The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-24

The Miracle Girl.
BY LILY WANDEL.

after all.' he thought bitterly,
| who will blame her? A girl won't
Dorine was different. Three months
ago I would have punched anybody
who even would have limited such a
, thing thought, foolishly, that
knew Dorine as I did myself Mood
lily he dug his cane in the gravel. The
llong-sought chance had oome-she sat
next to him. picture in lavender or
CANDY, dropping hat shading her
seal brown eyes, but they sat in silence,
past all understanding.
She opened g. silver mesh bag
not his PresentEand glanced in lit
tie mirror Did it never strike you
that in all these years 1 was getting
older? One can wait too long. you
know. I was very, very patient, Mack,
you must admit that"
OIL not blaming you,' he flung
back, anybody would get tired of
waiting as-as we did. I don't blame
you for taking your chance when it
came. I'm sorry if you wasted your
best years for me-waiung."
Don't speak so bitterly, Mack. 1t
wasn't your fault, dear boy, we sim
ply were handicapped from the start.
My mother, of the selfish, cliuging
type, wanting me with a feverishness
that cannot be classed as love. That,
I-have-nobod -but-you-in : the world.
morning, noon and night And your
uncle promising year after year to
study just one more winter. Disap-
lost all hope
ST shoIdn't have listened to him
hang it. Should have stopped the
blame studying and taken a job any
where"
"Oh, no. no! Who would careIessIy
toss a millionaire uncle aside? No,
never would have given my consent
to that, especially when mother and
IA lie
He gave a bitter snort. ST wish
that blamed old uncle of mine had
never come east! I hate. him-he
has"
"Mack"' quite Mortified. you
mustn't, really. Why, I found him
SO nice; he just needed a, little. what
shall call t-rejuvenating, perhaps!''
"Oh, know you found him nice
enough! Little 1 thought how things
would go when got him from the
station" His voice vibrated with long
pent-up anger and suffering. ST never
thought that you. of all girls, would
take a fancy to this old, cranky man
and completely turn his head. But
after you had neglected me for weeks,
the truth dawned upon me, I knew
1t was not simply to make my uncle
like you SO that he would help me-,
because. after his first week here he
made all arrangements for my entry
into a law firm. Then I thought
Il
dream of what was doing"
"Oh, Mack! I'm SO sorry I made
you suffer, but wasn't it better TO-
suffer a few weeks and then be free?
You see. mother approved of him
'Oh, your mother" he interrupted
with a smile. 1--WE had enough of
her while you We're going around with
Dear Mack she said. and laid her
cool fingers on his hot hand but he
brushed them angrily away
Mack! What has come over you?
When happiness at last has come to
me in such a great big portion, and
it aH.''
'.Dorine-'' he choked-.I'rn. a. cad
Il want you to be happy-I-Oh,
l am just beastly selfish, that's all
I've lost you-and life is over for me-"
Lost me!' she echoed incredulous-
II. Mack Haverly. are you deIirious
or sonlething-why we've been en-
gagged for seven years
BE truthful at least, Dorine My
uncle told me himself. yesterday he
limited at it before" Mack got up.
Dorine. too. jumped up. MACK. |
didn't mother tell you a thing? 1
told her to, tho she said it seemed i
indicate. thought you knew. 1 !
told her to tell you that wanted your |
uncle to love me- wanted to
awaken the man in him-not just me !
peronally. but what I stood for-the |
eternal feminine. wanted to arouse
a woman interest in him to forget i
himself and his money. Oh don't you
see? I wanted him to love me, yet
feel that I was too young for him. 1
wanted him to feel that he couldn't do
without a woman's companionship.t
And no did love me-but in an older
edition. Poor mother couldn't have
done it, Mack. Your uncle would
have gotten entirely the wrong inn
preston. She never would have come
put OF her shell enough to show him
one good point, and I had to show
hem to him by proxy. If you only