The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-30
EVENING STORY
The Great Adventure of 'Lizabeth Ann.
(By Elizabeth Ackens.)

caves OF Old-taSnlOneQ houses, three
stories high, are. as a rule, freezingly
cold in the winter, and unbearbily hot
in the summer. Her tiny room was no
exception. Besides, she wanted des-
perately to go home. A letter from
her father that morning had made her
homesick. Better come home, Liz
abeth Ann" it read. THE climbing
roses are all pink and white and
sweet; also, we are getting wonderful
vegeta bles from the garden. Too bad
you are so far away; we would send
you some if New York were a little
nearer to Ohio
No" thought 'Lizabeth Ann dis
mally. Nothing keeps here-not
even my usually sweet disposition"
She shook her small fist at the image
frowning at her from the mirror.
They all expect you to come flying
home, Lizzie-Annie, the first time any
little thing goes wrong, but you're go
ing to fool them. You are not going
| to do it Not when that blessed daddy
of yours has raked and scraped every
cent together to give this year of mu-
sic in New York"
Two salty tears ran down the side
i or her straight little nose, but she
brushed them away impatiently. She
oeclded to take ride on the Fifth
avenue BUS and forget her troubles.
1t was part of Liza beth AIMS creed
! never to go out of her room unless
she was looking her best. Romance
| might find her at any time, she rea-
soned' and she wanteu to be prepared.
she dressed carefully now, putting
| on ruffled white dress and white
SHOES and stockings. When all else
was ready. she took from its box and
! tissue paper Wrappings a broad
prirnmed white hat. 1t was a lovely
| nat. with its wreath of dull blue corn
| flowers, and 'Lizabeth Ann adored it,
| She went down stairs, tying, as she
Went, three dimes in the corner of her
handkerchief. Two were for her fare
| ana one Tor a soda water afterward.
| AS she climbed the perilous stairs to
| the top of the car, her attention was
| attracted to a young man sitting on
| one or the front seats. He was very
| good looking, in a wholesome, clean
cut way, but he looked so white and
i'll that Liza beth AIMS heart went out
to him in pity.
As it happened, the only vacant
seat was the place next to him, and
| as the girl sat down she caught a
glimpse of a pair of gray eyes, very
| tired and very appealing. AS she
| turned her head to look down into the
| street below, she heard a smothered
exclamation. Realizing that her broad
hat must have grazed his cheek, she
flushed.
I'm so sorry" she said gently 1T
! must have hurt, and l am afraid you
have been ill, too The young man
looking into the blue eyes underneath
the white hat, decided that illness had
it's compensationS.
Typhoid" he said briefly. but
| 'LiZabeth, seeing him smile, knew he
| was not offended.
She found herself thinking of him
as the bus rolled and lurched on its
way, and as for Richard Bennett, he
| cursed the convention that made 1t
| impossible for him and this sweet
| voiced, pretty girl to talk together and
| in fEioT n OF of
| thoughts. he saw her handkerchief
lying on the floor at his feet. AS he
stopped to pick it up, he felt the
thei coins in the corner, and wild
idea1came to him. Why not? he mao
heard many times that everything
was fair in love and war. Unobserved
| by the girl. he placed the little piece
of linen in his pocket.
When 'L.izabeth Ann saw the con-
ductor starting on his round to col
lect the fares, she felt for her hand
kerchief 1t was not where she had
put it, in her belt, and she frantical-
ly looked under the seat apd around
the floor. AT last she realized that
it was gone, and Kew that she would
| have to have a disa agreeable scene
with a probably suspicious and indig-
nant conductor. She cast a desper-
ate look at the young man beside
her, and blushed furiously when she
saw him looking at her with solicit
tous gray eyes
Have you lost anything? Can /
be of any service to you?" His voice
was the voice of a gentleman. low
and pleasant. 'Lizabeth Ann took the
plunge.
I've lost my handkerchief, with
enough to pay the conductor, and will
give me your name and address, | will
send you the money in the morning.
Tears were very near the blue eyes
IL
1t was too late now, tho, for regrets
and he smiled reassuringly into her
troubled face as he dropped the two
dimes in the box.
IT'S funny, isn't it, how accidents
will happen at the most inopportune
times l remember one time" and
before she realized it, 'Lizabeth Ann
found herself listening to the inter
esting conversation of this stranger.
When she got off the bus, he got
off, too, and it seemed perfectly nat
ural for him to walk to her door with
her. AS they reached the steps he
held ou- his hand. Liza beth Ann
put hers into it. thinking he wanted
to shake hands. When she drew il
away, she saw that her handkerchief
with the coins in the corner, lay in
her palm She stared at it bewiider-
ed. But don't understand
His eyes were looking at her with
such a wealth of tenderness in their
| ueptnS tnat LlzaDetn ann IeIt lump
come up in her throat, and her heart
began beating very quickly. Richard
took her two hands tightly in his.
! "Of course, you don't understand,
Little Girl Whose Name L Don [
| Know, b. .ause you don't believe any
| more than I did in love at first sight.
But I'm going to make you believe
| in love at second or third sight-if
you'll rive me the chance"
'Lizabeth Ann felt very weak in
the knees. but with il all, she felt.
too, a great happiness. She smiled up
at him, a sweet, whimsical smile.
My name is 'Lizabeth Ann Gregory
she said shyly.
He let go her -nds, and 'Lizabeth
Ann seized the opportunity to go
quickly inside the house. Womanlike,
however she did not close the door