The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-23
EVENING STORY
One June Night.
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

HarrtnStOnS ana the NealeS-dHO with
every years growth of the vine and
as every twig interlaced to thicken
the density of the green wall, the bar
rier of hate between the two families
had likewise grown in vast proper
tons
The vine-covered fence itself COM
memorated the beginning of the feud,
for, as is usually the case, it had start
ed with a disa greement about the
boundary line, the disputed territory
being a matter of two feet between
the two properties. The court had
split the difference, giving each land
owner a foot. 1t was then the fence
had been established-an everlasting
memorial to trouble.
To arbitrate a quarrel is not to set
tie it. Neither side winning. there is
no one to forgive. So the Harring-
tons and the Neales nursed their hate
into the second generation, and still it
grew.
: Violet Harrington, the last and
only one at home now, had always
hated DR.. Wilbur Ne..le bitterly. She
hated him chiefly because he had al
ways seemed politely and supremeiy
indifferent to her. He was almost the
only man in town who had not sooner
or later lost his heart to her. Violet
had always been the |envy of every girl
in Coburg, because she was the pref
test and most popular. Naturally
accustomed to homage, she resented
the fact that Wilbur Neale paid so
much attention to his books. to the
exclusion almost of everything else.
Now she was % and he was 80, and
neither of them was married. Knowing
that she could have anybody she had
taken nobody. Now she was alone IN
the great house.
1t was June and a wonderful moon
light night. Violet sat out under the
maple tree in the yard. near the fence.
in a soft white dress, stroking Dick,
her Persian caty and whispering little
secrets in his ear.
Its lovely night, Dickie. Do you
smell the roses? Listen! That soft
little murmur is the voices of the love
fairies. Do you hear? They slide
down on the moonbeams to the roses
on June nights, and plan whom they
shall enslaye next. Then they mix
sort of magic out of dew and fra
GRANGE, and fly with it to the chosen
all over, Dick. That love potion never
fails.
'"I suppose you're wondering, Dick.
why they never-chose me. I've often
wondered, too. I wonder why they
never did. There are SO many splen-
did, wonderful men, I wonder why
never loved anySof them. I'm getting
| awfully old, Dick. Some day I'll be
| walking with q stick. Oh. Dick, 1
wish could love somebody. I don't
want to be old and lonely and ugly"
Her head went down on the soft
| coat and a tear dropped.
( Suddenly there was a chirping and
fluttering in the vines, and Dick i'm
mediately jumped down-t to investigate.
A Hedging had dropped out Of its
| nest and got'tangled in the leaves
Violet jumped out of the swing and
| hrrrv I'D T.
i she reached the viIe-covered fence
the cat had worked his sinewy way
1 into its very heart. STOPPING, she
reached into the black shadows for
her pet. But he was gone.
When she tried to straighten she
found she could not. Her hair-a
| wonderful copper, the chief charm OF
| her beauty, was caught cruelty by the
thick, twisted branches. She took out
the pins and tried to work it free, but
it was useless. She found she could
sit comfortably enough, but that was
no help to matters. She couldn't stay
| there all night; too far back from the
street to be heard, and no one near
| but the hated house of her neighbor.
suddenly she heard a voice. 1t was
masculine and quite near. She pec-ed
thru the fence, and in the moonlight
saw a swing much like own, and in IL
q man smoking a cigarette Between
puffs he was talking to a white bull
dog on the opposite seat The man
! was Wilbur Neale, and he was in uni
| form.
She started. She had not heard he
had Joined the army
Rags. it's a bully night, isn't II ~
said Doctor Neale. Il wonder il
they have nights like this In France ?
But OF course they have. only I sup
pose I'll be too busy to notice them
rs funny. isn't it, Rags, how we
waste time and waste it. and suddenly
realize what things mean to us when
Is a girl like very much-fery much
indeed And she hates me, and she
thinks I hate her; and because I didn't
know how to overcome her dislike ]
just let 1t go. And now it's too late
to do anything about it. Too bad, isn't
IT! AND ifcnothing happens to me in
this war, and 1 come back. I'll grow
into cranky old man without friends.
Isn't 1t silly !? I've watched her grow
up. and she's fine, useful woman, as
well as beautiful And I've lost her
| because I haven't any courage. But
wonder what she'd say If I went over
Z there. It's only next door. Rags"
! But Rags had heard something A
white shadow had flashed out of the
hedge. then in again. 1t was too much
for canine endurance.
Come here. Rags! Don't you hurt
that cat It's here. Rags. come herei''
But Rags was barking at something
more substantial than a shadow. and
refusing to move. his master followed
So DR.. Neale found Violet Harring-
ton prisoner. and had to go around to
her side to release her.
Two hours later, when he had taken
a reluctant leave. Violet buried her
head happily in Dicks soft coat.
1T must have been the love fairies.
Dick" she whispered. I'm going to
marry him"
Copyright, 1915 by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate1
Conyicts at Great Meadow prison, GIene
Falls, n. Y. have Sworn Off the use OF
tobacco for month. and are contributing