The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-23
EDening Story
The Time to Dance.
BY I. WRIGHT


, Mary Wilson threw her knapsack
on the ground, unbuckled the camp
er's stove from her shoulder and loos-
ened the roll that made up her bed
and blankets. It had been heavier
than she had anticipated and the hike
thru the woods to the lake had been
easily a mile longer than she had
thought. Her eyes smiled. tho, If her
lips did not, as she surveyed the
scene before her. The lake, blue and
ripping on one side with its strip or
yellow sand that fairly insisted that
one stop and swim right there; the
roadway on the other side which made
camping alone perfectly safe. mas
much as some one would pass every
half-hour or so during the day, and
the clump of trees where she stood
that was the picture that lay before
the tired eyes of Mary Wilson.
Working in an office as she did for
eleven and a half months of the year.
it seemed good to think of being alone
and quiet for these two weeks. More
than that, the spot had a certain at
traction for her, inasmuch as she had
once motored out there on an early
Sunday morning when John Smith
had been one of the party. She
thought of John Smith now. and tried
to make her lip curl derisively as she
thought of her name had she married
him-Mary Smith, the wife of john
approved manner, for Mary Wilson
knew that had John Smith ever said
the least word she would have leaped
at the chance of being Mary Smith.
Why he had not asked her was be-
coming to Mary as tantalizing puzzle
as any map of the world hacked into
small pieces to be fitted together by
people who have long since forgotten
geography. 1t was worse, indeed, a
puzzle could be worked out with pa
thence; Mary Wilson could not fathom
why John had not spoken.
He had taken her to several dances,
had invited her out to dine four times
had bought tickets for the theater
some half dozen times. Besides these
things they had walked to the park
on Sunday afternoon times without
number.
AS she set about making camp she
wondered if she had been foolish to
come off here by herself. The other
girls in the office all went to gay sum-
mer resorts where they would meet
men. They made no secret of this
at all. but compared notes as to the
number of men at each place, and
decided that different places would be
tried the following summer vacation.
you're foolish, Mary Wilson," So
phie Shoaman had told her. eff John
Smith doesn't speak up and 'spress
himself-well. the best thing you can
do is to get another sweetie. No girl
wants to reach thirty-unmarried."
Mary Wilson had opened her mouth
to speak, but Sophie had raised one
hand hastily.
Don't try to lie out of it, Mary
I'm woman and I've seen that you
love him. It's nothing to be ashamed
of, is it? The thing is this-many a
the man she wanted-and she took
some other. After all. marriage is
much the same-full of fights after
the first year"
Mary Wilson had been silent. 1t
was nothing to be ashamed of, she
mentally agreed, to love John Smith.
But to marry some one else just to be
Mrs, or for the sole pleasure of show
ing the world that she had captured
husband-ugh! And Mary Wilson
had set about making preparations to
camp alone at tie spot where she and
over an open fire and eaten them
quickly while they were hot from the
pan.
Going over to the stove she began
to set it up to get supper. She heard
a car on the road and wondered idly
who could be stonaing. She did not
turn, however, but went on with her
stove, opening the bacon while the
flame burned hotter and hotter.
II beg your pardon" came a mans
voice behind her.
She whirled about; there never, she
knew, was another voice besides
Johns which was just like that.
why, Mary" he stammered.
'fWhy-hy-"
She laughed at his amazement.
whats the matte? Men go cramp-
ing, don't they, without any one max
ing such a great to do about it. Why
should +
TITS not that - he said. 'I-on1y 1
thought you didn't care about any
thing except dancing, and dinners and
theaters. 1 supposed your main aim
in life was to dance"
She turned to put slice of bacon
in the hot frying pan. 'I do love to
Dance" she said frankly, but there
is a time to dance and a time to camp.
This is the time to eat. If you're
hungry
you bet I'm hungry" he said sud-
denly. I'm starved. I have my two
weeks vacation and my uncle lent me
his car for it. 1 thought I'd camp