The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-07
EVENING STORY
Loose Milk.
BY DORA NOLAN.

the elastic Qn0er the neaNy COILS OF
her brown hair. Then she buttoned
her trig tailored suit. carrying on at
the same time a conversation with her
daughter. who was dressing in the
next room.
"a morning like this makes me
wish some kind fairy would change
this stiff chapeau into a sunbonnet
and this suit into an old dress and
sweater; then II she would transform
my bag into a rake ana whisk me
away to Stonehill-oh! what's the use
of wishing? But 1 can just smell that
brown earth! Cheerio, Rena! Only
two months more of grinding the ele-
ments of Latin into those flibberty-
gilbert girls heads! Welr'-with a
sigh-"well have oyster stew for din
ner: don't forget, Rena, to run over
to the store and get a quart Of loose
milk. 1 have examination papers to
correct and won't be home early"
Rena, left alone, completed her
toilet and hurried out. She didn't
have far to go, as her school was only
three blocks away. On opening the
street door a warm puff of air struck
her in the face.
Mother isn't the only one who
would like to be at Stonehill today"
she soliloquized. land grimy-faced
as high school girls. Poor kiddies!
They ought to be out playing in the
green fields themselves instead of in
the shadow of this eternally changing
elevated"
AS often happens in the variable
month of April, there was decided
change in the temperature that after
noon. Rena walked home against a
chilly wind and decided that it would
be a good time to stay in and start
those Bingham dresses for the coun-
try. Working on them would make
the approaching vacation seem more
real.
Rena was intense by nature What
she did she did with all her might.
CHANGING up at the clock after close
absorption in her work, she dumped
the fabric from her lap and fastened
into the kitchen. Her mother would
be due in half an hour anyway, per-
haps before. Dinner was not Started.
Lets see. Oyster stew. And have
to go out after the milk" Taking a
small pail from it's hook. she inquired
of nobody at all. Now where's the
cover?" But that article eluded her
search. 'Well I'll have to go without
it, and mind my step that's all"
Ten minutes later the hatless Rena
emerged from the grocery carefully
carrying the pail and, head down,
against the wind, hurried across the
lided with a young man who was ap
preaching from the opposite direction.
There were direful results. The
loose" milk no longer occupied the
pail. Most of it spread out over the
dark overcoat of the stranger, trick
ling thence to the sidewalk.
"Oh," exclaimed Rena. what in
blaZes-" began the young man. But
at this point he raised his head from
rueful contemplation of the coat.
looked at the embarrassed girl and
shifted to this remark: It's rather of
mess, isn't it?''
Rena was forced to agree. IF
you'll come up to my mothers apart
ment. I'll wipe it off with cold water,
and 1 don't think it will show"
1t has been said that the young
man looked at Rena, but it has not
been related what he saw; and it was
what he saw. quite as much as the de-
sire to have his coat made respectable
again, that caused the stranger to &C
cept the invitation with alacrity.
Rena. with her laughing brown eyes
and abundant, glossy brown hair, was
easy to look upon.
Mrs. Browning. opening the door of
the apartment soon afterward, heard
laughing voices and followed them to
their source in the kitchen. She be-
held her daughter busily scrubbing at
coat while a young man with the
sort of light hair that never stays put,
and good natured gray eyes. looked
on.
"oh. mother!" Rena exclaimed.
laughing. this is Mr. Morse 1 was
just returning from the store with
the milk and I ran straight into him
turning the corner. Most of the milk
landed on his coat. so the least I could
do was to offer to clean 1t off"
Mrs. Browning shook hands with
the young man. He told her he was
TO-
You. don't need to tell me you're
from the country" she said; your
color gives you away. Sit down and
tell us what the country looks like
this time of the year. We were long
ing only this morning to be there. We
own little house at Stonehill up
state, and we hope some day to be
able to buy a few more acres and
start market garden. It's our pipe
dream"
Morse hardly waited for Mrs.
Browning to finish speaking. That's
my work, market gardeningt Just at
present I'm managing a tmiliionaire's
farm out in Westchester county. but
I've saved money enough to buy a
place of my own. and I'm on the look
out for one"
stay to dinner with US, won't you,
Mr.. Morse" said Mrs Browning. land
We can have the time of our lives,
The young man looked his accep-
lance as the mother continued: Wen
fry the oysters; they'll be just as good
that way"
All thru the dinner young Morse
talked mostly to the mother, but his
eyes. somehow. turned oftener to the
daughter. He was much interested in
the acres adjoining the Brownings
little country place, and inquired who
owned them. Then. waxing brave.
he told how lonesome he had been
during his stay in the city. and won
dered whether. If he should get the
tickets. they would go to play with
him. And before the visitor left il
was arranged.
1t was the evening before his va
cation ended that Anthony Morse
walked thoughtfully from the sub
way to the Brownings' apartment
He had a piece of news to tell and
proposition to make.
The mother had been so wonder