The Topeka state journal., 1921-07-29
,Euening Story
In Silk Attire.


BY MARTHA McC. WILLIAMS.
Maria held to a religion of hate
against housework. A vain piece she,
proud of her soft hands with taper
fingers and filbert shaped nails. Her
dream was to sit in airy fairy gar
ments in softly lighted spaces evolving
beauty from gay-colored woods and
rich silks or turning lace and linen
into garments fine enough for prin-
cess. She loved rich and fine textures
and had an artists sensibility to color.
Silk especially fascinated her; she
gloated over her @cant store of it with
an approach to Tniser joy. In a way
that was lucky all around.
Her parents were just people OF
the old fashion, and somewhat narrow.
When she was done with school and
restless in too-abundant leisure they
had settled her problem by offering
her wages to stay and help her
mother, who was in vigorous middle
age.
Neighbors had laughed at first
Maria had a soft snap Mrs. Lane
would do all the hard things and her
daughter get tidy sum for standing
by. There they reckoned without
either mother or daughter. Sinking
her full share. But not for love of
those needing it; instead, for love OF
silk.
She put by her money to buy her
fill of it, permitting her parents TO
clothe her in things fit for a working
girl. So the savings mounted steadily,
albeit now and then Maria was tempt
ed by a scarf, a length of rare weave
fascinating in color and texture, a bit
of satin or brocade truly royal. NO
body sought to hinder such spendings;
an only daughter, even If rebellious
against environment, is too precious to
be crossed needlessly. Besides the
elders were sympathetic toward Mar
fa's longings. She came by them hon
estly They themselves were plain
folk but Grandma Marklen had been
Just the same. She had craved, saved
and boarded and at last died of shock
and grief when her trunkfuls of finery
were burned uninsured. Cynthy, eld-
est daughter, sole inheritor in her gen
Grafton of grandma's passion, was
thought by the two younger girls TO
have borrowed several especially gor-
geous things just before the fire.
But she denied having them-so
there the matter rested. The denying
had made GOODNESS between the sisters,
but Cynthy. in her city home, cared
little for that.
She had married well: a widower
twice her age, with an overgrown son.
and a bad case of crouch. Dying a
few years after, he had left her a
life estate that assured her a hand
some income, but nothing in fee
everything reverted to the son, VINO
had grown out of his bulkiness but
kept his resentment to Cynthy. So
when Joe Lane went to work in the
city, Cynthy, otherwise Mrs Jabez
Clifford; had sought him out, made
him free of her homeTa handsome
apartment--and introduced him to her
friends.
He had done her much credit among
them, being clean-minded, straight.
tall and supple, fresh-colored and
easy in manner with the ease that
comes from very kind heart! Yet
she did not encourage him to speak
of home nor home affairs. 'I want
you all mine, while you are with
me-" she had said in the beginning.
Hence his letters had not dwelt upon
her kindness.
He was glad they had not when the
trouble came-the home people might
feel that he could appeal to her for
help. That was, on the face of things,
impossible; yet VIXEN she somehow
sensed his deep disquiet, and cross
examined him cleverly, he ended by
showing her his father's letter ''Son,
don't leopard your own future" it
ran, "but il you can, lend me thou
sand dollars or so. What I let you
have when you left US was gift out
right; am not asking penny of it
back. You Know why, I think, so the
land might go free and clear to your
than you do, but it can't die nor run
away, and can be so left to her as
to make it certain she has comfort.
And it tnsures US old folk a good liv-
ing as long as we have no debts to pay.
Now there isn't the scra tch of a pen
against me but with the fruit all
killed, the garden-tru more than
half ruined and wheat so hurt by last
weeks frost, the income in sight will
barely pay taxes, and insurance and
no matter how you save, saving isn't
possible when you haven't any money.
"A thousand will tide US over beau
tifully-could get it on mortgage easy,
but 1 want to die as I've lived, mort
gage free. You will, know, be glad
to help me if you can with justice to
yourself. That you must decide-if
you are likely to /. hurt yourself in
pocket or standing with your part
ners, say SO like the man hope we've
made you. I know you won't think I
ought to use Marfa's money. she has
saved little more than the thousand
in her three years work for US. But
We know, mother and I, her heart is
set on spending it for silk, and she
shall have the fun of doing it no mat
ter what happens"
Aunt Cynthy read the letter thru.
pursed her lips, winked hard then
said abruptly: Joe. will you take me
down there for the weekend Satur-
day?"
Yes, II you care to co." Joe said
restrainedly. He had hoped she
might be touched; instead she seemed
to think only of herself Later by
shrewd questions she learned that he
could not send the money with the
business situation so ticklish, his own
business could spare nothing not i'm
peratively needed, and outside bor-
rowing would queer, not only himself
but his firm. To that she nodded af-
firmatively but said only: e"Well go.
but don't you dare give them warn
ing. I want to see all things for my
self"
All the long sunny afternoon Hhe
runabout took them thru a FROST
scathed world. The sunny days had
brought out fully the havoc wrought
even forest trees were nipped,
orchards showed as disconsoIate blots
on the 1andscape-wheat that had