The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-06-01
JUST A GIRL
Blu JANE PHELPS
ANOTHER MAN-OF ANOTHER
SORT.
CHAPTER

Z.
Among my other characteristics
was a great desire to have people like
me. I used to be glad was pretty,
and think that being good to look at
was one of the things that helped
make girls happy. 1 used to be aw-
fully sorry for plain girls-altho I
found the palmer they were, the
1 thought perhaps their plainness was
the reason. That they had to be
clever to hold their own with the
pretty girls, to get any attention.
Yet did not have the idea so many
girls hold that beauty was all a girl
| needed. L had tried to do we'll in my
studies when in boarding school. 1
had set myself at my accomplish
ments in the same logged manner.
But they~were accomplishments with
me; nothing that was at all neces-
sary, save to make me more attrac-
1 thought.
1 was so accustomed to our mode
of life that 1 never gave a thought
to what it might mean to go without
the luxuries, the extravagances with
which had always been surrounded.
! Naturally, 1 had no idea they wouldn't
go on and on forever.
Now | wonder if we could look
ahead if it would make any differ
ence; If we could grasp what 1t
not think so. We are such creatures
of habit and of environment that we
do not believe the earthquake will
come until we feel the earth rock
| under us.
One afternoon Claudia Sheppard
gave a tea. Among the guests was
young man l never had met, dis
tant cousin of Claudia's who was visit
| ing her. He was a quick-motioned
westerner. whom at first L set down
/ as unused to society, and rather awk-
ward. But he was fairly good-looking
and I felt it my duty to Claudia to
help entertain him.
He was so different from the other
young men knew, that really found
| him interesting in a serious sort of a
way. And he had, in spite of his seri-
business, a vibrant personality that
fairly obtruded itself upon me. But
1 was enormously surprised when he
said he didn't care for society. that
most social functions bored him.
But what do you do?" l asked.
| do with yourself 1 mean?" L had
not meant to be inquisitive, to ask
affairs. and was afraid he had mis-
understood my question.
why, my dear Miss Stewart, there
isn't half time enough to do what
want to do-to read, to study, to play
in the open, not in crowded drawing
rooms"
But you never meet people that
way" 1 said q
"Oh, yes I do. Real people, people
who mean something. Have you, ever
stopped to think that most of our cas-
ual acquaintance mean nothing at all
in our lives? They come and they go
but they leave not ripple"
l was not accustomed to hearing
young men talk in this strain. I al
most gasped my surprise. I was in a
fair way to get some of the thrills / sc
longed for. Anyway. l was intensely
interested in this strange young man;
almost a different species from any
had ever known. yet educated. gentle
manly, entertaining.
! When Kenneth Lawrence smiled
there was an entire change in his face
1t was as if something sweet and gen.
tie had swept across the rather firm lips
and mouth. When saw that smile
felt a slight stirring of something new
Tand-strange within me-the thrill had
at last arrived. But almost uncon-
sciously I now commenced to fight
against the feeling, against this mani
attraction for me.
The girls all rather fell for him
but he seemed to single me out, to
be Just a little more attentive to me
than the rest. 1 was flattered, and
perhaps was nicer to him than would
have been had the girls not beer
around to see, Claudia whispered
| just before l left:
Don't you think he is grand?"
"Who?" pretending 1 did not under
stand
why, Kenneth of course! My cou-
sim
"Oh. yes. he is quite interesting. A
little different, isn't he, from New
York men? Where is he from?t
California. Father says he is like
the country. big and virile.'
That expression of Claudia's father
remained with me: Like the country
big and virile." 1t exactly expressed
Kenneth Lawrence.
(Tomorrow-Thrills.)