buttonhole, and learnin' to keep
step to that internal Lohengrin'
music"
You don't have to-" eagerly. THE
groom doesn't have to march in. And
after the ceremony they play Mencejs-
/ sohns. That's easyi You can't help
step to it, persuG sively.
| Don't, Lura, dear. 1t makes me
shiver even to talk about It. Think of
having to stard on exhibition for an
hour afterward while crowd of peo-
| pie you never saw before in your life
weep over your shirt front, or fall on
your neck and kiss you When all 1
want on earth is You, Lura, why
should 1 have to have the whole town
around?"
Lura got up and faced HIM angrily.
81 think you are a hateful, horrid
man, Jack Haven, If you aren't will
ing to endure a little bit of discomfort
for my sake you don't care enough
for me to marry me-that's all! Here's
your ring! I won't wear it an instant
longer, goodnight" Lura
rushed out of the room and up the
stairs Then Jack heard a door slam
somewhere above.
The dlys that followed were lonely,
miserable ones for Lura, followed by
sleepless nights and hours filled with
distur bling dreams
After one particularly bad night
spent in trying to rescue Jack from
! car ribals, Lura called him on the
phone. Jack, dear, will Vyou come
] around tonight? want to talk to you
I'm simply 1wretched-"
Yes, dear! If you hadn't called I'd
have come anyway. I've reached my
, limit, too
So the flowers in the moonlit gar
den witnessed an interesting little
scene that evening, and the moon
beams caught the light that flashed
again from the diamond on Lura's left
hand.
Dearest whispered Lura, t!et'S
not talk of a wedding any more. 1
know it makes you wretched to think
of it. SO I've decided to get married
any way you say
you sweetest girl in the world. Do
you really mean it,"
Yes"
ANY place. any way, and any
time?"
Yes, Jack, DEAR
He caught her to him exultantIy.
Then I move that we get married this
very night. Just we tWoi No dress
the preachers and home"
Lura drew a sharp breath. Then
she smiled bravely. "All right, Jack,
I'll do it. Only you forget one thing
if we go alone, DIR. Luke will wonder
about father and mother not being
along and he'll want to know all about
it. He wouldn't marry me without
their consent"
Cant we tell them first, then?"
Heavens, no! They'd never allow
it that way"
well. we can go to another
preacheri"
There's no one in town who hasn't
known me from an infant. They'd
want to know all about it, too"
Then Wen eIopei We can go to
We can take a weeks honeymoon, and
let things blow over before we como
back. What do you say, girlie?''
I've already promised"
The compact was sealed properly.
Then as there was little time to lose,
Jack departed to arrange for the trip
while Lura hurried TO her room to do
what she could toward her trousseau.
She had promised to wait in the
kitchen. Jack was TO leave the car in.
the alley and come in the back way
through the garage.
Laura CROPPED her way uncertainty
in the darkness of the kitchen, intenS-
ing to watch for Jack from the win
dow. Outside everything was as
bright as day in the moonlight.
But in shadowy corner near the
stove she stumbled over a chair, and
something heavy that had been on the
seat lost its balance and fell upside
down on her feet. 1t was Nora's par
of dough raising for the mornings
baking. Lura sprang back startled,
but she was too late. The dough was
sticking like chewing gum to her
shoes
'Lura Where are you? What's
that noise?" from above.
Lura found her voice. 'N-nothing,
mother. I-came down for some soda
and upset pan. Go-go to bed
it's all rightl'
But she knew that retreat to her
room was now impossible. She opened
the back door frantically and went
out, leaving a trail of the weekly bak-
ing that it would take Nora days to
clean up.
ooh, what shall I do? Look at my
shoes and skirt I can't go this way.
What shall 1 DO? Look at my shoes
1 wish I'd told him to bring a ladder
to my window. This is terrible,"
But Jack didn't come. Finally she
heard, 'Sti-sti'' from the direction
of the garage. If it was Jack, why
didn't he come for her? 1t must be
a catl"
Then, "St.-st." again. And she
thought she heard "Lura," Keeping
in the shadows as well as she could.