The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-15
TEE EVENING STORY
Fate and a Foozler.
IBy Margaret Huzzey.J

I to Mildred AIason's favor with the ap-
proval of her small brother. Toms a con-
stderation by no means to be despised
when the curate Of Saint Jude's APP
peared. on the scene and spoiled it all.
The first intimation of change in the
usual order of events came when Mil
1 dred refused to play golf on Sunday.
When a person can play all the
week" she said. L think he ought to
make a difference on Sunday"
But it is my only opportunity to play
with you and I spend my week-ends
here for that sole purpose" pleaded
/ Whitney cannot understand this
sudden access OF conscience
Mildred looked offended, and Whitney
was about to apologize when Tom
slipped hand through his arm
''Come and go around with me Mr..
Whitney. Mildred is a little morbid
1 just now, but it won't last" and as they
went away together Tom explained. 1T
is that curate chap-he came out here
! last Monday and spent the week-al
knows what there Is about collar that
buttons behind, but girls always go
/ down before it like nine-pins.S
Was he-was he especially attentive
/ to any one?" Whitney's voice shook
''Sure-stuck to MiIly like a barnacle
/ to & lamppost. thought when she
saw him play golf she'd break away
1t was enough to make angels bawl."
Did you say she was pleased
Couldn't drive six feet-made eleven
strokes and six foozles to the first green,
/ then
yBut do you think she enjoyed
Then putted out in five. What do
you think of that?"
1T was a hldeously, calculating re-
voting spectaclel Did Miss Mildred
appear interested in
He drove four balls into the brook
and, instead of GUESSING like a gentle
man, he said, Dear me, what an exas-
perating gamer"
It was no use trying to get any sat-
/ isfaction from Tom. He talked of moth
ing but the curate's foozles and failures
and the only information Whitney OBJ
/ tanned was that the parson intended to
be at Windcliff every week during the
remainder of the summer.
The next Saturday, Whitney found
/ Mildred more than ever ensnared by
the curate; she not only refused to
play golf Sunday, but read a book
/ called Marrow Paths" all the evening
Tom walked to the station with Mr..
| Whitney Monday morning and asked if
there was anything he could do for
him.
/ Get rid of the foozEng parson.' said
Tom. HE uses his irons like a grave
! digger, and he has lost three Of my
new handmade pneumatics.''
I wish he was a missionary sighed
IN the cannibal Islands, added
The following Friday, whitney re-
ceived a postal card with these words:
I PILOT thickens=take a vacation. Tom %
Whitney. panic stricken, went to
1 Windcliff on the next train He found
Tom on the ninth green about to try a
difficult stroke, and, laying hands sud
denly upon him, asked breathlessly:
What did you mean by that postal
n n
Lucky you didn't grab till I had
made that putt might have jiu-5it-
sued YOU said Tom. Let's seef'
counting on his fingers. -four to the
brook-one onto the green--talat is
five nt
Answer my question" whitney
shook him roughly.
Two puts In seven. Oh, that was
just thfeat-thought you better be on
the spot. Here comes the foozling
fascinator now
After introducing the curate, Tom In
quired anxiously:
How is your head today, Mr..
ssAiI right when I am up and about,
thank you Turning to Whitney. II
have suffered from the most peculiar
symptoms lately. When I lie down at
night I have q rumbling sound in my
head that prevents my sleeping"
How do you account for it?" asked
Whitney.
It's the DeaSlly Gam D1eSss ION re-
marked. "A man here last summe
began with exactly your symptoms and
his doctor told him if he didn't go away
from the lake quick, he would be a
raving maniac"
The curate turned pale.
Dear me, should hate to leave this
delightful place. but I cannot run such
a risk as that
By August so many boarders arrived
that the landlady turned the boys and
bachelors into the Anne a small cot
tage divided into. bedrooms by thin
wooden partitions, and the curate, Mr..
Whitney and Tom were relegated to
these quarters-ToTn' room being be-
tween the other two.
Whitney passed the time playing golf
with Tom. who was singularly unlike
himself; instead of being indefatigable
and bubbling over with spirits, he was
4 languid and dull; he said the bare pos
ability of having a foozler enter his
family reduced his nervous system to
what on earth did you bring ms
here for?" asked whitney. Il can't see
anything of your sister without that
everlasting parson."
She viii be tired of his symptoms
1 before long, said Tom.
"She appears to be in love with him
| and his symptoms
She has some notion about life Of
usefulness as q parsons Wife-She'll
/ drop it once he is gone"
Catch him going, Whitney groaned.
Il have hopes said Tom.
That night Whitney lay awake with
an aching tooth. He heard the cuFate'E
bed creak as the poor fellow tossed
restlessly. Rather skating in his head, -
thought Whitney. Then he heard Sc
ton pacing back and forth. Presently
he appeared to try sleeping again and
gave forth a gentle snore- Suddenly he
sprang out Of bed, threw open his door,
rushed madly through the hall and
down the stairs. Whitney, alarmed,
chased after him. Reaching the gar
den. he was Mortified to see Seton max
= ing a full tilt straight for the lake.
Whitney picked up an apple and threw
II. hitting Seton in the small of the
back. He stopped and turned slowly
around His pursuer was upon him in
an instant and, graphing the astonish-
I'd cleric threw and held him down.