The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-17
EDening Story
Without a Man.
BY ANNE LARDNER,

Martha Carson, vigorously polishing
nails already pink and shiny, stopped
short and stared at the slim, fair
haired girl opposite. why, you're
perfectly silly!"
Curtains soiled with the towns
CRIME stirred in the soft spring breeze.
The sunshine of a Saturday afternoon
in May seeped thru the window of the
moderate-sized room the two girls oc-
cupied together. because both were
employed by the Struthers Chemical
Company, a giant concern whose red
brick smokestack rose toweringly over
the city of Bennington. 1t was the
annual outing of the clerical force to
be held Monday at a country club
some miles distant that Virginia and
Martha were now discussing. For
lively little Martha, with her never
varying pink complexion and her
ready line" with the boys, it was
something to be looked forward to
eagerly; for Virginia, whose skin was
pale and who never knew what to say
to a young man who exclaimed, Some
little queen,' it was a different matter.
Martha used her nail buffer elabor-
ately. IT know. lists because
none of the boys asked you to ride out
there with him"
There was a hot flush on the pale,
clear skin Martha was not really
unkind. but Virginia read books about
chemistry on the side. Virginia had
been steadily advanced ever since she
came to Bennington. 1t didn't seem
fair.
The taller girl struggled to control
her voice. There was almost a break
in it, Yes. Martha, what's the use of
trying to hide it2 pm-pm ashamed
to be seen without a man.
But you came last year. Last year
you didn't mind"
Virginia did not answer right away.
She had walked over to the window
and was looking out at the smoke
stacks. at the hills and the blue SKY
beyond them. Suddenly she wheeled
around. There was fine determination
in her wide-set gray eyes. She flung
her head high She was quite beauti-
full. You're right, Martha. Thank
time be different from the last time?
1 am what I am Why should 1 pre-
tend to be something else? I'm going
to the picnic. I'll go If have to take
a book and spend the whole day
readingi''
Even as she flung out her sentences
Virginia knew she was not telling the
truth There was a reason why this
spring was different from any other
in the twenty-one years of her whole
existence.
The day of the outing dawned fine
and clear A flawless blue sky cano-
pied the whole earth. The air was
sweet with May and gay little wild
flowers edged the road over which
the big trucks of the chemical COM
pany merrily travelled. GigglesS rep
artee and the spirited making of
plans filled the grounds OF the Apple
Tree Country club as 120 young peo-
pie piled helter-skelter out of the inn
promptu buses. Virginia tried to
Join in little, for her heart. too, felt /
the springtime. But the boys stood in
awe of her.
She was shy and sensitive. So she
he office of Richard Masters, the
new young sales manager from Chi
ago, whose private secretary she had
been made two months ago.
In the general scramble that fol-
owed the arrival at the grounds Vir- |
yinia did not feel so much out Of
hings. Then gradually the noisy, |
;ay-hearted group began to break up |
nto particular cliques and soon the |
lillsideS were dotted with the bright |
nen beside them, tripping off in vari- |
Jus directions.
Just as the last couples were. Vir- |
MIA felt sure, about to invite her |
eebly to go along with them and then |
hasten away, a little car came rafting /
Ip the, roadway. 1nstinctively Vir- /
mia knew Richard Masters would be |
n it. Now it was going to happen
uSt as she had feared. He was going /
o see her deserted, forgotten-he was
ding to know! Virginia wanted to
retend to laugh and talk with the
theirs, to go off with them even if |
hey didn't ask her Yet this was just
vhat she had determined to face.
Without whiting to speak to him, she
walked slowly off by herself in the
ull view of Richard Masters
All morning long by the side of a
title brook Virginia read the book
he had actually brought. Read it
leartache in its pages. Som etimes
er eyes wandered. 1t was hard not
D remember! Toward noon she be-
anne restless and decided to take a
long the rivulet's bank.
The stream widened as she went
n. The water was sun-flecked and
he branches hung over it in mystic
hadows. Virginia sighed. The world
Yas very beautiful. On a bridge that
tretched across the stream a hundred
eet away she spied a man fishing.
hat interested her, and she walked
lowly along watching him. His headt
'as bent over his rod, he wore an old
cit hat and was in his shirt sleeves.
low he had a bite. There was a
Witt jerk of the line, flash of silver
aru the air, the slapping sound of
fish landed on a wooden PLATFORM
nd the man raised his eyes.
Fifteen feet away from him Virginia
Jared open-mouthed at Richard Mas
ers.
"rm-I'm fishing" he said after
he first startle of embarrassment hal
1T his boyiSh brown eyes.
It's nice out here, isn't it2" Vir-
mia answered after a pause There
-as a sigh in her voice. Her eyes
till had that vague sweetness that ]
sually came to them when she was !
lone. Il
why did you cut me up there in !
-ont oP tho ol,,bbo.YSe 7ss Re cots .b 6
uptly.
II d-didn't," Virginia suffered. She &
-aS carrying her hat and the sun
1und threads of gold in her rumpled
air Suddenly she emembered her
solution. She spoke very simply and i
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