The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-04
Eoening Story
The Laundry List.
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.

BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.
Never" said Kitty sternly to her
self, never shall have anything more
to do with a mani"
The train came along at this minute
and she sprang up the high steps and
found an empty seat in the day coach.
She sat for few minutes Watching
the snowy landscape swim past her
and thinking with modification and
anger Of the weekend she had just
spent.
Helen Saunders had invited her pur-
posely SO that she should meet Will
Farnsworth. She had heard the viz
tues of Will, his unexcelled qualities
almost begun to hate him. But Helen
the inveterate matchmaker-now
that she was married, had somehow
made her curious about him.
And at the last moment he had
telegraphed that he couldn't come!
Which might have been forgiven ex-
cept for the fact that when they were
out snowshoeing Helen had seen a
sleigh flash past and had cried, i DO
believe that's WIFI OF all the
He had never come near them and
Kitty knew 1t was on her account. He
was an old friend of the Saunderses.
which left no reason for doubt why
he had been so careful to avoid them
over his weekend.
"And vet I'm not so horried. I don't
see why he needs to be afraid" Kitty
thought, taking out her vanity case
and peering into the mirrored face
with searching eyes.
Brown eyes Brown hair that
showed chestnut tendrils, a nose that
was saucy and a mouth that may have
been too wide for beauty, but was be-
witching when it showed the dimples
at its corners.
Kitty pulled up her veil, opened
her bag and drew out book. A love
story, of course.
She lost herself in its pages, lost
herself so deeply that she scarcely no
ticed when the train stopped was
barely conscious when the conductor
! came down the aisle. and reluctantly
opened with one hand her purse, while
she continued to hold the book with
the other. She held out her ticket and
went on with her story.
Pretty soon it was taken from her
and she cuddled back into her corner
until at Chapter VII she found her
eyes were filling with tears-she
couldn't go on any more now.
She Iifted< her head then and saw
that some one was sitting in the seat
beside her. A man, of course. Kitty
turned her face to the window, swal-
hoping the stranger would not notice.
If only things would happen the way
they did in novelist
ST think this is yours the stranger
said at last.
kitty turned quickly to look at him.
He had nice gray eyes, slightly hol-
lowed cheeks and an engaging smile
that showed white, fine teeth.
why, yes" Kitty said, looking
down at her laundry list in the young
mans hand. 1T must have slipped
| out of my purse"
| The young man said quite gravely.
You held it toward me such long
| time that I thought l ought TO take
/ it"
81 don't understand" Kitty said
haughtily.
and found that her ticket was still
there.
| The young man was smiling frankly.
| Perhaps you thought it was your
ticket. You see, I had my pass so
the conductor thought you were
How perfectly awful" Kitty
calculated.
Yes, L know it would be awful, but
you can fix it up with the conductor
by giving him your ticket at the next
station and freeing his mind forever
\ from any doubts
| Kitty folded her laundry list into
a tiny oblong and put it carefully
away. The young man watched the
delightful contour of the cheek turned
from him. and saw it flush into rose,
l
| that tone of amusement. Il know
! haven't any right to say it, but could
see you were in trouble. is there
anything I could do to help you?
know this isn't any way to introduce
myself He felt around in his pocket
and drew out a card that bore the
name:
| WILLIAM ]. FARNSwORTH,"
| General Passenger Agent.
| Kitty looked at it for a moment
Then the demon of mischief leaped to
her brown eyes.
You mean you saw was-crying %
she asked.
He nodded sympathetically. 90
couldn't help seeing. I hope you won
| think I'm the sort that picks up girl:
everywhere. Why. I run away from
] 'erh! But I'd feel grateful If vol
would let me be of service"
tits nice of you," Kitty answered
but the only thing you could d.
would be to tell ME that the heroine
lives~happily ever after-"~sh patteC
| the red-covered book.
Crying over storyi" he ejacu
lated. But that's easy enough" He
| turned to the last page and began t.
read the final paragraph in a voic'
that vibrated pleasantly about the rat
| tie of the train.
a little glad cry of surprise. Hugh.
/ eyes met hers with al long look o.
understanding. You forgive me. So
MAP He read the answer in her cleal
:, blue eyes, and as he gathered her clos
into his arms she knew it was for thi.
she had been waiting"
| Thank you," Kitty said softly.
Her face burned. Somehow ths
words that might have been sentimen
tai or meaningless had, with his read
ing, sprung into life. She stole looI
at her gray-eyed companion and
thought with regret what good friend!
they might have been. Never tina
now.
i Il get off the next STOP, she saiG
primly.
81 wish you'd tell me your name
I'd do anything-get people to intro
duce us properly, if it took weeks, i
you only would!" he begged.
Kitty looked at him for a moment