The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-09
Erening Story
WaIl-FIower
81 JESSE DOUGLAS.

Whats he hke?"
Like? ?"
Laura leaned a little forward in the
wicker char, faced the expectant
group OF girls on the east porch and
said in her inimitable voice:
He has the face of a st. Anthony
And oh. the way his hair grows and
his smile. {. He looks right thru
you. too, and there's a laugh at the
back of his eyes"
"Tan?"
Does he dancer"
"Is he fun?''
The questions were shot at her from
all sides and Laura SIN ling mysteri-
ouslY turned to look at Jane, plump
and aware of her dimpies and bronze
hair; Frances, tall and fair with her
white skin; and big-eyed Doris who
could tell to the fraction of an inch
the power of her curling eyeiashes.
They were a formidable array of
charm and she patted her hair and
admired a slim outstretehed foot be-
fore she answered lazily:
He's all that and more. And don't
you just love his name, William AL
den, it's so simple and-and-"
John Alden might have been more
appropriated"
Polly Morse was giggling openly
and Laura, turning in the direction of
that vo-ce, nodded affectionately. She
was the only one of them who would
not set her snares for the new man,
TOR the young lawyer who had hung
Main street. There wasS a very good
reason, too.
"Oh. Polly, will you show me how
to fasot my new crepe? want it for
the party Frances said.
1T you'd make me a layer cake I'd
be everlasting grateful" Doris begged,
tucking an arm thru Polly's.
Its a shame YOU don't care for
men," jamie lisped. looking at Polly,
and realizing afresh that here at least
was no rival.
= They stood up simultaneously as
tered and kissed their way down the
path, they disappeared along the
elm shaded village street.
Polly, left alone. sighed heavily and
began to gather tea cups and ends of
sandwiches and crumpied tea napkins
turned to her ipstinctively when they
wanted help but when it was a ques-
ton of men she was not part of their
armed neutrality. They didn't even
consider her.
Carrying the cups to the kitchen
Polly stopped to examine herself in a
mirror on the pantry wall. Her hair
brushed smoothly back showed her
one beauty-tWo shelI-like, exquisitely
pink ears-ears when every other
formites! Polly had given way to
this one beauty. Looking down she
sighed again, for her skirts were not
audaciously short like Janet,s nor
even rather short like Francois they
went to her very ankles.
Polly couldn't talk. Not with men.
/ With girls, yes, che coAld bubble with
delighted laughter and listen with I'M
Outstanding but should one of these
selfsame girls be accompanied by
man, Polly found herself stiff with
fright, icy of finger tip and mono
syllable.
AS she beat eggs for Doris's party
next afternoon and admired Frances's
flame-colored frock, that the latter
had not been able to resist showing
her, she resolved she would not go to
the party. What was the use of sit
ting in a corner and trying to pretend
with panied smile that she was hav-
ing a lovely time, talking with Mrs.
Gates If she appeared for moment
and then relapsing into chair as the
others danced by?
1T won't go!" Polly whispered, 'T
won't go!" she was still telling her
self angrily that evening as she cut
across the lawn to Doris's brick house
on the corner.
Too late. Someone had already
caught sight of her coming up the
walk and she saw with a new terror
that it was the new man. He smiled
pleasantly and his voice broke the
silent evening.
I'm glad I shall know someone be-
fore 1 go in" he said, and looking UP
at him she understood why Laura had
spoken of his eyes and his voice and
his smile.
ooh. yes" Polly said and could find
nothing else to add. Her mind was
suddenly blank, and around her
heart was that cold stone wall that
shut her away from men.
The door was open and Polly, a lit
tie breathlessly, ran up the steps and
plunged into the yellow stream of
light. Laughing voices and greetings,
flowers, music and butterfly frocks
surrounded her and for moment she
felt a part of it. Then she saw Doris
lift her eyelashes to the new man.
jamie was dimpling and the next mo-
ment she found herself alone in
corner with dancers dipping past her.
Only when the time came for sand
wiches and iced drinks was Polly a
member Of the party. Then as she
passed napkins and salad plates and
sank at last into a dark corner of the
porch did she breathe a sigh of relief.
She could slip across the lawn and tell
her mother she had had "a wonderful
time" now. and cry herself to sleep.
i've found you at last" a voice said
beside her.
Polly was about to say, "oh. no. it's
only l." when she restrained herself
in time. For William Alden had flung
himself down on the step below her
and was talking in a jolly voice about
everything and nothing, until Polly,
shrouded in the shadows found 1t was
almost like talking to a girl.
do you know I'm SO glad TO get
away from New York" he was saying.
I've found something real here. Sim
plioity. natural way of living aud-a
new kind of girl"
Pouys mind flashed from jamie to
Laura, from Frances to Doris without
the solution.
His voice rambled on and she found
herself tel ing him things that sur
prised her until at last she stood up
with a jerk, crying 4 mast go home.
~
Il shall go, too, If your let me?"