The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-04-26
Eoening Story
Spring Magic.
BY CRAWFORD LUrTRELL.

b CRAM LOIlRELL.
1t was a foolishly sentimental little
poem, yet there was something so in
timately friendly about the lines that
Jim Reynolds felt no great surprise
when he glanced down at the writer's
name and found it to be Mary Nc
Ghee, Mary McGheei
What a troop of ghostly little MEM
cries these words conjured up for the
man, as he sat by a window in the
great book lined room, CHANGING out,
he was conscious for the first time
that spring with age-old magic, had
touched the earth again and that bur-
geoning boughs and buttercups flaunt-
ing scalloped yellow petticoats, gave
evidence of the revtvifying power OF
the fragrant wand.
Lilacs, that his mother had planted
in her own youthful days, tossed pur-
pie and white plumes in the light
breeze. White-throats were busily
building in the blossoming pear tree
by the driveway. A pot of tulips on
sunlight and glowed goldenly.
Strange that those lines of a girl
he had known back there in the unfor-
getable days of immaturity should
make him conscious of bird and leaf
and blossom that had been there. un-
noticed, before. But that had been
Mary's way. She was not content TO
enjoy beauty alone. She had always
pointed it out for less disseminating,
less appreciative eyes
lin looked at the silver framed
picture of his wife that stood on the
huge flat-topped mahogany desk be
fore him The little ruffled dress she
had worn when the picture was taken
was no less light and airy than the
pretty, smiling girl herself.
1t was indicative of her attitude to
life. For the ten years of their mar
ried life she had laughed and danced
and PLAYED, and when, at times. in mo-
ments of real need, he had turned to
her she had been able to offer him
only the star dust on her brightly hued
butterfly wings.
He read once more the lines of the
poem expressing the romantic ideas
that the thought of youths first love
forever fingers in the heart. All at
-once there registered on the retina of
his memory the look in Mary Nc
Ghee's face when he had told her that
Claire Inman had promised to marry
him
He recalled dimly how awkwardly
tender he had felt toward the little
girl to whom he had often made love
lightly before the great binding pas
sion for Claire had caused him to feel
himself suddenly a grown man, with
the desire to possess and cherish her
filling his whole life.
If Claire's fortune had had anything
to do with his choice, he had tried
desperately to put the thought behind
him. But sitting there by the win
dow, years after, he WINGED little at
the memory of Mary McGhee's face,
with her heroically suppressed hearts
secret blazing like a scarlet banner
across her cheeks
For one terrifying second Jim had
known and Mary McGhee knew he
understood. Then she had rallied add
warmly congratulated him, hoping
would be as happy as he deserved.
She had gone away before the we'd
ding. and Jim remembered. how
strangely he had thought of her that
June morning of how she would have
loved the madonna lilies and great
banks of daisies that filled the house.
He had missed her, and then the
joy of possessing the pretty, spoiled
girl he had asked to be his wife b1otted
everything else from his mind until the
day came when he realized that Claire
had never loved him; that she could
not, perhaps, love anybody but herself
Once in awhile he had seer stories
written by Mary in the current maya
zines; had wondered for a few minutes
where she was and what life had
offered her, felt briefly conscious of
the pain that his careless youth had
given her, and then considered grimly
that the healing touch of years had
doubtlessly erased him even from her
m emory.
Yet the thought of her strangely
persisted. He reflected that he had
been very sick man lately and that
he might attribute to his present
weakness of body the reading of
poetry in which he never by any
chance INDUCED, and his sentimental
thoughts OF youth. of unattained
ideals and of shattered dreams. Life
did that to everybody.
1t took you, young and vigorous and