The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-12
EVENING STORY
HoneSick.
(By Hilda Morris.)

the city to be a substitute teacher IN
the township high school. She had
been there only a month, but already
the country air had begun TO work
wonders with her pale cheeks and
hollow eyes.
IF only it weren't so lonesomei'f
she thought, as she walked a country
road one bright, windy Saturday after
noon. 1t was he Holiday, and she
was endeavoring to make the most OF
it, but lonely walks are not exciting.
Christine kicked a stone in her path
little viciously, as tho it were re-
sponsible for her boredom. But just
then she heard someone calling.
Hi there!" "a mans voice shouted.
iii there, Miss Gray!"
1t was Richard Harding, greeting
her III the local fashion. Christine
stood and waited as ne came striding
towards her, a fine, strapping young
| man clad in farmers overalls- and
flannel shirt
"Are you taking a walk ?' he asked
as he caught up with her. His voice
had the easy modulations of an edu-
| Gated man. He was :. graduate of an
eastern college.
Eyes, I'm going thru your cemetery.
| It's so quaint I'm only used to crowd
block and blocks. Tell me, are all the
people in this town related?"
| Richard laughed.
Every nearly. The BullitS are re-
LATED to the Emmetts and the Emmetts
| to the Hardings and the Hardings to
the Bullits again. We're all kin some
how
| IAN but me-" said the girl, laughing
a little wistfully. 1T must seem queer
to have so many relations
| Richard did not appear to have
heard her remark He was looking
ahead at the big square red brick farm
| house where he lived with his mother
and sister. His mother, a sunbonnet
/ on her head, was cutting tulips from
the rows that bordered the garden
walk. She Strengthened up as they ap-
preached, and came to the gate.
"Howdy!" she said cordially. Its
right cool for an April day, isn't it?
Have you been walking, Miss Gray?
Well, do come in and have cup OF
| tea. l made some cinnamon cakes this
i morning that must be eaten.
Christine hesitated.
| TT isn't o'clock yet" said Mrs.
Harding, royalty sweeping aside the
| girls unspoken objections. Richard
before she knew it Christine found
herself in the big square sitting-room
! of the Harding homestead.
She had not been in private home
| of this size for years and years, not
since her childhood days and before
/ long arid years of furnished rooms.
The house gave her rather an awesome
| impression of vastness and elegance.
1t had been solidly built for posterity
by forebear from New England. Its
furniture was Victorian. A mas
sive black walnut bookcase against one
wall held rows of volumes in mellow
| old bindings. The carpet lowered into
| strange blossoms of tropical proper
| tions. A CRATE fire flickered pleasant
ly, illuminating a faded print of a
| sleek haired maiden in decollete read
| ing the Bible. Everything seemed I'M
believeably generous in its proper
tions.
Have you always lived in the city?'
! Miss Lottie Harding asked in her tiInid
| voice. Miss Lottie was an "old maid
who spent her years in making endless
yards of tatting.
''Slnce / was two" said Christine.
Are your parents living?' pursued
Miss Lottie. to whom family was ones
most interesting attribute.
mo" answered Christine.
This put a sombre period on the
conversation broken only when Mrs
| Harding brought in the tea. The wo-
men talked comfortably of church So
Gals gardening, fancy work and the
like, while Christine tried politely to
join in. But she felt strangely alien
they spoke of things and ways of
life she had scarcely known existed.
| Richard sat silent. He scarcely took
his eyes off Christine. and he absently
! emptied the plate of cookies which
stood at his elbow.
In spite of herself the girl pres
emily began to feel the homelike
warmth of the place When she left,
| stepping out into the damp spring
dusk 1t seemed as though the chill
wind struck her with redoubled force
| She shivered, and hurried back to her
dingy room in the village hotel On
the way she passed rows of comforta-
BILE homes Lamp-lit windows light
ed the street, women stood in the
| doorways calling children home to
| supper. The girl felt a sudden wave
of loneliness sweep over and engulf
| her. When she reached her room that
night she threw herself upon the bed
| and sobbed. For the very first time
in her life she had caught a glimpse
| of happy home life as it may be in
a quiet country town.
The next day Christine met Richard
Harding on the corner by the post
/ office.
Cant you take a driver" he called
eagerly. MY teams just over yon-
The girl perked her pretty head
| as tho considering.
why. perhaps" she conceded, for
a little while"
Presently they were riding off Gown
I a winding road bordered with dog
wood and the picturesque Towering
Judas tree.
THE country is beautiful, isn't it?''
said the girl with forced gaiety. Like
a Japanese print
But Richard was not Interested in
scenery. He preferred to keep his
eyes fixed on Christine's face, until
she felt a sudden wave of color stain
I her cheeks.
I'm going home next week." she
announced. as calmly as tho her heart
were not beating furiousIy
Home" he queried.
Back to the city, where it isn't
so lonesome. ] only came to substi-
tute for a month, any way. and I'm
not used 10 the country. It's too quiet
! for me-
i I suppose it is Richard assented,
/ letting the reins drop loosely. Il sup
pose you couldn't stand it here. But
/ I've something to ask You. Christine