The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-23
EDening Story
Just Before His Wedding.
BY LILY WANDEL.

| d LILY WANDE1.
1t had been very fortunate that
he had fallen in love with Leona
Simmons. In the first place, it
pleased his mother tremendously, for
Leona was a special friend of the
family. greatly beloved and made
much of by his mother and sisters.
4 For fully six months before he pro-
posed, Leona had scarcely missed
spending a weekend with them, to say
nothing of the many dinners and
parties.
In the second place, it was very
fortunate for the business, because
| this was sadly crippled for the lack
/ of new capital. And in the third
place, it was going to make things
! easy for his sisters because Leona,
as an attractive widow, wealthy, with
| an assured social position, would be
sure to protege them successfully into
the right circles. Truly. it had been
| fortunate that he, Edgar Wallace, had
| fallen in love with Leona- He would
| be on easy street the rest of his life,
and besides that he would have the
delightful companionship of Leona.
| She was little older than he, but
that was trifling.
l. To do Edgar justice, it must be said
that if he had not loved Beona
sincerely he never would have asked
her to marry him, no matter how all
1t was indeed fortunate that he had
fallen in love with her, he thought
very often, and not without a content--
ed, happy smile.
fairly trimming over with happiness,
the girls agiow with plans for the flu
ture and to be able to see Leona every
day. Life seemed like a long sweet
dream.
A few weeks before his wedding
his mother came 10 him with a plan.
Il can't manage it alone, Edgar,
it's too much Look at the heap of
unanswered invitations and things on
my desk. What do you think? Can
we stretch point and engage a social
secretary for a few weeks until after
the wedding?"
Edgar agreed Immediately. it was
sensible thing to do.
He had forgotten about the ar
rangement when, a few days later, he
met a young person in the library
very young thing, not more than
twenty, slim and not very TALL dark
hair that curled naturally-Leona
was straight-the pertest little red
mouth and two dark, inquiring eyes,
Edgar stared, bowed and hurriedly left
the room. Later, of course, he was
introduced to the new secretary.
1t was peculiar that during the next
few days Edgar had quite few things
to attend to in the library, where the
secretary was installed. And it was
took in his mothers social affairs. The
interest grew tremendously; he had
to dictate a few private letters him
self and thereby was forced to cancel
an engagem ent with Leona.
His personal correspondence in
creased. He wanted to get rid of a
lot of stuff before his wedding, he
told his mother.
Then it happened that one day when
Miss Bowers was going for a bit of
fresh air Edgar was instantly remind
ed of a letter he had to send special
delivery and naturally they left the
tramp thru the park would do him
good. 1t was cold and there was a
thick layer of snow on the ground.
A stray little boy threw snoball and
in two minutes they were having the
merriest time imaginable.
When, rosy, laughing and painting,
they continued their walk, he found
out her name was Josephine but that
everybody called her 10. He rather
liked that, 10, and kept repeating it
to himself, so that when he left her
thinking, "Goodby, little JOr'
A day or two later he confessed to
himself that he loved her desperately.
Was ever man in such predica-
ment? To be married in less than two |
weeks, the wedding invitations sent
out, the very honeymoon trip planned, |
and then to find he loved this little /
10! Loved her SO overwhelmingly |
that he could not marry Leona,. no
matter If it killed the whole family. |
He lay in bed at night planning |
desperately how to tell his mother