The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-02-04
EDening Story
MaroOned.
By MARY MORRISON,

By MARY MORISON.s
Barbara sat on a mosszcovered rock
in the soft shade of a beach tree and
wrote to her best friend as follows:
Dearest Peggy-Well, I'm going to
do it at last. I'm going to meet Henry
Buchanan, the rich and eligible, this
afternoon at o'clock and over our tea
cups give him the fatal answer. And
with a twenty-seventh birthday star
ing me in the face it's going to be dis
tinctiy affirmative.
"What u world we live in, Peg O my
heart! We quarrel with the only men
about whom We ever cared CONT
mental and marry the ones who will
fill the matrimonial bill with the least
possible inconvenience. I know I shall
be hunted all my days by the one ro-
nance threw aWay-but shall cross
my rubicon just the same at O'Clock
this afternoon.
..In fact, must hurry to it this min
ute. Shed one tear for the dead youth
and lost illusions of yours, as ever,
"BABS."
With a sigh Barbara sealed her
letter and rose. At twenty-six Bar
bara Bowen looked nineteen. Her
crinkly brown hair had myriad little
golden gIints to it, her eyes were
deep, dark blue fringed with shadowy
lashes, and her mouth-well, she had
the most bewitching mouth in the
world.
!
stump where she had "hitched" her
canoe. and looked around in her
amazement. What had happened?
Where was her boat? The tide. stead
| lily and mercilessly rising inch by inch
gave her back no answer-but far off,
floating gently up the river, she saw
her only communication with the
, mainland and Merry Buchanan's tea
party disappearing from view.
He'll never forgive mel" thought
T. Al Yt,r.% II
shall 1 do2" and she sank down on
the bank in helpless fury at the trick
fate had played her. Henry would
forgive you for lying and stealing. but
never for being late" she murmured.
But the tide only rose the higher and
sight.
AS Barbara sat there. bitterly think
ing of all the things in life she had
missed and of one in particular,
sound far off but insistent-came to
her ears, a distant whirring that grew
louder and louder. Up in the opal
sky, where the sun was just begin
ming to set. she saw what looked like
a great. while bird approaching, soar
ing majestically along, master of time
and tide.
She leaped to her feet. IS o s."
she cried and catching up the vivid
colored sweater beside her, she waved
it violently and desperate in the air.
81 guess I'll marry Henry Buchan-
an after aIl,' she said ts herself. with
sigh.
The aeroplane was almost overhead
now and Barbara waved as if her life
depended on it. Pm certainly exert
ing every effort" she thought.
The birdman circled around for
moment-then dove down until he
reached the water-a long skim over
it's surface and he was alongside, cap
in hand, ready to be of assistance to
beauty in distress.
Then they recognized each other.
"You, John Trumbull." breathed
Barbara, her hand at her throat.
The stern lines around John Trum-
bulls mouth hardened and then re-
Taxed into the kind of a smile that
made men want to claim him as
friend and children and dogs love
him on the spot, and women-well,
he had had his share of encourage
ment from women, too. He looked at,
Barbara and saw her lovelier than
even his most vivid memories had
Npainted and said:
How are you, Barbara? IT is five
years ago yesterday since we last saw
each other"
Barbara nodded. From the church
steepie in the distance the village
clock struck five times. On the steps
of the clubhouse she could fancy a
tall figure, disapprovingly waiting.
w
John Trumbuil, you weren't waving
that pink sweater just for exercise,
were you?" and he laughed a little
shakily.
Johnny" said Barbara, desperate
ly, there's man waiting over at the
clubhouse for me to tell him that I
will marry him, and my. canoes gone
off and left me. Will you give me a
lift?"
"ohr' said John Trumbull, and he
helped Barbara into the machine
without another word
The powerful engines skinned the
water, leaving behind a streak of
white foam, and then they 1ifted-ris-
ing higher and higher-until it seemed
to Barbara that they were making
sky. To their right little new moon
shone at them from her soft height
and here and there a star sparkled
brilliantly. The air was clean and
sweet as they cut thru it on their way
| toward the village. AS they neared
the end of their flight Barbara knew
that the one thing in the world she
did not want to do was to meet Henry
Buchanan on the clubhouse steps.
They were now circiing over the
club. Far, far down, alone, in the
dusk. she saw solitary figure wait
ing.
"Oh, please. Johnny" she cried, lay
ing her hand on Trumbul1s arm.
please not just yetf''
Still, without a word he soarded up
ward again. She breathed a sigh of
relief as the figure on the steps disap-
peared from view.
Barbara, said a stern voice in her
ear. do you want to marry this man
damn hint
mo, no. I won't marry him." cried
Babs. giving voice to all the pent up
regrets and emotions of the last few
years. "Oh, Johnny, I'll stay spin
ster all my life before I'll marry himi"
The sky was covered with brilliantly
Observation-Disclosures
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