The Topeka state journal., 1916-05-02
The Euening Story
(By Helen Neal.)

night she went to dinner dance with
that salesman"
Words cannot suggest the scorn
with which Carey Houseman brought
out the word salesman
Maude listened patiently. She knew
this story of Carey's by heart. She.
had heard it over and over again.
Poor Carey! He was very young at
i22. Maude was eight months his
Junior, but she Afelt eight years older
She knew how Carey was suffering.
Her woman's heart taught her that
There was nothing unusual about
Carey's case, except perhaps his ca
pacity for suffering was more keen
than the average mans Gentle,
sweet by nature, small hurt that
| less sensitive spirit would have brush
| ed off in trice, stung ana burned
deep in his soul.
| Carey was in love with girl, a
pretty foolish little thing, all eyes,
hair and pink cheeks, who had ap-
ruptly discarded him for sales
massaged cheeks, tailored clothing and
Dolly Warden perfume. Perhaps the
hurt would not have been so keen had
| the fellow been one of Careys own
| kind but a salesman" a tailor-made
manikin. Carey's soul burned within
him and he suffered. drinking llfe's
bitterest dregs as only youth of 22
can partake of them.
And Maude! Mduue was tile SUI
ace. Maude was the comforter.
Maude was the sweet angel of pity
who poured a healing balm on the
aching heart
Never mind, Carey" she said at
the end of his latest outburst. When
Won are making automobiles of your
! own, you will be able to buy and sell
this salesman a hundred times over
Then perhaps Laura will see her ms
I take. Oh, don't mean for the money
Il
never worry, my friend, time Will tell
which is the better man and Laura
will see it. And as for your work,
think it is more of mans JOB TO
make a spunky motor behave than to
hold some little Daisies hand over a
counter showing her how to unclasp
the latest thing in pocketbooks
There was one thing about Maude-
she always knew how to say the right
| thing at the right time. That's why
| Carey came to see her in his trouble.
/ She knew that, and if you don't think
| she had a few burnings on her own ac-
count over that very thing you oont
know the heart of a girl. No girl wants
to be the diary of any man concerning
his affair with the other girl, no
matter whether she cares for the man
or not.
And Maude loved Carey. She hated
herself for it. She knew she was only
something comfortable to him, ike an
old shoe or a warm dressing gown on
a cold morning. She knew she ought
not to listen to his troubles, but should
tell him plainly that she would be no
mans confessor. But, then, Carey
would stop coming and the thought
of not seeing his soft, brown curls as
he bent across the table when he be-
came very earnest or bowed in his
hands when he was too tortured to
Hook up at her left such stab in her
heart that she let things go on and
daS0iSad her weakness.
When Carey said good-by that
night he placed a light hand on either
of Maude's shoulders You're real
pal. Maude the best pal a fellow ever
had 1 don't see how some women
can be such angels and others-Such
devils.''
And when the door closed after him
Maude leaned up against the wall a
moment with closed eyes. ''How diff
ferent would have been his parting
from her." she thought, "a hungry
clasp, a kiss. a look deep in the eyes"
And she went to her room to cry her.
self to sleep.
When the Country Club dance came
off of course, Carey took Maude. She
was not without a certain prettiness
, herself this little lady of much wis
! | dom. She felt that tonight would be
a sort of test, for Laura would be
!, her cheeks and sparkle to her eyes
, , that made her wonderfully attractive.
, Laura was there, all curls and friv-
oil and fun; plenty of partners. much
Carey in whose eyes tragedy sank
deeper and deeper as the evening
, wore on. He danced dutifully with
: Maude. but dancing left him plenty
of time for thought, for she was one OF
r those dancers that float by your side.
He seemed scarcely aware that he was
dancing with a partner. so light was
i, her touch and SO perfect her time
The look in Carey's eyes and the
turmoil of her own heart made the
situation unbearable for the girl and
at last she suggested that they &c
home.
1t seemed to Maude that if Carey
should ever mention Laura Stacy's
name she would do something desper-
3 ate. They were silent until they
reached Maude's door Then Carey
0 said despondently: Did you see her
She never once thought of me-
Then something took possession Of
Q Maude. stop" she commanded
q think I am? Who do you think ]
amp" It seemed to her as if hei
L voice rose to a shrek. i've stood
& your silly patter about that odious
: little cat, Laura Stacy. as long as Tn
going to. I've listened to the rehear-
y sal of your tale of woe till I'm sick
L I'll be mans vicarious sweetheart
{ and, as for you, L never want to see
your face again. You're big. sell
3 fish brute who has been hurt and
wants striking, but with never q
i, thought of the pain and humiliation
q you could inflict. Goodnight
She turned and left him, and with
n her head high walked into the house
: and to her room, where she threw
herself on the bed in an agony OF
: remorse. How could she have beer
g so unladylike as to forget herself
| How she must have hurt him, Shs
I must have revealed her feelings fol
Il / him.
Oh, the thought was unhearable