The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-03

agent at Kaw City. He came down
With me to make you a neighborly call
and get acquainted.
He then hurried out to his train leav-
ing US alone facing each other. 1 was
Well paralyZedi / turned all sorts of
colors, felt queer spots all over me, and
my tongue seemed as lump of lead n
my mouth. She extended a pretty,
plump little hand and said:
Indeed 1 am glad to meet you, Mr.
Durant How good of you to come to
see me. Mr.. Lamont at Topeka told me
you would be my next Geographic
neighbor, and said some real nice things
of YOU Your visit will prove an agree
able break in the ain ost unbearable
monotony of this quiet place"
1T was a sense of utter loneliness
which brought me down" l uttered the
lie almost trembling in confusion There
was such jolly light in her lovely blue
eyes and her frank, smiling face Ut
terly COMPOUNDED me. I came, too"
added, ito offer you an apology and beg
your pardon for my rude words over the
wire awhile ago. I know I am a very
Door operator and my sending at times
must be very trying to those who at
tempt to receive it. I was in an ugly
frame of mind when I began the mess
age to you, and when you We're conpell-
ed to break me so often grew yet more
cross and said some sharp things TO
you"
90 don't mention it." she replied with
a merry laugh 7 confess you did pro-
yoke me just little for I tried real
hard to get YOU. but really, if any apollo
gies are needed they should be mutual
ones. 1 said Just as sharp things to you
as you said to me, but I half funning
Come out behind the depot and I will show
you something I am very proud of. for I
did it all mySelf-my flower garden Why,
one of the trainmen has left his coat
sRThat is my coat Miss Preston I said
I confuSedly. 1T was very warm in the
caboose, you know. and I pulled 1t off.
if ny nsfead Of fro SE it down d u on the
dirty platform viii take it in and
mo, I will put it on. if you please"
She led the way to the rear of the depot
small patch of ground laid OFF in beds of
really pretty design. Through the loosened
earth many tender shoots were peeping
7 did it all myself" she said with
1 childish enthusiasm I borrowed a
and you should have seen my poor bis
tered hands when l got through digging
up TIE earth i dId d II Just 70 pass the time
fAnd. is this what SO ,engrossed your
! time when I desired to talk with you?'
asked with guilty feeling.
yes, I used to hear you calling while
/ I was out here at work with my hands
just caked all over with dirt. and
| could not go IN and answer you told
! The idea of books where there is not a
/ bit of business. / would not tell you
! over the wire what l was doing for the
! operators along the line would most I'M
/ mercifulIy guy me about my farm and
] / did not feel at liberty to write to you.
/ for you were stranger to me, you
know. When I had completed the work
and had time to talk, you never called
me up any more.
i with me, I replied Il feared my fright
full sending had thoroughly disguised
%. it is not 50 bad as that" she
/ sending quite readily Now that we
know each other we can converse more
intelligently.. I hope we may have fire.
when the train took me back to my
! more than ever dreary- station, I bore the
4 image of my little neighbor in my heart
! The falsehOOdS which had told her were
keen stings in my conscience, and the
/ following day I wrote her a letter and
told her the true cause Of my visit and
charge there would have been a lively
scrap.
Il Suspected as much,'' she replied, for
you We're terribly hustered when you
you hung up your coat on the dirty
platform Well, when recall you SPLEEN
strength / thank my lucky stars that I
was not a man..
Ne became the best of friends and my
( hostile visit to Wa-ka-ru-sa was not by
anv means my last one.
/ I have just returned from a tour of in
| spection of the division of the road in nv
at the desk in my cosy home to seal this
! story ready for mailing. dear little wife
| bends over me and asks:
.Aren't you going to finish it, dear?'.
/ I assume look of mock Indignation
/ and sharply ask.
Have you been reading my private pa
pers2"
i and cried over the memories the reading
recalled. It is 8 true story, If it possesses