The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-19
Euening Story
Her Prophetic Name.
BY MARTHA Mcc.-WILLIANs.

earth, the other thrust impudently
upward where the hammock began to
rise. Lacy, sun-flecked shadows
played over. her mist-white garments;
now and again a specially tricky beam
made a high, gold light in her tum-
bled hair. Shutting the windblown
scent, she said aloud: Can love be
sweeter2 I won6eri"
Suppose you adventure and find
out" Losing half-whispered over her
head. He had crept upon her so ST
lently she did not dream of. his pres
ence. Yet she did not stir for it. In
stead she shut her eyes nlurmuring
drowsily: Beauty sleep is what l
need. Go play with May-Blossom Tip
toe. She's moving heaven and earth
and the backyard fence getting ready
for tomorrow's demonstration"
What sort is it?"- Losing queried.
Hero half opened her eyes as she flung
at him reproachfully: Am l a1cyclo-
then, why ask such a question? Maybe
it's pigs, or poultry, or canning, or con-
serving, or quilting, or some other alb
surdity. When all the worlds a club
or else a demonstrator I'm wondering
a little what it will do for more sub
Jects to.demonstrate."
Possibly it will tackle counting
then" Losing flung back airily; 'one
horribly neglected science right about
this present time"
such ignorancer' Hero shot back
at him. las tho anybody, even with
all the letters of the alphabet after
her name, could demonstrate what
can neither be taught nor learned
'Distilling the wisdom of expert
enee-ehi' Losing answered, NOV
ing so he could look her full in her
face. Heavens innocence was in it,
yet the ghost of a tricksy smile lurked
in her deepest dimple-the one in the
left cheek. Silken lashes, long. dark
and curling, lay lightly upon seashell
cheeks. The single coral eardrop WISH
bic was not a clearer scarlet than the
mouth half shut over small white
teeth. Ne wonder Hero was so full of
sparkle and whimsy, thought Losing.
She had known ever since she first sat
alone how beautiful she was. How
could she help it against a background
of poor, cumbersome May. May Bios
som, Hero's name for her, was witty
rather han kind.
They were almost twins-a bare
year between them. AS unlike, tho,
as an ugly duckling and a. bird of
paradise. May, younger by date, was
years older by nature; also stouter,
more work-a-day in build, manner
and temperament, and always the
willing and DEVOTED slave of her elder.
Hero, she had insisted, should be sent
to a finishing school, to come home all
accomplished; also and further she
must have all that befitted such going
away, quite regardless of her own
needs She did not matter-never
would, indeed. Her liveliest hope was
to love, serve and shield the flower
of the family.
Fate, turned cynic, sometimes upsets
the most altruistic endeavors. Thus it
fell out that when, thru the bane
Of honest men, surety, evil befell the
Iangdon household, it was not the ac-
complished Hero, but May, the stout
and resourcefuI, that routed the wolf
from the door. She knew gardening by
hearb made a fine art of canning,
could outcook the country, raise more
and finer poultry with less per cent
of loss, make butter better than gilt
edge, and take prizes at the state fair,
for simple plain sewing, so, in spite of
the ill-bred proverb, won much honor
in her own country that she was
shrewd-witted enough to turn into cold
cash.
Clubs of all sorts sprang as by magic
wherever she was heard-the results
thereof, turned into money or moneys
worth of better living, still further ex-
allied her. Also the back-wash brought
profit to Hero-capriciou tho she
was, and self-indulgent, she yet had a
real fiber that forbade her to re q
milestone about the family neck.
She might have married out of hand,
but for her reluctance to play the
game on the neck-or-nothing principal
1t was tough teaching dancing to
younglings with no music in their
souls, or music to those whose ideal
of harmony was jazz on the ukeIele,
but then divorce from those things
was SO safe and easy-neither scandal
nor expense, nor even hard thoughts.
LOSING knew all about that-knew
further that right now Heros soul
yearned for extra and easy money.
I'D pDit TIT
mony-for an even hundred. dollars
right in hand" she had conffded to
him yesterday. Hence his reappear-
ance today, which she had immedi-
ately postponed till next week He
drew her to her feet, saying impor-
family:
"Get upl Can't talk business to
anything so distracting as you look
there" Then, as he established her
upon a stone-and-turf seat: you
can make that hundred dollars-if
you're dead game"
Lead me to it! At oncet" Hero,
cried, springing up and stamping her
foot. Losing grinned. mot till ]
phone somebody" running away as
he spoke. to reappear shortly grinning
harder than before. "Struck a butt
market" he explained, $50 I raised the
prices, two hundred flat If the thing
is do-able in three lessons"
whatever are you up to?' Hero
interrupted. Something Steep he
answered. Boy Ellis is six feet three
in stockings-"
"And thirty, at least" Hero inter
jected angrily. 1T can't be that he
wants to Dance
Hes got to, or lose deal,'' Losing
explained. He's to lead the grand
march as the tbang-kwet' fair week
with Mrs. Governor and open the ball
afterward. You know how he's be IN
raised, his folks thinking dancing was
all the deadly sins made into a pie.
Even now he's 'fraid to let them know
what's doing, he'll be supposed 10
come here counting, which will be
nearly as upseting to the old folks.
but you can give him a property re-
lection and SO save his face
Ought to have an extra hundred
for that" Hero commented. LOSING
nodded. a motor was burning down
the lane. In half a minute it had dis
gorged Boy Ellis and a fat travelling
bag, which his later appearance ex-
planned. From it had come silk socks,
pumps. a swallow-tail, and all that
goes with it, when Losing had duly