The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-12
E0ening Story
The Real Thing
BY LILY wANDEL

The Real Thing.
BY LILY w.ANDEL.
When Emmy was a little girl and
told fairy-stories to her small brothers
and sisters and the inevitable o'Con-
nor boys next door and perhaps a
dozen others in the neighborhood she
invariably ended the story with And
| the princess lived happily ever after
wards with diamond buckles on her
slippers!' She would then stick out
kA small dusty shoe to emphasize the
fact. It did not make any difference
to Emmy whether the story was Red
Riding Hood or Cinderella, the dia-.
1nond buckles were never forgotten.
To Emmy they represented the zenith
| of LUXURY, good fortune and happiness.
When the others, perhaps, had for
gotten all about diamond buckles
Emmy still dreamed of the glittering
ornaments and all the Joy that went
/ with them
EMMY said her mother right in
| the middle of such a golden dream,
| Uncle Dave and Aunt Kate have writ
ten-you'll never guess what You're
to spend the summer with them lat
| Bar Harbor! Emmy, Aunt Kate writes
| that she wants to give you a chance
"a real chancei You're such a. pref
ty dear girl" Emmy went about in a
| dage of Joy. A summer at a fashion
!
Katei The proper clothes; bathing,
/ tennis, boating and dancing every
| night The younger sisters and
| brothers were awed and the O'Con-
| nors next door were amazed and de-
lighted at such good fortune. with the
| and had nothing to say.
| Remember" reminded Emmy 5
ambitious mother the night before
she departed, "its your chancel You
are an attractive, interesting girl.
mind that you attract the right mani.
| She laughed as she kissed the happy
| daughter.
"Just leave it to me, Mummie, dear!
| I'll be coming home with diamond
! buckles on my slippers
Aunt Kate was almost counter
part of Emmy's mother She adored
the brown-eyed niece and was likewise
| ambitious for her. She hustled about
| figuraiively collaring all the eligible
| young men and introducing them to
| her protegee. Privately she advised
| Emmy which were the most desira bic
] Emmy liked them all and good
naturedly followed her aunts instrtic-
tons. She was Just as anxious as her
aunt was to write home that she was
| engaged to the son of the owner OF a
| string of drug stores. or the nephew
of one of the greatest oil magnates.
Emmy giowed Aunt Kate one
night in the girls bedroom, you've
been here a month today and you're
positively the most popular girl In tne
hotel My dear. Dave and worship
you. and if-4-I mean we'll do some
| thing handsome for you, dear, if you
make a GOOD matchl'
Emmy snuggled her arm around
Aunt Hates fat neck. you're both
SO good to me! Honest, it makes tears
come to my eyes-Tm not worth all
this trouble I'm just an ordinary
/ little StenOg!"
Aunt Kate gave her a hug and kiss.
You're worth making very happy!
Now. listen. honey; isn't that young
Roger Abbott very attentive?"
Emmy blushed and nodded.
II don't want to influence you too
much, dear, and you must follow your
heart, but I will say this young man
has wonderful prospects. His uncle
is the immensely wealthy Thaddeus
Abbottg. Whispered Aunt Kate inn
pressively. -, Goodies and oodlesst of
money, they say. and young Roger
stands well with his uncle who is I'M
married!'
Emmy continued to charm young
Roger and delight her ambitious
aunt, but greater surprise and pleas
ure was in store for Aunt Kate, some
| thing that eXcelled her fondest and
highest hopes. Thaddeus Abbott ar
rived, the typical sophisticated, rich
/
| seemed attracted by the brown eyed
Emmy.
"Dave!' gurgIed Aunt Kate in the
| privacy of their room. II have to
pinch myself to believe it us truet
Thaddeus Abbott paying attention to
our little EMMY It's more than flat
| tering-the whole hotel is enviousl
| But, tell me, do you really think he
| is >serious?F
Uncle Dave chuck1ed. Hes seri-
Gus all right. but is Emmy? You
know he is quite a bit older and"
you leave Emmy to me-she's very
sensible! Imagine writing that news
/ homei"
I Two weeks later one night Emmy
| tiptoed in the connecting dressing
room and softly called Aunt Kate, and
when the kimonoed lady appeared,
cried joyousIy. Aunt Kate, we're en-
gagged. Lookl" She displayed an
immense solitaire on her finger.
| ITO Thaddeus Abbott?" whispered
Aunt Kate, just to make sure.
Emmy. glowing happy. nodded.
when a week later Thaddeus Abbott
( laid in her hands a small velvet box
''Not diamond Quickest" painted
Emmy as she viewed the glittering
| coveted ornaments. "'Ohi" and press
| ed the cold, dazzling stones to her
warm lips. If she had had any muir
| muring doubts now she was sure that
Thaddeus Abbott was her real prince
for everlasting happiness.
She could scarcely wait to thank
| him and rush to her room to show
Aunt Kate and Uncle Dave this en-
blem of her happiness, the realiza-
| tion of her ,fondest dream for they
knew what diamond buckles had al
ways meant to Emmy's life. She
fastened to the connecting dressing
room. Aunt Hates name on her lips,
but waited when she heard the
word diamond buckles mentioned.
You told him, Dave, what i'm
portance Emmy attached to them 90
questioned her aunt. land he laughed
about it? That wasn't very nice,
ct insisted" Uncle Dave empha-
sizad sLalrcr, f,I