The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-23
EDening Story
Better Judgment.
BY MARTHA MCCULLOUGH
WILLIAMS.


whoi"
Lalee chanted with her wicked twin
kle, nodding toward the far gate lead
ing upon the deep lawn from the high
way. Sister Anne turned brick red,
for all she bridled, and made to be
absorbed in the crochet iEtrieacy un-
der her hand. Laiee, the young vixen,
giggled to see, then flung up her
head, canted it slightly sidewise,
made a feint of sticking her hands in
to imaginary pockets and rumbled out
in her deepest voice: ID. V. Miss
hearty"
"shut up. you plagued" from Sis
"Shan't do it," from Lalee the law
less. You know that's just what
he'll say. He's getting down now
man that looked so like he was made
of ramrods Riding circuit twenty
years ought to have learned him bet
ter than to get down stiff-1egged. But
mon sense, or anything but a bass
voice and big appetite"
Again Sister Anne cried shut upi"
this time effectually. Heavy feet
sounded upon the front steps, a. pom
derous knocking rang thru the cool
front hall.
do go ask him I'M" Sister Anne
entreated- Lalee giggled again. NO
need of primping up-he's already
swallowed hook, line and sinker,'' she
said husEedly, yet moved to greet
and seat the visitor, who stood frown-
ing family over the slight delay.
Sight OF her banished the frown, even
brought a pale glow to the caxernous
eyes. Both his big hands went over
the scratched and sunburned paw she
held out in greeting-in his most
mellifluous voice, he said: How won
lderfu1 are thy ways, o Lord. To put
all the summer, the morning into
human shape, thus doubly blessing
our eyes,"
I'D say quit your kiddin'-only
ing and snatching away her hands.
| ''Why?" the minister, Angus Nc
Callum, asked eagerly.
Lalee giggled gleefully. big Sis
would make me stand in the corner
facing the wall full ten minutes" she
said: cor else say I shouldn't go to
the Daisy dance tomorrow
| lyon like to dancer" from Mccall
ilum.
! Lalee shook her head mo, I love
it! So well you could almost tule me
up to your Heaven by saying 1 could
dance there forever-and never get
| tired"
| Suppose you found something you
loved better?" McCallums voice was
curiously husky. Suppose I turned
| WITH
myself-and Big Sis"
Lalee flung back: That's as likely
/ as the other"
"H-mi 1 hope may see your sister
i-privately. McCallum returned with
significance. Lalee clapped her hand
strangle an 'T knew it! Oh, knew
it," and whipped away, deeorously
| silent. She did not wish McCallum
luck in his wooing-but she did long
| deeply for Big Sis to have a real sure
enough proposal. Big Sis was rising
thirty-and all the mother LaIee had
| ever known. She was neither beau
| tiful nor ugly, had a fine temper, and
a fair wit, to say nothing of being a
queen of housekeepers, and a general
providence to all in need of trouble.
| Why nG man had sought her had been
a puzzle to Lalee since she was out of
short frocks. She could not realize
that Anne's delicate aloofness had
chilled many an incipient inclination,
| or that her seeming content with the
estate in life wherein she found her
self had daunted suitors bent upon
marriage on the neck-or-nothing prin-
ciple.
! Lalee had been a belle even before
she put up her childish curis Staid
Judge Emory, her fathers chum at
| college, had seriously proposed for
her when she had reached the ripe
age of fourteen and a half She ought
to have known nothing about it-but
/ dad had no secrets from the child
whose coming had cost him SO dear.
/ He had married at nineteen-Sister
/ Anne was just twenty years his Junior
She had laughed with him merriIy
over the propossl-if there had been
anything of nurf below the laughing
nobody had ever guessed it.
Naturally there had been, there
still were, others. Yet at almost nine
teen she was heart-free-to her own
disgust. Often she said stormily:
Don't see why anybody wants me
with Big Sis about-nor why 1 cant
find somebody to fall in love with
and have done with it Dad needs d
SON -in-law badly. We need some
body, all three of US, to make uA mind
land take life seriously"
Still, she had not felt quite easy
when McCallum showed signs unmis-
takabIy Anne-ward. He must pro-
but Big Sis of course wouldn't think
of him for a minute. Yet as she
tripped in search of Sister Anne Z
queer tremor fell on her. Suppose
, how must it seem to be beyond thirty
and never anybody making love tc
you:
She Rugged Anne tight before send
ing her away, cautjoning her: Dom
you look that lamb-to-the-slaugh tei
way; it would be too encouraging
When Big Sis had got half down tbs
wide stairway, Lalee had an inspira-
tion-nothing less than to eavesdroI
the ministerial proposal. Dead easy
they were seated in the hall; shs
could steal to the upper landing
where every word would be audible
Moving shadow-like she gained hel
cofgn of vantage just in time to catcf
a rotund, Under God, you are MI
, help and comfort, Sister Anne, nov
J that I face the Great Crisis of Life
II Capitals hardly do justice to his EN-
| phasis. Sister Anne murmured some
| thing Lalee could not catch. Blu
palmer than cannon boom came after
lit: My desire is to have you in truth
land fact for my-sister. To help me
win the most wonderful creature 1iV,
, ing. She is so fair, so sweet, so young
III feel it laid specially upon me tc
Il guide and guard her-to bring hel
into the fold. You will. you must