The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-12
EVENING STORY
Rebellion,
(By Susan E. Clagett.)

not told me what you would offer in
| its place. There is no need for you to
go into the byways and hedges in
search of the creature man. 1 can
name four who would deem it a priv
| ileSe to spend the rest of their lives
| in your company and l know that you
have sent them to the corners of the
earth. Ralston is in Japan, Howard
and Lawrence are driving ambulances
| in France, Chapman is with Pershing
| in Mexico. Why did you do il?
| Sophia Isham looked at her COM
panion with somber eyes She could
not smile, altho the note of amuse-
ment in his voice would have been
contagious of the subject of their talk
| had not been a vital one to her.
| IF 1 tell you that not one of them
has asked me to marry him, would
you believe me?'
| Certainly mott" His reply was en-
phatic.
so 1 suppose. Neither will you be-
lieve me when l tell you that l have
never been asked to marry, humiliat-
| ing as is the admission. But it is
| true nevertheless Men find in me
| pleasant companion, good comrade
| am their confidant but our friend
| ship has never crossed the dividing
| line between pleasant frlendliness ana
the deeper feeling. That l cannot
arouse admiration, love. has cut deep.
Yet 1 have more friends among men
than among women" she ended
| thouShtfully.
| .If what you tell me is true" he
returned slowly, embarrassed by TINS
| unexpected glimpse into her life. Il
can only surmise that in some way
you prevented them from saying what
| they wished to say to you. women
do such things, and. from their view
| point, | suppose such an attitude is
| kind. From the man's-wel. L be-
ieve that he would rather take his
medicine than live with the thought
that he might have won out II ne had
| been more persistent
would you say such one was
weak to be swayed from his intention
by a laugh, a word ??
| Weak No. But a WomanS care
less laugh, whenfa man is in deadiy
earnest, shows a indifference TO MS
pain that a man whose deepest ieeI-
iings have been aroused must feel. he
looked at her curiously. Il cannot
credit YOU with such laugh. l have
fkaown you too long. You are not
I cruel
II have had no opportunity she re-
n1ied somewhat bitterly NO oppor
tunity to laugh, to say either yes or
Inc. That fact is burned into my con-
seriousness and 1 resent the attitude OF
the world toward the woman who
would strive for her happiness pS
seeking it for herself. 1t is man
made world. with rnan-made customs
land perforce, she who finds no favor
in his sight must bow to the inevitable
and accept the fate thrust upon her
Convention forbids the least little step
across the boundary of his dominion,
even tho she may see happiness
reckoning to her from the farthest
corner. Why should she be looked
upon askance if she venture over that
line of demarkation? ?"
"Weu, what are you going to do
about it?" he asked with evident
amusement as he brought the car TO
a standstill to allow a heavily loaded
wagon to pass on the narrow road;
.sWhat would you suggest that Will
ltake the place of the old established
order Of things? You are so essen
tialIv feminine that I cannot imagine
YOU taking the initiative in such mat
ters.'
sionate warmth. Because I am pass
ed bv must forever give up the
thought of love. of companionship, the
feel of a warm little body within my
arms? Or if not passed by, must
take what is offered when, unoffered,
There is a better which might be mine
if 7 could but overcome the reluctance.
entaiIed by convention and my wom-
anhood. to ask for II
.eHave YOU started upon this career
of shall I say emancipation? He
tried to speak gravely, to keep the
, laugh from his voice, but she felt it.
A slight flush crept into her cheeks.
why do you laugh?" she asked re-
sentfully There would be no dis
s Grace in my doing so, altho l should
die of shame when I remembered"
There is a possibility, you know,
that Won NAV meet with a rebuff.
, Have YOU thought of that? Do you
think YOU could accept it as a man
t would under like circumstances?
She drew in her breath sharply. i
io1,+ RI
swered stubbornly. IF it will not
/ come in the accepted way 1 will fight
2 for it. 1t will be hard. but l must
Until now he had not taken her Sc
$ riously, but there was strain IN
S her face in her figure, in her claspeo
, hands that made him feel her earnest
. ness. He had known her for many
S years. had been q constant visitor IN
S her home and thought he knew her
every within and caprice, but this IN
tensity, underlying her usual COO
: frien dliness, took him unawares- He
was frankly uncomfortable.
4 You told me there were four" she
r said presently breaking the silence
that had fallen between them. They
S were not lovers but if they had beer
my choice would not have been made
D from among them They We're good
D dancers, perfect escorts, desirable as
comrades, but nothing more"
How can you say that when you
4 know what they are DOING" he asked
: gravely. do weakliags go to the bat
2 ticfieId?"
t mo. But there was lack hard tt
s explain. No man among them had
n great force of character; no one Of
e them was strong of purpose, coule
shoulder burdens with no thought OF
y their weight and work at life's prob
lens with a logged tenacity that &C
j. complishes the seemingly impossible
d What they are doing will develoI
> traits that would have forever lair
dormant but for the horrors of thi
. awful war But when they left thel
iwere not the men to whom l wouls
give my hearts blood and think moth
d ing of the living" She turned to hin