The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-01
ALL'S FAIR In LOVE.

mead OF the stairway and listened TO
the vocal evidences of slumber which
reached her from the room below,
proof that both Uncle Jacob and Aunt
Jemima were sleeping soundly- So she
secured a match and lighted small
tallow candle. murrnuring to herself
the while What a wicked girl am.
Next she locsened a cord which was
fastened around her neck, then took IN
her cold little hand the object which
the cord held in place-a small photo
graph To this she softly spoke;
IT'S so wicked. Reuben, for me to
keep your picter when Aunt JemlIld
said l shouldn't never see you again.
She says I'd ought to be so thankful
got a good, kind aunt to keep me from
the wiles of this sinful world, Reuben
an she says men are all wicked. de-
ceiVin' critters, an she Says-Ch! on.
Dorothy almost screamed aloud be-
fore she remembered the quick ear be-
low. 1t seemed as If she had hearu
some one say 'Dotty.' But no one eyer
called her "DOtty' except her father
and Reuben. and her father was sleep
ing the sleep which knows no waking
in far-off Illinois,; while Reuben was
toiling on the old farm adjoining ene
one where she and her father had spent
so many happy days before she mad
seen Aunt Jemima or Kansas.
Her blue eyes filled with tears. cloud
ing her vision. Then these drops were
cleared away, for she heard another
noise, a grating. as of some object be-
ing dragged along the side of the
house. Although frightened, she could
not decide to waken the sleepers, and
hastily extinguishing the candle she
knelt in front of the garnet window,
peering out into the night. Nothing
was there but the same bleak Kansas
prairies, now white with the first win
ter's snow. How often, during those
sad, lonely two years, lad she looked
from this little window. wondering If
there were any end to the prairie;
.fr4a- 70, n old
Illinois and Reuben's home; wondering
whether if she should die Aunt Jemima
would insist upon laying her away I'M
der the sod of the dreary plains.
She could count on her fingers all
the persons she had seen since coming
to Kansas, and with these she had
hardly exchanged words, for her aunts
sharp voice was ever reminding her
that she had better be about her work.
a0nd how che had worked! Washing,
ironing, n1eEding, cooking, feeding pigs
and chickens, and, until the snow, she
had even helped to turn the W1ndlaSS
for Uncle Jason, who was digging a
new well under the old sycamore tree,
q few yards in front of the kitchen
Before her passed the scene of that
last stormy interview between Reuben
and Aunt Jemima, which had been, s
her aunt had said, the last of it. She
would take her niece to Kansas" She
needed Dorothy herself, AN he needn't
think she was goin to allow young
thing like that to have sech notions
about gfttin married The girl is an or
plant, an might be thankful" She re-
called the last loving, resolute look which
shone in Reuben's eyes as they parted
and he slipped the tiny photograph into
her hand.
Il know its all because I'm so wick
ed"
Rap-tap-tapl The sound appeared to
come from under the window.
Aunt Jemima would say twas a
ghost, but I don't believe"
Rap-tap-tap! "Dotty!"
Dorothy could doubt no longer. She
sprang TO her feet and placed her lips
to the broken pane.
Reuben! Q Reuben! is that you?'
prompt and resolute. Dress warm an
quick an open the winder. I've got
IA ladder. Hurry dear
Her trembling fingers almost refused
to obey, but in less than five minutes
she had donned her best dress, her
cloak and hat, had reached the bottom
of the rickety old ladder and Reuben
was holding her in his great strong
arms and kissing lips that offered no
resistance. Then, before she had time
to think, he grasped her hand and
hurried her away to the old tree, whis-
pering: I'VE can't talk here, DOtty.
The old catll hear US and"
Then Dorothy found hire voice and
began to cry. "Oh, Reuben, what am
I doing? Aunt Jemima said shouldn't
never see you again. I'm going right
4
Now, Dotty. don't cry" said Reu-
ben, soothingly. I didn't mean no
disrespect, but I'm that tired an cold
-confOund it, what's that?"
In his haste to get beyond the hear
ing of Aunt Jemima, Reuben had col
lided with a small chicken house con-
tanning some of the good womans
favorite Leghorns. The bang and cIat-
ter, mingled with the frightened out
cry of the fowls, had the dreaded eff
feet. The front door opened and Aunt
Jemima's who's there?" was dis
tinctly heard.
The culprits had reached the big
tree, and Reuben, who had concealed
a small bundle under his overcoat.
suddenly grasped the handle of the big
windlass. This thing amt but a few
feet deep. Get in the bucket, Dotty,
quick!" Dorothy was too frightened
even to resist. A few quick turns and
she nestled securely beneath the sur
face.
It was none too soon. Aunt Jemima
appeared. envelOped in comforter,
lantern in one hand and a broom in
the other. With great strides she ad-
vanced toward the chicken house, hut
when she had gained about half the
distance she suddenly stopped, blood
curdling shrek rang out upon the
night air, and she fed, leaving heI
weapon in the snow, and slamming thu
door behind her. Leisurely following
her was a specter, with CHASTITY fac'
and long, swaying arms. All was agar
silent, and in a few minutes Reubar
was speaking to the shivering little
girl in the well.
'Dotty."
"Oh. Reuben, what have you dona2'
Don't worry. jest scared her a lit
tie. came prepared to, cause
know she's afeard O. ghosts. But, say
Dotty?"
''WeH?"
I've got a good boss an sleigh on
here. It's been a long, long two yen
sence yer aunt took We away, dear It's
been awful hard savin' money to fnf
We, Dotty, and 1 loved We so we'll
done it,
Reuben thought he heard an encour
aging little sob from the bottom of thu
L.. IA