The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-27
= MICHTrA RoMANcE

hales OF London and Paris. subjects they
Know nothing about. and The, have been
Nariably told to write stori-s with sun
Seven years ago a young lac handed in
story. 1t was rejected She came TO
See Why. She was told that It had too
much OF the 900 Of New York in IL She
Was offended. and said:
Would YOU print q story L I put It
In Wichita?"
Yes. If it had merit"
SHAH I be explicit-give rames Of
etreets, buildings. people and 50 forth2"
Yes. II you can and an actual incident
al the better You VIII at least be deal
Ing with q subject you know something
about"
Ten days later this reached the Eagle
Office. II was pat away. for obvious reas-
ons. and is now published for the first
time The authoress married later and
moved 70 California. She never called for
the manuscript. Here It is:
In the month Of June. 1SsS the little
olapidated corner house on North Topeka
avenue just on Elm street gave that
Undesirable evidence OF occupancy.
Long ramshaclle and unfit for habitation
It had stood unoccupied during the win
phere Of isolation which characterizes
desertion. even in inanimate things. John
Teens real estate broker, who lived
opposite. first detected that someone had
taken the house. through some little
change, possibly an open window. he
mentioned the fact at the supper table
He had seen no one. but neighborIy curl
osity was aroused in the Teens family.
Il the following days Mrs. Teens kept a
sharp look out for information as 10 what
manner Of people had taken this sorry
home-undesirebl she was sure. John
Teens, himself. fingered long in the front
yard in the evenings for few days ex-
pecung to see some of the occupants, and
finally falling, the matter passed out Of
his mind
Not for three weeks did Mrs. Teens
see hide nor hair Of her new neighbors
and her curiosity grew apace. This was
Somewhat sharpened by a discovery in
her household. VIII Teens, aged fifteen.
an only child. excited her by a curious
maneuver. He was a studious boy getting
along in the classics at high school, and
wandering little at night. until this time
Now he began TO disappear evenings. It
was the beginning OF July when Mrs.
Teens notified her husband OF another
development in the boys habits. Each
afternoon he w0uld go into the yard, pick
q large bunch OF roses and place them in
a vase in his bed room Both parents were
puzzled. He had never shown such con
slant love for roses before. Mrs. Teens,
after a week OF concern over this trivial
matter. noticed that tire roses gathered in
the afternoon, were never TO be found
h. The morning after in the vase which
had held chem.
Hes got a girl" laughed John Teens,
'.sure as fate. and he's taking roses
The boy had never cared for girls. Mrs
Teens was certain that the fathers ex-
PLANTATION was wrong. she changed her
mind that night when watching she saw
VIII Teens. her son, dress up take the
roses. go out the door and disappear in
70 tho house opposite
He has taken up with trash" she de-
clared 10 her husband that night. Those
folks have been there a month; they've
not even hung blind. and the place looks
RATHER than ever. III put G stop 10 it."
Don't" cnuckled the old man. turn
ing over to go to sleep. opposition in
q young mans love affairs is disastrous"
8-rs. Teens didn't have the opportunity.
The next morning at breakfast the
young man. his handsome features shin
inc with resolution was the first to speak
Ana he said this without trenor. with
out q eush. in the CONTINUOUSLY calm tones
OF determined youth: Il am in love"
Mrs Teens gave a little gasp. The
old man struggled with chucke and
kept it down.
"It IS an affection neither Of you viii
approve ~. Of so long as I remain here.
tolerate. I am in love with Mrs. Deteud
the widow who lives opposite She is >
years old. very beautiful. very noble /
am only fifteen but feel that have met
my fate. realize 7 caauot ask your en-
dorsemert. But I can't give her up.
am going to clerk for lines aui Ross.
shall marry her. u IS necessary
Airs Teens was speeches.. John Teens
asked determinedly. why is il necessary.
Because Mrs. Deteud needs someone
She Is cultured. renned. inexperienced.
honest. grand. and. father she is so
poor.
The old man bIinked. Something told
him there was more than a humorous
side 70 his sons fancy
Neither" the young man appealed.
turning 70 her. you wculG love her
know No one could help loving her.
Mrs. Teens was sternIy silent The
young man pushed mis- chair from the
table. arose from the meal he had not
besun and left the house.
-Stop itr- screamed Mrs. Teens 10 her
husband stop B'~
.When2~ asked the ole man and then
Suddenly broke into boister0us laughter
Vow" Mrs. Teens declared Get on
your hat III 90. The boy has stopped
school Heavens, he may De married
before sunset. n0ont~
She told hiui rapidly that they would
so 70 tho probate Judge re demurred
HIS idea was no call on the woman her
self ana explain The bows youth
zane" BE said cool down. Tor
Heaven's sake Ever since the world be-
gan n7ys NJ hfs age have tauen in love
with women older than themselves It's
the first form NJ puppy love. Wen 70
over and see the wcman-shel p under
stand.
- they went. Teens calm, smiling
Mrs. Teens surpressInc her rare. They
were met ut the d-o- ay "A smau. bea-u
ftl woman. and clingns 20 her skirts q
snsau. beauufll sirl 81 Ken years. her Own
image. There nss i-Ee.te grace il the
woman. poise dignity Teens took q
second look re-arrsneed MS tie. aui said
under his breath COG
~ led them 10 q riCahiy bare room.
xeated them in hard wooden chairs or za
urcarpetcd nocr
Teens d.d The tslki1S. But somehow
protests died within h-1 and he mrely