The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-17
WENT SOMEWHERE.


conceded to be one of the most promising
men in his profession. By sheer force Of
character he had won his way from the
most obscure poverty, against immense
odds, unto competence that was rapidly
becoming great wealth and unto a repu-
tation that would certainly soon be fame.
He was most fortunately married to the
love Of his youth, and their union had
been sancUifed by a little boy, beautiful as
a dream odd and old fashioned as the
only child is won't to be, and holding IL
his chubby hands the reins that gently
ruled the parental hearts. 1t was the
keenest joy Of Mr.. Bane to be with his
child, to listen to his weird and artless
talk and to hold the little form close in
his arms. Whether riding upon the cars
or walking upon the street, whether toss
ing upon his bed, to which he late retired,
or rushing down town in the early morn
before his boy had awakened, his straying
thoughts were of this child. He was su-
premely practical, and the solitary day
dream into whose prismatic shades he suf-
fered himself TO wander was this castle in
Spain in which his boy was prince and
hero.
As he smoked his cigar at the club.
while waiting for some dilatory friend to
keep an appointment, he would look ont
at the great building across the street and
think how Sunshine would enjoy going
through it with him, how he would show
him the engine room and the sooty fire
men, and then take him up the elevator so
swiftly that it would make him catch his
breath, and then let him see the wood
carvers and engravers here and the limo
type machines there, and all the other
wonderful things in the many offices, and
then hold him up so that he could look
over the railing in the top story and gaze
down into the court at the tiny men and
women crawling around ever so far be-
to the roof and point out to him all the
great city spread like a map before him
How big the little fellows eyes would
grow, and how tightly he would clasp his
fathers hand?
When the police patrol wagon rolled
through the street there would flash into
his mind how he would take Sunshine to
the police station, where are all the big
officers in their uniforms-for policemen
arc demigods to all children.
When the fire bells rang, he would has
tily, in his fancy, make a pilgrimage with
the boy to the fire department station, for
there every day at noon the men go through
the drill and the wonderful horses come
out and run into their harness.
When the great steamers whistled and
their hoarse noise penetrated the courtroom
where he was sitting during the trial of a
case, he would go on far excursions upon
the water with his child, and they would
have plenty of time to talk ard play to-
gether. Yet the bystanders only saw a man
apparently listening inten5ly to the argu-
ment of opposing counsel
And space would fail me to tell of how
many times IN these bright visions he had
gone to other grand places with Sunshine.
The parks, the circus, the museums, the
s1eight OF hand shows, the parades, the
steam railway trains, the ball games and
a hundred other great and strange things
had Sunshine seen strolling through the
vagaries of his father.
But his career pushed In reality it was
only few minutes during the day that he
could see the boy, and many, many days
he was so busy that he could not see him
at all Sunshine never complained Papa
was working SO hard! His mother seemed
proud Of it, and was he. But some day
papa would take him somewhere. Once in
a rare while, when the father had an even
ing at home, he would sit and talk with
his child until at last the long curls were
spread over the big breast of the man s
coat and the blue eyes dimmed away into
sleep. And during those talks they would
arrange all about the expeditions they
were going to make
One day Mr.. Bane came home in high
glee- His physician had positively ordered
him of for vacation. He had secured the
tickets. and tomorrow he and mamma and
Sunshine would gO-go away up into the
woods and fish and sail boat and shoot
guns and walk all around among the big
trees. As he rode homeward he went over
a dozen times all the delicious points that
he would make when he told the boy about
it. How the little hands would clap and
the little feet would dance and the child
would perhaps, throw his arms a bout him
and say: You old, sweet sweet papal 1
knew you take me somewbereP2
But his wife met him at the door with
ashen face.
whats the matter, darling9'' he cried.
And a cold fear came over his heart as he
gasped, Has anything happened to Sun
shine?'
ooh, Mark, Markp' she said hoarsely.
nesting in his arms.
''Teu me quickl Please don't waltz
cob, Mark Our little boy has had a
bad fall. He fell down the back stairway.
He slipped He hurt himself SO badly
The doctor is up there now.
With bound he sprang past her and
leaped with great strides up the stairs.
Into the ohild's room he burst The doc
tor was standing by the bed holding the
little ones pulse. Marcus Bane tried to
speak, but could not for sudden structure
in his throat. The physician said:
81 am sorry, Mir. Bane, but I can give
you no hope. He may live an hour. May
God help you'll"
With an ineoherent cry, as that Of q
stri cken beast, the father came to the bed
side The blue eyes opened and a smile
came upon the pale features. The little
boy reached up his arms. The father bent
down and the child eIn braced him. The
tender baby lips kissed the hard white
ones. The child whispered into his ia
TIERS ear:
Il love papa I love-you-'cau use
you 're-so-good. You 're-going- TO-
take-me-somewhe re-aren' t. you-pa-
par?
There was long pause, and the hearts
of all seemed to stand still, lost they should
Jar the fragile vessel and make it haste to
spin the lingering last drops Of life. Pres
emily he whispered again:
Papagi'