The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-05
EVENING STORY
Her Hope Chest.
(By Sylvia Turner.)

Il never saw one before, Cousin
Jess. 1t must be more fun getting
it stocked up. How old were you
when you began to fill it?"
About sixteen, I think. Those
white gloves with the silk embroidery
on the long wrists were the first and
the ivory handled fan came next
Then the drop stitch stockings. re-
member embroidering the flowers up
the front of those. And l think the
eight yards of white satin came after
that. 1t has yellowed good DEAL
hasn't it, folded away so long!
But twelve years isn't long. why.
you're not thirty yet, and you're so
pretty. Yau, you are too" Dora flung
her arms around her cousins neck
eagerly. "And you've made a much
greater success than if you'd just
married and used the hope chest
things. How do you start one? Do
YOU have to wait until you meet some
one you like best?"
Jessica smiled at the image of her
self in the oval mirror as she wound
her broad soft braids of brown hair
around her head and fastened them
with flat shell pins.
mo. You start in on hopes. dear,
don't you see? You hope the right
one may come, and you try to be ready
for him. 1t is like the old time we'd
ding chests on a small scale. My
grandmother had one that she called
her setting-out chest, but that held
her store of woven linen, too. l al
ways think of her setting out on the
sea OF matrimony on that old chest"
But didn't you ever-you don't
mind my asking, do you-have any
body-I mean-didn't it ever seem as
if you might use the things?"
Yves, once" Jessica's tone was
quite impersonal and CHEEKY. when
1 was nineteen. We had a new min
ister He was quite young, and very
talented. 1t was a shame to waste
him here in this little dead and-aliye
placea We were engaged to be mar
ried for several months"
Then what ?" Dora rested her
rounded chin on her palm eagerly.
She did admire this self-sufficient,
charming cousin greatly. After the
steady round of humdrum life in
Hollywood it was like a real glimpse
| into the outside world of endeavor
them.
Then I just broke it. Because he
refused a call to city church. I was
| ambitious and wanted him to-be sue
cussful and we'll known, and he felt
that his duty lay here"
"And did he stay on here after you
left?"
yes" Jessica smiled down at the
| girlish, anxious face. Stayed on and
married sensibly very nice school
| better wife than I would ever have
done,''
But haven't you ever really been
| in love-I mean SO it hurt you
Mother says when you love in truth,
| the whole world would seem dark If
I %@I-
you"
Jessica put her firm hand under
the rounded chin.
'And if you ever do love like that.
little cousin" she said slowly. do as
1 did Put it from you and compel
life to pour its sunlight on you SO
you may give it to others Yes, !
have loved richly and fully, and, my
dear. he never knew. Close up the
hope chest. I'll give you everything
| in it when you are ready to have
your own bridal veil pinned on"
And not one single word more
would she say, mother, dear" Dora
exclaimed that night when she had
told Mrs. Dinsmore of the hope chest
| story who do you suppose it was %
Mrs. Dfnsmore shook her head with
a little smile. But the following day
while she was driving through the
little town with Jessica, she bowed
to some one just emerging from the
lily MOTEL
ITS Greg Ivesson,'' she said cas-
ually. He's our city attorney, and
running for the legislature too. He
made splendid record on some fac
tory cases. You know we have the
poor foreign element here, the Huns
and Polish boys and girls in the hat
and shoe factories, and they did not
know their liability rights. He pushed
several cases and won them. Harley
Lane stood back of him and led the
better town element on his side. You
remember Harley. of course He.
still minister here at Grace church,
Il always thought he was SO con
sentative" said Jessi "a, haltingly. She
was frowning.
We'll, he was, until he married Mel
lie Stevens You went to school will
her, you know and she always did have
lot of foresight and humannes,
about her. if you can call it that. Shs
made a splendid wife for Harley, anC
he found the field white for harvest
1 tell you. what with the liquor trade
and the factory abuses, and I don
know what all. 1t means everything
to man, what kind of woman h
chooses for a wife. Women are too
prone to take it for granted. a man.
love, and to feel they are comforting
favor when they become his wife. Tt
a man like either Harley or Gres
Ivesson. marriage would mean NOR,
than just love and companionShip
A woman would be the inspiration fol
, their life work. and a partner in thu
working out to fulfillment of theii
mbitions and plans If she could no
be this, I am sure
Jessica gave quick cry as the hors
swerved and backed. 1t was nothing
but fluttering sheet of newspape
blown against its feet. but in an in
slant it had reared and bolted straigh
idown the street, headed for the rail