The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-21
EUening Story
The Spur.
BY BESSIE DOUGLAS.


image before her eyes blurred, aud
she put her hand up to her cheeks
and rubbed ANY, the tears
Crying 4" Marjorie said aloud.
The sound of her own voice relieved
her. 1t was the -irst human voice she
had heard that morning and it filled
the shabby little room and made har
seem more real.
what have you got to cry about?
With eight Christmas cards and this,
and this!"
She fingered the bottle of cheap per-
fumery that her friend at the office
had given her and looked at the
Haunting box of chocolates that the
boss" had presented to each one Of
his force. But somehow the very
touch of the stiff pink bows on the
chocolate box was too much; there
she was with her head on her hands,
sobbing out her heart with short hard
breaths and a painful catch between
and all pretense of bravery dropping
away.
IF there were just some one-seme
one who had asked me to come today:
But everyone's got a home and FAM
lily and I guess they forgot"
\ She mopped at her eyes angrily,
tried for a smile and caught up her
pocketbook to go out, when she ran
blindly into little messenger boy on
the landing.
Miss NJ. Smith? Sign here, please"
Marjorie's fingers shook as she
signed, and then turning she caught
up the long white box with a scrawl
of gilt across the cover. Once inside
the door she stood a moment, shifting
the air that held a tinge of woodland
scent and the color of sunny days.
''FIowersi" she whispered. "Oh, i.
can't be flowers!'
She unwound the green tape lifted
- :, Il, ~ 4
turned back the green tissue; then
she flung herself on her knees before
the ooIfch and gave an exclamation of
delight. Rosesi Deep red roses with
hearts of flame and petals of dewy
freshness; she lifted them out until
they covered her couch with a Grim
son mantle.
She filled her water pitcher her
mug, the jar on her table top and
still the roses lay thickly on her
couch. She caught up a handful and
ran quickly to the next door, and
knocking and crying Merry Christ
mas!" she left her gift and borrowed
bowls and jars. When she had filled
them all her room was a bower of
fragrance, and seemed suddenly
bright with Christmas cheer. She
stood back with an exclal alton of de-
light and then remembered suddenly
that she did not know who had sent
them.
A card amid the tossed paper on the
floor bore the name of Thurlow
Brown and said briefly, with heart
lest greetings"
She had never heard of Thurlow
Brown and she realized with a sud
den pang of wretchedness that it was
all a mistake.
Her door was half open and she
went toward it with the half inten-
Some one who came whistling up the
stairs halted abruptly and dragged off
his hat. The nice man who had the
room on the floor above. The man
who always nodded politely, If indif-
ferently, and passed her byA Tom
Angus was his name.
Merry ChristmasH' he said, and she
looked up into his face with a pretty
smile.
"Oh, say. aren't they the loveliest
things!" he said, hating abruptly and
shifting luxuriantly like a dog. at
haven't seen roses like that since I
left California;"
He stopped at the door, and from
looking at her roses he looked at the
girl who had received this exquisite
gift. He had often seen her before,
but this time was the first that he had
really observed her.
A pale face, egg-shaped, with moth
ing of startling beauty but it's express
sion! A touch of wistfulness in the
eyes and a gentle mouth. And her
voice! What a pretty voice, almost
like silver bells.
You're all alone here, aren't you?"
he asked. 80 am L Ali the rest of
my family out west and I never felt
so lonesome in my life. Nothing like
a big city to make one feel lost. I've
just had a box from home, jelly and
turkey and all that. I wish-I say"
he went on boyishly, eff I asked that
little sewing lady down the hall, would
you come up and share, too?"
Marjorie hesitated a moment, and
then as he pleaded with his eyes and
his voice and his smile she answered
gravely, "Yes.'
Half an hour, then Wen be
ready" he said, whistling his dog up
the stairs.
When the door had closed behind
him Marjorie looked about her breath
lessly. Her roses and then this in
vitation. He had never so much as
talked to her before, and he had lived
in this very same house for three
months and brushed past her on the
landing and seen her at night carry
ing in her rolls.
She took off her hat and, opening
her closet door, chose the one dress
o the hanger, creepy little frock
Of blue. She freshened it with her
one precious possession, her mothers
real lace collar. unwrapped her single
pair of silk stockings and drew them
on luxuriously. Her cheeks were
flushe with rose. her eyes were the
color of brown leaves when the brook
water touches them, and she seemed
an entirely new Marjorie from the one
with, the heart-break in her face an
hour ago
She took two deep buds and thrust
them thru her belt and climbed the
stairs to the floor above.
Miss Tolley, the sewing-lady, was
already there and she turned smlI-
ing face on the newcomer.
How pretty we look" she chirped.
The expression of Tom Angus's
eyes told her even more
Not since she had come to New
York had Marjorie enjoyed herself so
much as she did at that dinner on the
baize covered table. They laughed as
they ate the turkey legs and opened
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