The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-22
EUening Story
City of Dreams.

What do people do to get ac-
quainted p" Annie Laurie Ware
thought desperately.
She was walking along one of those
streets in Harlem where the buildings
seem to form a canyon, where the
avenues are ugly cross cuts. where
there is no vista, to rest the eye.
Now, if should just stop this man
coming and say Pm so desperately
what he'd do. Call a policeman,
s. pose . .
Annie Laurie had come quite close
to him now, and she saw that he had
creases in his cheeks, that he glanced
at her casually and that when he did
she felt the blood color her face.
Just IS tho he knew what I was
thinkingl" Annie Laurie went on dis
consolately as she turned the corner.
Now, If looked back and he looked
back and Why. Annie Laurie. I'm
scandalized at you'll" she told herself.
She stopped a moment before a
shop window: it was very tiny shop
with just enough glass to show Bos-
ton ferns. a feathery spray of lilacs
and some narcissus blooming in a
shallow bowl.
He'd say Would you rather have
violets today, Annie Laurie. or just
roses as usual?'
Anything can do for you, miss p"
Annie Laurie started. She realized
she had stopped longer than she need
before this window. and she blushed
and looked down at her glove which
was quite white at the finger tips
where it should have been gray, and
hesitated.
Yes, L should like a. bulb" she said
boldly: and some pebbles and very,
'Forty-five, miss
Annie Laurie just had so cents left
and she realized with a pang that it
meant she would have no lunch to-
morrow.and she, hoped there would
be no delay with her pay envelope.
She snuggled her precious bulb I'M
der her arm and made the journey
pack to her room without further adj
venture.
1T must have sun and it must have
water" she said aloud as she set it in
the open window ledge.
She let the water drip over her bulb
and heard an irritated voice ascend
from the regions below: But don't
need any water, thank youi"
Annie Laurie peered down. and the
voice peeredA up, until she found her
self looking into the very blue eyes of
the man she had passed.
"Oh, it's you'll" she gasped.
Then overcome at the betrayal of
her words, she pulled in her head, and
in her embarrassment dislodged her
precious bulb. She heard it go rat
Ting down the areaway amid the
sharp clatter of her pebbles. and as
she saw her little bowl shattered into
fragments she gave a heart-broken
wall.
"PH see what I can do,r a sympa-
thetic voice called up to her.
Remember, Annie Laurie, how you
were brought, up!" she warned her
self.
When, five minutes later, a breath
less young man with laughing blue
eyes, presented her with stubby
brown bulb, Annie Laurie, with droop-
ed lids that hid all the light of her
dancing eyes. Unanswered prinly,
Thank you very much"
That was all.
That thank you very much" pre-
cluded all other conversation. You
couldn't talk about the weather sud
denly or even about having seen a GER
tain person before, SO the young man
thought. when a prim little guardian
held the door.
And Annie Laurie, back in her.
room, was lonelier than ever.
ct know he's nice" she walled.
"He has eyes like little Bonnie, and
his voice-and 1 shall juSt have to go
on the same as ever, dying of lone
illness. going down to the office in the
morning and coming back in the even
ing and wishing IN the meantime"
And she did.
The ache in her heart was getting
harder to bear all the tune, ana II
it hadn't been for the five dollars she
could send each week to a little frame
house in st. Petersburg, she might
have given up the struggle and fled
home.
Her letters were full of the charm
of New York, of Fifth avenue in the
sunshine, of shop window that was
a glimpse into fairyland, of colorful
east side streets and the mystery of
the river after dusk--au this and more
Annie Laurie wrote about while
her shoes showed stubbed toes, and
her little gloves had patched fingers
and her hat, well, she refused even
to consider it any longer.
One afternoon the temptation was
strong and she sfnnned hefnra the tiny