The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-28
Euening Story
Rose of Dreams.

bit listlessly. Fred Jerome had a daz-
cling smile and an easy air of cor
dfality. about him that made him a
favorite among the women servants.
To May he seemed a person set apart
from the common herd, and she treas
ured UP his careless words to ponder
over.
Seems as tho you never have time
to go walking with me any more.
May" Jim had told her Sunday after
noon, when she had refused to go to
Lincoln Park with him.
May had looked at him with SOM
Der eyes. 1t was true; since she had
seen Fred Jerome she had constantly
compared Jim to him and to jim
disadvantage. Jim was a fine, sober
young fellow, chauffeur for the Jer-
ONE family. He had saved his wages,
and was already watching the news
papers for advertisements for real
estate May knew that if she mar
ried Jim, she would be fairly certain
of being mistress of a snug cottage.
her head completely. In the gay
warm breezes that swept across the
grounds that led down to the very
edge of the lake May wove silly
dreams as fragile as the delicate leaves
of the tulips that pushed inquiring
heads thru the budding grasses.
His manners are so wonderful he
might have stepped out of that scene
in the movies where the young lord
returns home" she thought as she
busted the writing table in the great
library where Fred wrote his poems,
his hair"
Haven't you finished in here.
May?" came the displeased voice of
the housekeeper. THE family will be
down for breakfast in a few minutes"
Nearly thru. Mrs. Sims" returned
May absently. Doesn't it seem that
something wonderful might happen on
a day like this? Hear that robin ?"
Il hear a mouse nibbling in that
cornerI" cried the other crisply. Get
down there and see
The silk skirt of the housekeeTSer
rustled out, for she heard Mrs. Jer-
ONES voice in the hall and there was
apparently, something wrong.
Fred Jerome lounged in, repeating
some words of poetry aloud, and the
little maid. crouched behind the couch
in search of a possible mouse hole,
clasped her hands
Isn't that. wonderful ?" she whis-
pered. her head on one side. listening
for more pearls
The sibilant sound aroused the poet.
who is there?" he demanded testify.
Just May, sir" and the girl
emerged from the shadowy corner.
What do you mean by hiding like
that" he bean. but paused as he
read the undoubted admiration in the
young face beneath the airy cap.
"Oh, sir. won't you say that again."
she gasped.
'I say. why are you hiding behind
that couch ?"
May crimsoned Somehow the
mention OF possible mice seemed so
common. so closely connected with
her mental position in the household.
4" she paused. cropping for flowery
words, something in keeping with the
lines she had just heard him repeat.
words that told of jasper and Jade of
hrrr ,fr7fr
stars and deathless love. but she could
think of no words that would make
sense and still conceal that vulgar
word mouse"
"Well?" he prodded.
Il was just-dusting," she said
family Your poetry, s-r, is so pa
thetic. love it,
Flattered. he looked at her more
fully. Thru the frau pocket of her
sheer white apron he saw a bit of
paper, the lavender paper that he
used for his best poems. As she saw
his eyes remain fixed upon the pocket
her own eyes unconsciously followed |
and she nervously pulled out the pa
per-
found this on the floor" she
said simply. Il was going to copy
You may keep it. May" he said
grandly. You have a discriminating
mind for a-er-maid.H
And this little incident did not lower |
him in Nays eyes. Jim cared moth |
ing for poetry. not the slushy kind I
BE liked tho wholesome jingles that |
appeared in newspapers, but as for ]
imp volumes in purple and gold fooled /
leather he waved them aside
Let's get down to brass tacks, |
grille" he had admonished her.
We're living in a real world and ia I
rather read a good book on mecban-
cs Won't be long now before I can |
start IN on n little repair shop of my |
own, and then
But May had gone off into one of |
1er recently acquired habits of day-
1reaming, and Jim, seeing that she |
mad ceased to listen, had walked along !
beside her in a puzzled silence.
And while May still fingered in the |
lorary long after the poet had de- !
parted in search OF bacon and eggs /
I'm was polishing his car and wishing
Nay would run out to the garage so |
hey could chat.
As May crossed the wide hall two
hours later she heard excited voices |
I left it in the drawer of this writ
ng table" she heard Fred say, land |
nat blonde girl, May. was
frightened at the rage in the poets
isuaI ny SILKY voice, May approached |
There she is listening. I found I
Ter hiding behind the couch this morn
ng." cried Fred, catching sight of
Ter yellow head Give me back that
-ested."
Thru the open front door Jim heard
ma he left his car and ran up the
teps: Whats the trouble?" he de-
handed one protecting arm flung /
lround his sweetheart
shes been stealing" The poet was
osslng his papers about madly. "Sery-
lnts always steal and
Whatever you lost I'll replace
aid Jim quickly, the furious red
dreaming over his face, my girl
wouldn't steal, but I won't have anv
ak about it. How much ,"
Il find" said the poet coIdlv- his
yes ayerted from Mays shocked white /
ace, that the roll is here. It was
pushed under some papers I natural
y suspected her because Il Scanned [