The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-11
EUening Story
Great Expectations.
BY MARTHA NC. WILLIAMS.

purple-pennons of FURNISHED gold
streamed almost to the zenith, chang
ing shape momentarily as ruftllng
winds tossed them about. Rain had
fallen mile southerly-the smell OF
it came fresh and sweet across the
sweet-briar hedge.
Norma rejoiced in the winds touch
it brought something of GOODNESS to
her flushed face, her aching head. II
only she could lie prone on the deep
grass and let it lull her to sleep. But
that was out of the question. In
twenty minutes at the outside she
must be lack, the center and pivot OF
hurly-buriy.
She was glad of the train blockade
that had made the house party late
in arriving. They were due around
o'clock so she had two hours more
for the press of work, and now This
blessed interval of sheer idlcness. She
had not dared hope for it as she
hustled up her masses of bright hair
with no more than glance in the
mirror.
Aunt Jane had done her work
thoroly in making her niece free of
such sins as vanity and self-conse-
quence. She had impressed upon her
all the five years since she came to
live at Lone Elm her supreme un1m-
portance in the scheme of things, also
how imperative it was that she should
rejoice to serve as foil for Jean, her
brilliant and beautiful cousins Nor
ma had no blood claim upon Mrs. Bur-
ton-She was niece to her first nus
band, poor young Stanley, who had
died when Jean was a baby. Money
had come with the Burton name
by way of a stern and tyrannical
coal magnate, who in place of dying
in a year or so, as his new wife and
his doctor reasonably expected, lived
on and on, prisoner to wheel chair,
L.
grip a matter of fifteen years.
He accounted logically for much
that was unpleasant in his wife. Hope
deferred makes the temper sick no
less than the heart. Freedom came
near to going to her head. Luckily
Miss Jean had stronger will and
way, so kept her mother off the rocks
of, a third and impossible marriage.
In reward the mother was per
mitted. indeed all but forced, to take
her ease, revel in luxury and the
sweetness of doing nothing, also in
the consequence of possessing great
riches. For it could be said of the
late unlamented Burton: Nothing in
his life became him like the leaving
it." All his wealth came to his wife
in fee. ITO give her a whip-hand
over that mink, her daughter" he
had explained to his lawyer. The
money had been put into a flexible
=
spent and SO much of the principal
as his legal advisers thought need
full. Mrs. Burton could will the for
tune exactly as she chose-failing to
will it, it reverted to- charity
Jean laughed her ARREST over that
provision. LAS if I'd let such thing
happen" she said impertinently to her
mother. 1--WE made you do as L
pleased almost ever since I was born
how else did you scrape for the
money needed with Old King Coal2
No; I don't want settlement--now.
1t makes the men so much nicer to
both of us to feel they have two to
please-if they get anything. Then
nobody can say when my true love
comes he's marrying me for my mon
ey."
Jane had protested, half angrily. Jean
had looked at her as tho doubling
her sanity. You're a nice one to
overlook the pull of great expecta-
tions," she laughed.
A friendly pair, Jane and Jean.
They remained so Notwithstanding
James lapse into sentimentality. Al
belt they nearly quarreled over this
handsome, titled fortune hunter, after
it, they ran in couple beautifully,
hunting each in her own line. yet with
due regard to the others inclinations
Some daring spirits tried to veer from
AllOLAACA " doh5AICAg anu VIC Vel So
These afforded sport to the pair of
charmers in their moments of conf
dence. Norma they minded no more
than a chair or a dressing table, so
the girl who c.;ivered spiritually like
a hound in leash, wondered If ever
there would rise a day that would see
her recognized as human.
Hope of such a thing had grown
fart and dim. Nobody was over-rude
to her. but there was insult in the
easy ignoring of her on every hand
She was simply part of the back
ground. for her kinfolk, spending her
hot youth in their service for bread
and a roof.
If there is patience fate may shuttle
the cards. Norma was to prove it. AS
she stood facing the Soft-scented wind
a voice behind her said deferentially:
will you kindly make 1t possible for
me to speak privately with Mrs. Bur
ton? 1t is-rather important-and 1
am pressed for time"
Turning. Norma faced a tall man,
lean and sunburned, with merry ex-
perienced eyes, and a look of pcise
that was compelling. After muir
INJURED sentence she led him to the
small ,snuggery off the library. where
very shortly Mrs. Burton confronted
him, majestic in costly simplicity, de-
spite her wondering eyes.
The wonder changed to dismay as
He was Edward Burton, grandson and
namesake of her husband, who had
died knowing not of his existence.
Proof was ntestable-birth, mar
riage and death certificates also a
copy of the will. when said: I'm de
fault of heirs of my cwn blood I con-
stitute my wife, Jane, sole heir to all
of which I die seized and possessed"
Also a legal opinion of highest au
thority that i will SO manifestly made
in ignorance was void. Midway CT
that Edward Burton looked up to say;
THAT seems to me unfair. I an: not
exactly a pauper. my coming is more
to claim my pedigree than my inheri-
tance. There are things I should like
to have, my father told me of them
out in the bush. He went to Austria
liza, you know, after quarrel with his
father. I was born there, but dad
never let me forget. Can't we agree
not to fight over-anything There
must be quite plenty for both of us"
IT am sure there is" Aunt Jane