The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-18
THE EVENING STORY


(By Sidney Ayres.
It was an interstate contest, and
fifteen thousand spectators had assem-
bled to witness the foot race the long
jump. the high jump, the throwing of
the hammer, and other Ieats OF agility
and strength. Among them were
Edith Lawson and Isabel DAVIS who
had arrived upon the grounds escorted
by Edith's brother Dick, but he had
left them to speak to one Of the
athletes and had disappeared. This
incident had put the usually smiling
and aniable Edith out OF temper and
long before the first trial on the pro-
gram had been called she was in a
captious mood and wishing she had
not come. Miss DAVIS, on the con-
/ trary, was all enthusiasm and antici-
patton, and her EXPLANATIONS finally
brought forth the remark from Edith:
What stupid thing to waste our
time over. These sO-called athletes
ought to be put to saving wood and
made to earn an honest living. Look
at that one swelling around as If he
had saved dozen nvesi"
Isabel's reply. IF only dared, I'd
1sabeI's reply. If 1 only dared, I'd
call him over here and Introduce my
self. He's just one of the incest fell
If he isn't a bully then never saw
one!" interrupted Edith. "See him
swagger as he walks. II he was intro
duced to me I'd snub him good and
WE'LL
Why, Edith Lawson! Tommy Hope
is the champion high jumper and run
ner, and they say that he is the best
boxer in college this year. His folks
are among the most
Respectable of saloon keepers,
probably sneered the pretty girl. 80
he's prize fighter with all the rest.
Nice company we are in
Miss DAVIS was about to protest and
argue further when the high Jumpers
I IL
and each and every one Of them was
cheered as he took his place.
/ Eight of them" observed Miss
DAVIS, after counting, "but none of
them will stand a show against Tommy
1 Hope. You VIII see him sail over the
highest bar like a bird"
But any we'll trained horse could
do the same thing" was Edith s reply.
He'd better be sailing into some hon
est work; but he'll never do that as
long as the people will crowd to see
these shows. If had brother Dick
here, I'd box his ears
Get ready to clap your hands,
Edith. There he goesl"
Il won't even look"
Tommy Hope took the run and the
jump, and cleared the bar that had
brought others to grief In return the
crowd raised a mighty cheer. The ap-
plause lasted five minutes, but Edith
Lawson didn't join in.
| During the next half hour she criti-
cised the crowd and berated her broth
er, and her friend realized that she was
in a pet, so automatically left her
alone. Then the running race was
called, and Miss DAVIS suppressed en-
thusiasn burst forth again.
It will be Tommy-our Tommy
again. she exclaimed in her excite
ment. "Oh, Edith, how sorry I am
that you can't appreciate athletics as
the rest Of US do. You see, men are
made strong, agile and muscular by this
training. Suppose that our Tommy
had to run for his life? ?"
He would, if offered a job at a dol
lar a day." replied Edith.
What a girl you arei But there
goes the bell Now they are taking
| their places. Now the signal is TO be
given. fNow--- Go it, Tommy, go it,
On. Edith, Tommy Is gaining-he is
creeping up-he is leadingl O-o-o-h,
such sprinting. Tommy will win! He
has won't
And I am going home
Some folks are built that way-even
some young ladies-and the only way
is to let them hug their theories until
circumstances arise to change their
opinion. One could not have safely pre-
dicted that such circumstances would
but Fate IS more powerful than man.
Within a month she was speeding
westward in reply to an invitation from
an aunt whose favorite she was and
I more Tldn LndI, she was trdN6uDB aIOHe-
I Though unchaperoned. she was not
! lone passenger in the drawing-room car
that Whirled her across the prairies.
| Opposite her sat a young man whose
appearance pleased her at first sight.
That he was a gentleman she imme-
diately decided. He made no opportuni-
| ty to speak to her. There were six or
eight other passengers. all more or less
sociable, and in one way and another
all but the young man came to make
the acquaintance of Miss Lawson be
fore the first day of the journey ended.
After the very first glance at the
young man the girl was puzzled she
felt sure she had seen him before. and
she cudgelled her brains in vain to re-
member where and when. This impress
sion grew stronger whenever she stole
a glance at him, and by and by she
was much Vexed at herself for her fail
ure to recall him. If the truth was
known she was a bit vexed with MIN
as we'll II he wanted an Introduction
he could have had 1t easy enough, and
that he didn't rush to secure II rather
Next morning after breakfast a tough
looking fellow. who was riding in style
for the first time in his life. entered the
car and a few minutes later wa oging
l Miss Lawson and making himself OBJ
noxious The young man opposite po-
Iifelv requested the f1ashy youth to de-
sist and was promptly consigned 10
| climate that is hotter than this. He
didn't go. He simply took the dis
turber by the neck and dragged him
into the smoking car and flung him
| into a seat with a bang. That was the
| last of the disturber. He didn't ike
the atmosphere of q drawing room car
Miss Lawson would have thanked the
stranger. but he gave her no oppor-
tunity He simply returned to his seat
and resumed his reading as II nothing
had happened
I the eating house where they had had
go minutes for dinner a cowboy with
a couple Of guns belted about him and
/ too much liquor within him, freshiy
| hated Miss Lawson ard pretended to
| recognize her as a Miss Thompson II
was Iamentable failure. He was
2uG