The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-22
Euening Story
Priscilla to the Rescue.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD.

l
peration. You set your heart on a
| thing and then once you get it--good
night! You no longer care two pins
about iti'
drawled Jane lazily from the cushiony
depths of the couch hammock. "Nor
| the achievement, but the achieving, is
my Joy! However, what's the irnme-
date cause of your wrath ?"
pinch, your Pekinese," Seturned
out of your Iong-suffering father,
you've as much use for him as for the
! kitchen mop. The creature is far
fonder of me because I give him his
meals than of you, his owner" :
Get along with you. Priscillai" and
Jane, suddenly indignant. sat upright
and flung a cushion at her cousins
fair head Then stooAing< she gath
| cred the tiny subject OF discussion into
her arms; Little doEgis nfusnt like
warned him crooningly. The next in
slant she tumbled. the puppy hncere-
moniously into Prfscilla's lap. NHeav-
ems. here's Dick already"% -
Sure enough. Dick Newton. JAMES
fiance of twentysfour hours standing.
| was swinging in at the gate, his pleas
ant eyes alight at the sight of the girl
he loved. moment later, as Pris-
| ella made swift and tactful retreat
indoors, ha took Jane in his arms.
within the month. My firm is sending
me out to Shanghai and the trip will
! be our honeymoon"
Richard Newton had come to War
rensville for a brief sojourn as tempo.
rary manager of a chain OF stores
Combining the attributes of a best
seller hero with a few individual at-
fractions of his own, he had strangely
caused no end of fluttering in the
community's feminine hearts-among
them JAMES, In fact, the rumor was
shuttled about among her gossipy lit
tie crowd that Jane was actually hard
hit and was making a dead set for the
newcomer. And it must be confessed
that, in so far as such a thing was
possible for a modest. weiIbred girl,
Jane certainly was. A cafefully casual
meeting now and then, a bid to call
the darkened yer lnda cool and Invita-
tional, an irresistible gown---but every
girl knows the formula.
Dick had come, had seen, and after
conservative delay all the more
provocative. had been conquered.
q properly hesitant "yes'-and now, in
the near future, nearer than she shad
dreamed, tinkled the wedding bells.
Then, about the ears of those con-
cerned, on the very day before the
wedding, the universe all but tumbIed.
crowded days of preparation for an
event which would occur at most
brief hour or so, went suddenly to
pieces. :
"It's-it's all mistaken she walled
to Priscilla WHO had paused astounded
in the act of stuffing with tissue paper
the sleeves of a taffeta gown. II
1 don't want to be married."
"0f-all-things!" cried Priscilla,
qnite aghast. "Janee Crawford. are
you crazy?'
at her eyes with silky bit Of lingerie.
Il was certainly c-efazy aboutepick
until + got him. And now"
I'm other words" said Priscilla
coldly, "he's a second Pines Well
what are you going to do about it7'
viii you-siil you tell him"
asked Jane timidly.
For a full minute Priscilla stared
blankly at her cousin. Then 4. her
glance swept the room heaped with
wedding finery and her expression
grew thoughtful We'll" she said at
last. 'I suppose, as your maid of hon.
or. I'm at your beck and call for most
any old job. So here goes! 1 happen
to know that Dicks over at the house
Ginning with dad" She sprang up
lightly, tossed the taffeta gown in the
trunk tray and was gone.
During her cousins absence, which
u
Jane alternated between sighs of re-
lief and spasms of dread. What would
Dick say? How would he take it?
Would he-men did do sueh-things-
go off and kill himself?
When Priscilla returned her eyes
held an odd expression altogether un-.
fathonnable. Jane, II fully intend
ed to do as you asked-but, well, It
seems that Dick--oll, hang it, Jane,
read for yourselfI' She extended a
man'S size envelope, then folded her
hands and watched James face as she
read:~
Dear Jane-What will you think
OF me? I regret-wel, let me blurt
the whole thing out 1 feel like q
cad, but are you sure We had better
enough, after all? Hadn't we bet
ter rectify a mistake before it is too
later RICHARD NEWTON
For q moment there was silence
silence SO deep that the discordant
ticking of two gilt clocks in a distant
room was distinctly audible.
Then Jane flew TO the telephone.
''You, Dick? Well, listen! You can't
| mean what you wrote! You~-you-
why, my heart would be brokeni Oh,
you'll think l have no dignity-no
pride 1t is all right? Thank
heaven!"
Jane turned to her cousin. Don't
you ever tell single soul, Priscilla.
that almost wasn't married. AS for
Dick-L-just know lean make hing
| happyl"
After the ceremony the following
day Dick managed a word with the
maid of honor. .You sure were a
brick" he told her gratefully, putting
me wise how to deal with Jane yes
| terday. OF course. it was only the ex-
"Of course" agreed Priscilla. ''onIy
| "a word of advice, Dick Don't ever
| let Jane feel too sure of you'll"
In the limousine that bore them
! away Jane cast a suspicious glance
at her husband. What were you and
Priscilla talking about? I warn you
I'm going to be frightfully Jealous p"
"Jealous?" cried Dick. drawing her
close. LAS If I could ever, ever, in all
! the wide, wide world" he paused
suddenly. mindful of Priscilla's parting
words. Well, darling, if hadn't met
you first, Priscilla is one OF. the girls
would like to have married.