The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-13
EVENING STORY
Being Clever.
BY HILDA MORRIS.


university. She was pretty, too, or
rather, as her butterfly cousin, Kate,
once remarked, "she would be stun
ming if she'd give herself half a
Emily. In any save. Intellectual direc-
tions she never gave herself half a
chance. She had never felt the slight
est interest in boys and men except as
teachers and human beingslwith
worth while minds. At % Emily was
that anomaly among women-kind, q
girl who had never had any sort of
love affair. True, there had been one
or two young men in her classes who
would have liked to go farther than
mere acquaintance, but Emily had
never given them the slightest encour-
agement.
When she went to visit Kate last
summer it was not because she wished
to share in the social life Of which
Kate formed SO capricioIs a part, but
simply because she thought that
Hates home in a small town would be
good. quiet place where she could
work on her thesis undisturbed.
However, Emily was mistaken.
There was not an evening when the
veranda was not filled with gay youth
not a dance at the club, a party or
play. The days were just as full; ten
mis-, Joy rides" with one OF Hates
ridiculous boys, picnics. teas-in short
Emily found that she would have to
state her purpose in life quite fatty
and ask Kate to count her out. So
she sat in her room one afternoon,
| trying to concentrate on a thick vol
un1e with formidable title. while the
| sounds of gay voices drifted UP TO her
| from the veranda below.
| Kate was there, of course, and two
| or three other girls. Also two young
men who should, thought Emily. have
been in better business. There was
something quite demoralizing about
the sound of their apparent pleasure,
Emily found it hard to work. Not
that she envied them, rather she felt
sorry for them, poor frivolous things
| She closed her book and sat with her
eyes on space, thinking absently.
'SWhere's your cousin?" she nearo
| one of the men ask suddenly.
4 emily? Oh, she's boning over her
l'old books. at least, she said she was
"Poor thing." commented another
Eg;rl 'I feel sorry for her. Just be-
| cause she isn't attractive and popular
In suppose she has to be Intellectual
II must be an awful strain!"
\ 81 should say so,' spoke up third
girl. 'I felt awfuIly sorry for her the
else paired off and had good time.
She looked awfuIly lonesome"
WELL" there was a shrug in Hates
voice. 1--WE done my best. I can't
| help it If she isn't popular. Besides,
4 think she really likes to study. You
can't do anything for a girl like that"
| Emily felt her face burn scarlet.
So they were sorry for heri Sorry for
I her! Why, she had thought the pity
I all on her own side. How dared they!
The voices below were rambling on.
T ''They say Grant Sturgis is coming
4 home next week. haven't seen him
FLOR years, but they say he is perfectly
y stunning and an awful heart-smasher.
Il There'sssome ONE to set your-cap for.
4 Kate. : He has loads and loads of
4 money"
+ 1t was right then, in anger and the
j spirit of revenge, that Emily conceived
Il her remarkable plan. To think was
to act with Emily. and she lost no time
i in writing orders in to various city
4 stores. Within a few days mysterious
boxes began to arrive for her. the
! contents of which she kept secret. If
i Kate wondered about them It. was
1 without a great deal of interest. Books
no doubt, or some more of those i'm
possible tailored shirts and fat-heeled
shoes that Emily always wore.
l. There was to be an informal dance
1 at the Country club one evening a
/ week later. Rather to Kate's surprise.
4 Emily said that she thought she
should like to co. y
4 Gould you get man for me?" she
asked her pretty cousin.
II "Oh, yes, of course. There's En-
NETT Brown; will he do? I'm going
with Murray Jones myself. but when
I get there I can tell you. EN-,
there's just one man 1 want to fIirt
with tonight. and that's Grant Sturgis
He's the best looking and richest man
in Elmville, and all the girls are wild
about him. I want to cut them out u
4 You doubtless will Emily en-
couraged her, with an odd little smile
Kate was so interested in her own
! dazzling toilet that she never stopped
to wonder what Emily might wear
Indeed, she went off with her escort
before Emily was ready, and did no,
see her until after the second dance
And when she did see her she was moi
at all sure that it could be Emily.
Who's that girl over there; the
\ stunning one in yellow with her back
towards us?" she asked Emmett
well, you ought to know; it's YOU
own cousin. She looks mighty nice
} tonight, too"
4 Emily turned around just then and
: Kate gasped: Was this Emily. of the
horn-rimmed spectacles. the tigh
J couture, the flat-heeled shoes. Hei
/ dark soft hair was dressed high in 6
) most becoming mode. her smooth
cheeks were de1icately flushed, the
? spectacles were missing and the necl
Of her soft. yellow gown revealed &
) most bewilderingly lovely throat ant
| shoulders. Her dainty feet wer,
| sat1n-clad. and she danced divinely
More than that, she was dancing witt
r Grant Sturgis, and he appeared to b,
enjoying it,
r AS the evening slipped by, Kat.
, found that Emily danced very fire.
: quently with Grant Sturgis. Indeed
Kate herself had only one dance will
= him, and his conversation during tina
time was chiefly about her beautiful
' cousin Kate decided that he was no
SO very handsome, after all, and if h,
was queer enough to be fascinated b,
blue-stocking like Emily.
, Yes, she looks lovely tonight,
Kate assented rather grudgingly. &c
. wish she would do it oftener. 1 hop,
she hasn't bored you talking socfo
= Iogy."
"Socfology?" he echoed In surprise
"She hasn't, no. Does she-go in TO
that? I Judged she was a butterfl,
/ kind of girl"