The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-24
TIE EVENING STOR r


Among The later arrivals was a young
woman of the upper world. exQuisitely
gowned. breathing cultivation, yet with
the frank air and lively eye Of a nice
boy, now bold. now shy, but always
vivid. Her seat was in one Of the lower
boxes, and beside her was vacant
place, apparently for her delayed escort
The young woman had come alone
and had sat alone till the orchestra was
nearly through its overture. Then the
vacant seat found an occupant
He came sJriding down the aisle, a
splendid specimen Of man. Hundreds OF
amused. interested eyes took in his mag
nifcent. picturesque bulk. breatheo
deeper at the outdoor atmosphere OF pig
spaces he radiated, and warmed TO the
untamed, fearless spirit Of the vanishing
west that looked out of his face OF
bleached walnut.
The click of the high-heeled, dusty
riding boots into which corduroy trous-
ers fitted snugly. the worn felt hat held
negligently in great leather-cuffeo
hand, the kerchief knotted loosely round
the tanned throat, proclaimed more
loudly than words that he was denl-
zen of the COW country.
The blond giant from the desert 1ol-
lowed the usher to the vacant seat pc
side the daughter Of civilization The
girl hastily gathered the skirt of her
gown out of danger and devoted herself
to studying the cast. Presently she
hshed a silver-cased pencil from some
where and wrote a line on the edge OF
the programme. The direct, impulstVe
side of her was just then in dominance
Sir, this seat Is TAKEN he read, after
she had with apparent carelessness ma
neuyered the paper into his line of Wis
ion.
you're right, It is, ma'am,'' his
pencil answered on his program:
"I mean by a friend of mine."
THANK you, ma'am. That's real
kind and friendly
A hot wave of color swept over her
boyish face. She slanted a covert
glance at him to discover whether 1t
was innocence or audacity with which
she had to contend. He was cheer
fully continuing the correspondence,
and did not notice the start OF sur
prise in her eye.
The rise of the curtain relieved the
situation, and the girl abandoned her
self to the play with an excited inter-
est, due to the fact that her lover,
Robert Messiter, had written it, with
herself al the heroine.
A wide mesa was disclosed. bound
ed by a range OF blue, snow-streaked
mountains. In the foreground were
a couple of stunted cottonWoods, a
bunch or two of cactus, and mating
OF dull range grass
Presently "Sorreltop" Flanders
wandered into view, dusty and hat
less, spluttering range epithets at
himself for his folly in allowing the
ponies to have escaped He finds time
to explain to the audience that he and
Miss Rhoda Esterly are lost on the
desert before that dashing young wo-
man comes limping across the stage
That 1.-The Maverick" is love
drama, full Of the humorous extrava-
gance and exuberance of the west, is
at once apparent. The cOW-puncher
and the Colonel, the Indian and the
Mexican, are all very much in evil
dence.
and the son of the desert gave divid-
ed but extremely alert attention to
the progress of the play. That her
own love story. dramatized by her
lover, was being enacted faithfully be-
fore her eyes, was surprise enough TO
claim her interest.
But more than once, when re-
membered phrase slipped here ana
again from one of the actors, ner eyes
swept round to the man beside her
Once their glances met, and she islt
her cheeks burn.
When the curtain rang down the
girl drew a long breath.
The man beside her offered friendly
That's the range. all right. Hes
certainly been on the hurricane deck
of a broncho, the fellow that wrote
that Looks to me as if the scene was
the Bubble mesa close to the Arapa-
hoe buttes. Ever been there. ma'a p
The girl met his bold eyes. Yes,
I've been there"
Here, too" he assured her. This
here story's founded on life, ma'am. I
know the fellow that wrote it. Men
him used to be thicker than peas in
pod. Yes, ma'am. shore have rid
den over that mesa heap with Bob
Messiter. He was an educated follow
iii FraraF r71
bugs. Well, he's strong as a mule now,
ma am. I reckon you don't know
him"
This seemed to demand an answer,
and the young women gave 1t
promptly.
I've met him"
You don't say" Then a light ap-
peared to penetrate. His hand came
down with a resounding slap on his
knee. BY thunder, ma am, you're the
lady=the very one that old Bob Mes
sitter got lost with and got hissef en-
gagged to subsequent knew I'd seen
you somewheres. Don't you all re-
member Jack Robins of the K. T.
ranch? I'm him, ma'am."
The young woman regretted without
enthusiasm that she could not remem-
Der Mr.. Robins, just as the curtain
rang up for the second act.
It was at the next intermission that
the gentleman from Cattleland deliv- |
cred a monologue to his new find in
twentieth century maidens.
YES, sir. Men Messiter was pards |
two or three years back. We rode the |
range together and bunked together
and sat at the tail end Of the same /
cnuek wagon. How came to know
him was some comical. Bob he had |
just come out of Harvard and was water
hearted Consequence is he went |
around rubbing soothin' salve on the |
calves after we had branded them. |
Oncet he got his saIve bottle out and /
was getting ready to do the doctor act |
when sSorreltop, Jones-the one
reckon whose name Adessiter chose as
his hero of this here play-heard
something buzz a foot from Bob's |
hand. The bullet out of Sorreltop's' /
sixshooter arrived short fraction of q I
H. .