The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-25
EUening Story
Lovers Knots.
BY ROSE MEREDITH

Leonard proudly, as ne unlocked the !
front door and ushered the brown |
eyed girl into the home that was to be /,
theirs. He bent to kiss her before |
they passed into the living room. |
Isn't it cozy?" he asked. just as If
he hadn't had her opinion about
of the chimney to the cement on the
cellar floor.
'1t is perfect" she breathed softly,
as they went from room to room hand
in hand. Still, there was a shadow in
the brown eyes that did not depart
when they locked the door upon the
home-that-was-to-be in the au-
tumn.
''What is it, Mildred ?" he asked,
suddenly. II thought you would be so
happy about it-now, we can go ahead
and buy the furniture--the money is
ready. unless" he hesitafed and
saw that her cheeks were pink and her
eyes distressed, unless you would
rather wait few months for the fur
niture and I will buy the ring you
wanted"
She put out her hand-her left
hand, where the third finger wore a
curious ring of twisted gold and sill
yer. I feel so conspicuous with this,
-Leonard-all the girls wear solitaires
and they seemed so amused when I
explained that I preferred to wear this
because 1t meant just as much to US
as a more costly one-but I don't
explain any more" Her lips dropped.
You would rather have the dia-
mond?" he asked with assumed care
1essness. 1T is only a matter of a
few months more-I am sorry you are
marrying such a poor fellow-but a
home to go into is something to start
on"
II know it, Leonard-I am very
foolish she faItered.
Never mind, dear-I know how
you feel" he said, suppose we go
around to Burtis' now and choose the
ring"
The next day the little gold and
silver lovers knot was gone from Mil
dreds finger and in its place was a
glittering diamond that called forth
all the admiration she had craved
from her friends at the office and
elsewhere.
you are a lucky girl" sighed Jen-
ME Jones, one of the bookkeepers.
You are going to marry a man who
has built house, furnished it COM
pletely, and given you beautiful ring,
too! Think of poor me-wfen I mar
ried Will he gave me a gorgeous ring
: and we bought a thousand dollars
worth of furniture on the installment
plan and leased an apartment. That
was two years ago-we lost all the
furniture, the ring was pawned to pay
the doctors bill when L was so sick
last winter, and we are doing light
am back at my job and we are both
saving every cent we can for a home
so we can start right the next time"
you are a lucky girl" the words
rang in Mildred's ears for many q day
after that, as she wore the beautiful
! ring, that sealed her engagement to
Leonard. She did not earn a large
| salary, and it was only by scrimping
! that she could save a little each week
after all her expenses were paid. She
| was all alone in the world and there
was no near relative to advise her
about the management of her affairs.
| But experience was teaching her
! som ething and all that long, hot sum-
| mer, when she met Leonard, she could
see that he was practising small econ
omies.
perhaps he is saving for the furni-
ture," she thought with a blush, and
she would turn the diamond around so
that she could not see its knocking
glitter. One day she overheard two
of her office associates talking to-
gether.
Married ?" shifted one man. Cant
afford it, my boy. Girls expect too
much nowadays-first one has to bust
| loose with a diamond that's worth
twice as much as the other fellows
are buying-lease an expensive apart
| ment-'
Mildred fastened away with burn
| ing cheeks. 1t was all true. She had
| been most unhappy ever since she had
worn the diamond ring. She wanted
| that money to furnish their home
and as the time went by she realized
| that the home meant more to her than
all the diamond rings in the world.
She thought of the little brown
| shingled house, empty and waiting be-
cause there was nothing to furnish IL
with. One evening she walked over
there alone and found a light burning
behind drawn window shades. Foot
| steps were echoing in the bare rooms.
| Perhaps it was Leonard-She pulled
out her key and softly entered the
house.
The light from the dining room
chandelier shone into the living room
and showed the walls had been pa
pered in soft brown--even the ceiling
had been done in ivory. In the dining
piled the paste to lengths of paper
spread on a roughly constructed table.
Leonard was papering the rooms
himself. Leonard who worked SO hard
all day long that he was weary at
| night-who had gone without a vaca-
ton so that he might work in the
house he was making ready for her
for the most selfish girl in the world,
she told herself angrily.
Leonard" she said softly.
| Dearest" he answered, coming to
embrace her, while a paste brush
waved uncertainty over her head,
what are you doing here? I was go
ing to surprise you by finishing it be-
fore Sunday"
ct came to ask you for something"
she whispered, her face against his
old coat where a dab of wet paste
chung: "I want the little lovers knot
ring back again-please."
But the diamond-have you lost
it?" he asked.
"No-but 1 want you to sell it and
let us buy the furniture and be happy.
and I feel more engaged with the lit
tie ring you gave me at first" He
laughed and kissed her. holding her
tight to his heart. Then he allowed
her to pull the little ring out of his
pocket and slip it on her third finger.
while the diamond found its way into
his pocket to be converted into fur
niture.
NOW I am happy" sighed Mildred.
and the paste brush wobbled dripping
| " over their blissful heads.