The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-05-18
The Professors WOOing.

Prof George Kennon. of the chair cf
zoology ia the Northeastern university,
was enjoying his vacation in the north
ern woods and was making a second
Thoreau of himself in a log hut by a
Wisconsin walden
Prof Kennon was neither be-spec-
tacled, bent-shouldered. gray-haired nor
old. He was young, hlack-haired stall
Wart and good looking. He studied ma
Gure in the open rather than In the
closet. and that's why it was that the
Mother promised fair to keep hini
through the years from bearing any re-
semblance to the shriveled specimens on
the shelves OF the uriversltys museum.
The other professors staid, married
and settled down wondered why it was
that their brother instructor Wouldn
follow good example The truth was
that Kennon was yearning for kindred
spirit. a woman who would love every
thing in nature from the chic-1weed
and the garden toad to edelWeiss and
the mountain eagle He was much of 4
hermit even during the school year, and
altogether one when he went to nature
heart in the summer. Society he
eschewed. When a college Classmate
told him he should get out and 'mnsleN
he said he liked butterflies but not those
belonging to the genus Fashion
Prof GeOrSe Kennen was returning
to his wilderness log hut in the late af~
ternOon- The VesDer sparrow was be-
ginning his chant. the night hawk had
left its nest in the rocky field Tor its
twilight flight. and the wood thrush
with its silver bell was announcing that
nights curtain must soon fall Tine pro-
fessOr halted at q spring at the wool
lands edge. His hut was hundred
yards farther on. set back from the
shore of the little lake. we'll within the
shadow of the forest. He stored 10
drink from the basin of the spring. He
had tramDad many miles that DAY to
visit q colony of black terms glossy
birds of lake and sea. but which love
the marsh land for the rearing Of their
young.
AS the naturalist bent over the spring
he put his hand down to steady himself.
Tt touched sometime. and in the half
light he looked at the object curiously.
IL was a book I'm his surprise he forgot
his thirst and picked up the volume II
was book on nature. on birds. trees
and flowers He recognized it as re-
cent publication of which he had heard
much. bur had not read- 1t was open
at the preface, which was poem, ard
these passages were marked:
Thyself translate the Angelus you
thrush
Hymns from its tree top at the twi. /
light hour.
And whisper low the secret Of the hush /
Which thrills the forest with its
sacred mower
Sweet mother though I long have wor- +
shiued thee.
Finding great peace at each majestic
altar
Knowing my sorrow soothed when at thy /
knee
I lose my soul in thine-how oft
Because know thee not as I would
know.
Prof Kennon took the book to his hut I
and went through it carefully. There |
lsaI
mans hand. and showing deep aDpre- /
citation Of the text in some places. and /
IN others direct questioning Of the con.
illusions GeaH-n.
Inis belongs to a woman who knows I
sometime. said Prof Kennon to HIM
self. She is probably one of the sum
ner colony over at the hotel. though I /
don't see how one Of her bent of mind
can stand il in that gossip-loving heads
quarters of frivolity Those people 90
there for a summer rest. they say ard /
tney work harder trying TO enjoy them. /
serves than they do at the height of a /
George Kennon turned to the hyieaf
ot ths hltAe nature volume and there /
read the name "Millicent Sturtevant
II SUPPOSE" he unused -she is ona Of
the rich Sturtevants of Lake shore ave
nue. They're i'm the very swim Of so.
clety, ana certainly never heard thar
any one OF them was q field student
ana lover Of nature. However [ truss +
II SO. for Il it is there is surely hone +
for the rest Of the world. At any rate.
must tal-e this book over to the hotel
and leave it with the clerk though
nate TO so back, even for moment. to T
a Vanity Far"
Inc next morning at o'clock Prof
AeHnon was striding sturdily along the I
road which led to the Eagle Cliff House
On the left the roadway shelved down .
Sharply to the lake 20 feet below. From
tne right another road came in and
Joined the one me was traversing Be
tore the professor had thoroughly real
lzed what was happening "a horse draw
ing a light trap came dashing down the
SIDE road One rein was drageine. and
in the hfgh-seated affair at the animals
heels was a young woman. keeping her
place bravely and pulling with All her
might at the single rein left i'm her
hands. The professor threw away The
open glass which he had brought for
bird gazing and jumped for the head of
the animal He caught the rein close to
the BIT. was dragged some little dis
lance but with a great effort he sue
ceeded IN turning and stopping the ami
mai lust at the edge of the rocky de-
clivity shelving downward to the lake
Inc young woman kept some Of her