The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-04
Euening Story
The Bride.
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.

aSterS, ola not near the steps OF the
small boy along the grassy path.
How plentiful the asters were this
year." she thought, land how nice that
the house would look so pretty just
when Tom was coming home" She
wondered if he would think she was
grown up at last with her hair tucked
and in that new evening dress-black
to make her look older
Telegram, Miss Nancy, sign here"
said the freckled urchin who had late
ly taken the responsibility of being a
messenger"
Nancy sprawled her name. Then
she looked at the oblong of yellow
with surprise. Who on earth? She
tore it open. The words danced be-
fore her eyes for a moment in the
Florence and I arrive tonight on
the 6:10.
TON Holbrook."
She read it over again trying to I'M
derstand. Florence-what could it
mean? NThe knowledge swept over her
in white, binding flash. Tom was
bringing home his wifei
Her knees felt like water, but she
moved away, away from the sunlight
that glared down at her, away from
the old garden with its tangle of fall
len leaves and autumn flowers.
Like a wounded animal she crept
into the house, and she was glad that
she was alone, that Aunt Myra had
gone to the village and Lucy was too
busy in the kitchen baking to notice.
She went thru the dining room and
looked at the silver that she had pol
ished this morning-for Tom. How
lovely everything 1ooked-the waxed
mahogany, the pewter on the old cup
board that had the sheen of silver the
sun streaming in thru the bay win
dow and falling on the shelf that held
all the gay blossoming things!
How they had worked, so that when
please him, from the new puppy whose
tail would grow too long to the Gin
namon rolls that he liked so muchi
And Tom was coming with his bride
he had never told them. never let
them know that there was a girl in
| the city. He had always pretended
that they were the ones that he loved
best, and Nancy knew now that in her
heart, her very secret heart, she had
believed that Tom liked her. That
In her room she sat very still with
her hands in her lap. On her table
lay the asters. purple and white and
rose-pink, beginning to droop on their
| sturdy stems; but Nancy, who loved
| flowers and could never bear to neg
were without water
She looked at the clock and saw
| that it was only half an hour ago, and
yet she had sat there, with no knowl-
edge if time, with no feeling only a
terrible numbness that dulled her
emotions. that made her realize when
] she did think it would hurt her
But suddenly she stood up. She
couldn't go on like this. Aunt Myra
would know when she came home.
"a f-k
pride could not endure pity. She went
| over and Strengthened out with shaking
| fingers the crumpIed ball that had
been the telegram. She could not cry.
This was too deep for tears.
She went to her mirror and looked
in, thinking that her face must have
changed, that she must show all this
| that she had gone thru. But her
| eyes looked backed at her steadily, a
little wider, perhaps, maybe a little
! darker, but her cheeks were still
round and smooth and the golden
had brought out were still there.
1t didn't show! At least she could
bear her pain in solitude.
| Standing beside her window, she
saw Aunt Myra coming up the path.
Now for it, She must get it over.
"A wire from Toni" she cried
wondering if that was her own voice.
She ran down the path. Aunt Myra
did not look at her, but grasped the
crumpled sheet and read it.
mean to say" She was so startled
herself that she did not see the stain
of color that crept to Nancy's auburn
hair.
And he never let US know a thing
about it Sprung it on US this
A little breeze touched the soft gray
curls that showed about Aunt Myra's
temples, but her face with its pleasant
wrinkles looked older and grayer and
more tired.
1T think" said Nancy, stopping to
pick up a pink smartweed that was
encroached to the very steps of the
porch, that we'll have a lot to do, to
make 1t pleasant for her, so that she
won't feel strange"
Aunt Myra frightened her pressure
on the girls arm, but she said moth
ing. It was not going to be so easy to
accept Toms wife when she had al
ways hoped that things would turn
out another way.
But Nancy did not give herself an.
other moment to think. There were
SO many things to do. Tom would not
want his own shabby, comfortable
room up under the caves now, but
they must have the guest room.
Nancy put on the best spread and
covered the top of the high-boy with
the old lace cover that was laid away
in lavender. Still 1t looked bare some
how. and she was not satisfied unit
she had brought the madonna from
her own room and stood it on tbs
white mantel and laid logs for a fire
in the brick fireplace. Then she put
the asters-the bridal pink-on tht
table and the low-boy and in two jar:
over the mantel. and stood back t.
view her work. It did look pretty ant
comfortable and sweet, she thought.
= - He h r.raf
a strange sound, for Nancy had slipped
down and was burying her head il
: her arms while the tears she had helC
back all day strangled her, choked he
| as tho they were fiery drops.
ST hate heri Hate heri Hate herr
Nancy cried passionately.
: But some one else had heard thos'
| strangling sobs besides the cold gra.
r walls. 1t was Tom Holbrook wh'
: kneeled down beside her and touched