The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-06-14
Eoening Story
Plain Jane.
BY ROSE MEREDITH

Jane Dare is the plain one Of the
fG nily," people usually remarked when
the question of beauty arose. Celia
is lovely, Abigail is fascinating, Emma
is a little witch-but poor Jane with
her brilliant hair and dull eyes is hope
lessly plain!"
Jane knew it. and resented it, but
kept her hurt feelings Rugged to her
cwn bosom. If no one cared enough
about her to unlock the plain portals
of hec heart and soul-so be it! She
was the middle one of the family of
four n1otherless girls, and she was the
housekeeper, the home-naker. The
others had careers. Jane couldn't be
spared for a career.
Celia had a voice-Celia was mu-
sical-she had worshippers by the
Dozen Abigail was a high school
teacher, and Emma was trained
nurse.
Jane is a wonderful cook-a per-
feet housekeeper!" Celia would praise.
Wonderful" Abigail would echo.
Perfect" chimed Emma.
Jane was happy most of the time,
but she did long to do things-great
things meet interesting people; some
times she thought wistfully she might
| have been a writer. if she had had =
chance for development. However,
she did sell some recipes and carefully
prepared articles on home-making to
some of the women's magazines, and
/ Ell prestige rose in the family.
One winter Celia became engaged to
the I@Snister. Shortly after that Abb
sail attracted the attention of Prof.
Rodney of a nearby college. and Erun7a
might have married any one of her
stients any day!
Jane would make some man
| splendid wife and housekeeper-she IS
wonderful" Celia would sigh.
Wonderful" Abigail and her pro-
fessor would echo.
Perfect" Emma would add, thus
placing her laurel wreath on James
| red hair.
Rubbish" Jane would groan DIS
mally.
Today james was in a state of in
ward revolt. Celia had telephoned
| that she would bring the minister
home to dinner; Abigail had sent word
| that the professor would be there and
would Jane please have a prune whip
for dessert, and last of all Emma
called up to say that she was bring
/ ing some one with her.
| Have the best dinner in the world
darling" she had cooed. You know
howl"
Jane looked stormy. She wondered
mad been alive-he would have told
her to be patient; it would come out
all right in the end.
| Il will cook the dinner" decided
Jane, "and it will be a good dinner
then Rebecca can come down and
serve it will run away. I can't
stanq the monotony any longer" All
the afternoon she labored over the
preparation of the dinner and the ar
rangement of the table When every
thing was ready, only needing Re
becca'S skilled hand in serving the
meal, Jane bathed and dressed herself
i in a green linen, took a small, heavily
laden basket and the latest book and
! left the house. She followed a mar
row path thru the orchard where an
pie blossoms fell like snow about her;
where robins were throbbing with the
evening song, down the little wood
road that led to the edge of the sandy
bluff overlooking the sound. The wind
was cool and brought doors of apple
blossoms and the salt SAVIOR of the sea.
Il feel wicked. but 1 am quite con-
tented" said Jane as she sat down on
the edge Of the overhanging cliff, with
her possessions in her lap. She closed
her eyes a moment, but they popped
open at once, for she was in motioni
The turf had broken under her weight.
and she was gently, steadily sliding
down the sand-faced cliff. many
time she had done it as child, squeal-
ing with delight to land among the
sand dunes on the shore.
"O-mercy!" she gasped, as she
gained speed In scurry of flying
sand, clutching her basket book and
sweater to her breast. she tobogganed
down the slope and ran plump into
solitary man who was sitting on the
sands staring at the far horizon.
Gracious-child--w al do you
mean, little girl ?" He picked Jane UP
land shook her a little. That's a
dangerous thing to do. Once when
L was a kid I was sliding down that
bank and it dislodged a great boulder.
The thing came down and crushed one
of my little playmates-broke her
arm
Dan Barton-oh, Dannie, do you
remember that, and how you waited
on me hand and foot until 1 was well
again? ' Jane was brilliantly alive
now; her clear. pale skin was flushed
like a sea shell; her loosened hair
framed the exquisite oval of her face,