The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-25
EVENING STORY
"Cheating Catherine"
BY INES MAC DONALE

The last of her line was Catherine
Van Wye, and she lived with two
maiden aunts in the old colonial man
sion that had been the home OF the
Van Wyes for a hundred and forty
years Stiff and prim had been her
upbringing and not for a single in
slant had she been permitted TO Tor
get that she was a Van Wye-some-
thing rare, something fairer, some
| thing so much closer to heaven than
any one of the common people,
- After a fashion Catherine was pref
| ty but little to slim, little too wan
Her blood may have been blue, but
also it was thin. She was delicate, but
| Catherine had wealth, was cultured IN
| the ignorance of life as her grand
mother had been-this showed in her
| shy rather wondering eyes-but she
did have one redeeming trait which
/ might save her from barren life OF
old-maid gentility-and that trait was
| curiosity. .
The only man Catherine knew who
was anywhere near her own age was
| John, the chauffeur. She used to SIT
primly behind John in the car and
study the back of his well-set head
and sturdy shoulders. and wonder
about men in general as represented
| by John. If it had ever occurred to
him, John might have encouraged
Catherine to think about him in par
ticular. He might have even done this
so successfully that she would have
eloped with him, for John was a good
looking boy, but he had never once
given Catherine a thought. A certain
little maid in the stone front over in
the next block completely filled Johns
head and heart. Poor Catherine coul.
never have competed with Adele, the
little maid, for Adele had blood-red
lips and daring eyes-she was. all
curve and dash and vitality-and John
was mad about her.
However, Johns presence always
set GATHERINGS curious mind to Won
dering about men in general 1t WASH t
nice, of course, for to wonder about
men was quite vulgar. she knew that
her aunts had said so. They had i'm
pressed upon Catherine that she was
a Van Wye and a sacred thing, and
she believed it. The idea of a mans
even so much as touching her gave
: her sfivers of horror-especially an
ordinary man of the People-for the
People were terribly common, and
Catherine was patrician, very patri-
| clan, indeed.
Then one afternoon it so happened
that Adele had occupied so much of
Johns time and thought that he had
neglected his job and the car so much
so that the neglected piece of mechan-
ism stalled right on a busy crossing on
the avenue. 1t certainly was embar-
| RAISING for the traffic policeman was
as sore as a wounded rhinoceros. He
called John mutt and would
. probably have said worse things than
that if it hadn't been for Catherine
patrician presence. But the engine
would not start and the traffic was
piling up behind them while the
traffic regulator became more and
more angry
"Here!" he roared. Swing her
down the middle of the. block next the
curbl" And as he heaved his massive
weight against the back corner of the
heavy car one Jim Brand detached
himself from the passing throng and
Joined in pushing the heavy car out
of the way.
"You oughta be on the force, with
them shoulders The policeman
grinned his thanks to Jim Brand as
they rolled the big car up to the curb.
But Jim only laughed and waved
his hand in a half salute as the other
went back to his job.
Thank you very much indeed
said Catherine prinly Jim Brand
turned to her with his hat in his
: hand, and her eyes as she sat in the
, car were almost a level with his
own. His first thought was that she
would have been pretty if she had a
little more life to her.
| She'll have to go to the garage,
miss" offered John meekly.
I'll get you a taxi" smiled Jim
Brand. He did so, and handed her
into it most naturally by taking firm
/ hold of her arm. And no young man
had ever before taken hold of Gather
ines arm. From the taxi she leaned
? out and thanked him again, smiling
just little excitedly. for this was an
adventure. Then, summoning al
her courage. she said: Were you
. going downtown? Perhaps I could
drop you somewhere"
SO Jim Brand got in beside her and
they rolled down the avenue, at length
stopping in front of GATHERINGS home
II was really on my way up
town." confessed Jim Brand, humor.
, ously. but wanted to ride with
you"
[ Catherine didn't know what to say
= to that, so she just looked-and Their
looked away, wondering if either OF
her aunts was observing the tabIeau
as she and the strange young mar
D stood there on the walk.
S You're not offended, are your" hs
: asked.
II should be"-she entered the
S gate and turned to him for fleetine
: instant-"but I'm not!" And with 6
I little laugh she ran UP the steps,
The very next Sunday morning
quite early Catherine crossed tn,
Y street to the park opposite the house
The aristocracy of the square onl,
! use the park during the early hour
before the rabble of the city fills the
benches, SO she sat herself down il
the early morning sunlight ant
!, wondered about Jim Brand, who a
Il thatFvery moment came strollint
| toward her.
8 Lets walk he finally said, risin,
: going to ask me to sit down Then ht
= sat down anyway. 1t was quite startl
n Ing and very exciting. He questioned
her and teased her, treated her Jus
k as if she weren't a Van Wye and sa-
cred-just as if she were a girl whom
he liked.
e Lets walk he finally sair, RISING
= and catching her by the hands to draw
70 bnr FAa III ill.,
!. just sudden and abruptly insistent-i
- took GATHERINGS breath completed.
= away. And the color came into chez
and lips. and animation to her eyes
n She fairly sparkled in response to hi
vital presence. and she completely for