The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-08
EUening Story
June-EIizabeth.
By LILLIACE MITCHELL.

Shs laughed softly to herself as she
ran. You are a great goose, june.
Elizabeth, to spend. 10 cents carfare
and 81 cents for lunch when your din
ner is paid for at the boarding house"
ct know it," answered the June
Elizabeth part of her, but 1t feels so
| good to be out in the air and to eat
thin sandwiches that are evenly but
| tered"
Her feet tapped the floor of the car
impatently as it wended its slow way
toward the park, stopping at each
block to gather more people. She, as
| soon as her place was reached, left the
/ car and stroIled to a lonesome spot
near the lake far from the other pic
nickers, who had wrapped up pickles,
oranges and bananas and soggy cakes
| in old table napkins-the whole in
huge baskets to be lugged about by the
men of the parties until the women
| had selected a suitable spot to eat.
| She found the spot to which she al
ways went and settled down. quietly
gazing far out across the lake, drink
| ing in the fresh freeze with deep
breaths. She was aware of some pres
ence.
She glanced around quickly but saw
no one except slender young man
who had a small package. He had al
ready wandered on up the beach. He
settled in a spot far enough away SO
that his features were lndistinguish-
able to her without actually watch
| ing him Elizabeth knew that he,
too, was gazing far out across the lake.
| Elizabeth, like all women, had
that extra sense which allows OF
| peep now and then under the eye
flashes which makes one cogniZant of
all that goes on. She appeared to be
gazing at the lake, but she knew the
instant that the slender young man
glanced at her and she knew to the
second how long it was before he
| turned away.
She laughed gently.
She knew when it was half-past IL,
for at that moment all the women
picnic6ers at the far end of the beach
leaped to their feet and scurried
around preparing their lunch. She
knew exactly when it was IL o'clock.
for then every one sat down and with
hungry gestures began to eat
June EliZabeth, however, was not
ger exactly at IL O'Clock, and so she
sat dreaming such dreams as all girls
dream in the summer day.
The young man, too, did not seem
anxious to go for his meal, but sat
also looking far across the lake. He
watched a white cloud as it appeared
\ in the west; nearer it came and nearer,
with other little clouds following in its
wake until when directly. overhead it
turned gray and began to let fall large
raindrops. Then there were little
shrieks OF dismay from the picnickers
and the sputter and thunder of auto
mobiles as they made for the boule-
wards.
The young man without any appar-
| ent haste made his way across the
road toward clunnp of large trees.
| He saw June-EliZabeth doing the same
thing and frowned slightly. June
Elizabeth when she saw him tossed
her head and looked as snippy as
pretty girl can. .,,-
They both made for the same tree
and then stood glaring at each other.
1t was June Elizabeth who saw the
humor of it all and then she laughed.
But the slender young man did not
join her. He stood, on the contrary,
with his hands thrust deep into his
pockets and scowled at her. June
! Elizabeth was surprised, but turning
her back upon him went around to
the other side of the tree.
Don't you know any better" he
finally burst out, than to stand under
a tree when it's Ightning?"
| ne-Elizabeth made a face: What
about you?'' she said quickly.
| "Oh-me-it doesn't matter about
me. No one cares anything about me.
And, besides he went on quickly, as
though afraid she would pity him.
"And, besides it's my tree"
your tree?" she repeated. "If it
comes to that III just tell you that it's
He laughed shortly. "oh, well, we
needn't quarrel about it. It's park
| property
"I'm not quarreling about it, and I
don't care If it is park property. It's
mine as long as keep my lunch things
here
"Here," she said, and he looked into
the hollow of the tree and saw a little
rubber bag which when opened out
i held luncheon things for one.
Wish I'd thought of that he said.
| ''Mine'll be all wet
Your what?" she said puzzled.
| my lunch things" he answered.
Then he, followed by June-Eliza-
beth, made his way around to the OPP
posite side of the tree, and there in an
other hollow she saw a paper cracker
box with lunch things for one.
| oh she said, ="the knife's starting
to get rusty" and from her little rub
Der bag she took a tiny blue-striped
towel and wiped it dry.
Madam" he demurred, my sill
YER" and they both laughed.
You make a beautiful housekeep-
err" he said apropos of nothing.
She flushed without glancing at him.
| II must be going" she said.
"Going? Why now that we're both
here why can't we eat together?H
Because" she answered primly, ST
don't know you"
You don't know me?" he repeated.
well of all"
So incredulous did he seem that
June-Eliza beth racked her brain has
| tily, but she was convinced that she
| had never seen him.
You sit just three typewriter, desks
ahead of me at the Scroggins Wire
company five and one-haif days out
| of the week. You have been sitting
there eleven and one-half days now,
coming as you did at noon one day.
and If you don't believe me why just
make me eat alone today and then
look tomorrow and you'll see," he
complained in q whining tone.
She Immediately sat down on the
ground under the tree.
Get up!" he commanded.
| She jumped up before she was aware
that she was going to, so sharp was
his tone. Then she blushed- You