The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-01
TIE EVENING STOR
Hov s.. AIbe IIeIped.


read: Yourself and st. Able
My motor car never for moment
had replaced my racer st. Abe, In my
affections loved him for his swift
than loved woman did regard my
/ horse; but that was before I had met
Elsie Hyler at my hostess country
home.
had always beIiered mat I should
recognize my mate as soon as I saw
/ her; or at least when I heard her speak
Miss Hyler's pure, Madonna-lilke face
4 held my eyes, her voice set my heart
| strings atune; and in the evening, when
waltzed with her, I knew her for my
very own. I almost told her SO; after
ward was glad had not.
1t was a month-long house party, 50
should have plenty of time to WOO my
| darling; but from the first matters went
not to my liking. A ghost seemed to
/ stalk in our midst and from my dear
! lady's lambert eyes looked often
haunting fear. Her voice, face, and
/ sweet disposition seemed a perfect Trim
/ ity to compel any mans admiration. anu
/ at times she had the whole crowd lit
orally at her feet. Then presto. The
intangible something which made her q
woman apart from her sisters.
exercised st. Abe every day, usually
preferring to drive him hitched to my
! easy-going phaeton. I never went out
that / didn't try to get Miss Hyler TO
| accompany me, but she never accepted
The seventh time her excuse was TOO
fiimsy to bear investigation, and she
ran from the ROOM
was puzzled. She wasn't cold to me
except in connection with my horse AS
1 I stood frowning, Mrs. Atherton patted
i my shoulder in her motherly way. Bet
! ter not waste time on what can't be
| helped" she counseled. Another day
I overheard Mrs. Jerome and Miss Ce-
ella laughing about the poor AlLtle
(9unDie'' thew called Elsie.
| Doubtless If I had asked direct
/ question l should have found out soon
eT, but I couldn't bring myself to dis
cuss her. and they, surprising l under
stood, talked in metaphors and left me
one golden morning I left her huffily
and went after St. Abe, Miss Cecilia
knocking laughter trailing after me. /
drove away-niles away. Coming back,
I was still bordering on the situation
| What had jerome meant with his cpl
grammatic better chuck it. DEM AS
one joins mosaic work. put together
Mrs. Athertons advice. Miss Cecilia
/ laughter, JerOme's words, and various
hints from the others; but when had
my pieces fitted I failed to read the de-
sign.
AS st. Abe turned eastward I saw the
girl of my thoughts sitting BY the
roadside. Her white face. her little shoe
in her lap, her swollen foot, told the tale
of q sprained ankle. I jumped out.
Let me lift you in said. I won
hurt the poor foot
20 mol" she exclaimed, her blue eyes
! black with some strong feeding. I shah
be able to walk pretty sooR Please go
away
: I shall do nothing of the kind I re-
piled, promptly growing angry. N
sorry to be so distasteful but guess
YOU can endure me till get you home;
or you can drive the horse yourself.
: That ride was a memorable one. II
St Abe started into a gentle trot Elsie
shrieked with fright; If 1 slowed MIN
down Elsie knew he was going TO Kick
The toot of an auto horn in the Tar dis
lance nearly threw her into spasnls'
: thought St Abe knew an automobile
. better than he knew his mother
I tried to reason with her, but she
: babe me keep my mind on my driving
At last she put her elbows on her knees
and her face into her hands, the While
she shook as with an ague chill
IT cant help it," she moaned. u
was born with it, as some are born
with crooked feet. can heIp IL
with her in this undignifed posi-
ton. and myself grim. silent, but furi-
Gus. I drove up to the house into q per
feet cloud Of laughter, from Wnich
escaped as soon as possible
I understood my mosaic now, and
t began Weighing my desire for hei
AGAINST my pleasure in St. Abe. The
. Halter.
= tshare with me. I avoided her Tor sew
eral days, while my anger cooled ano
my love increased. Then one morning
i, as drove out on the pleasant country
. road I overlook her. She was Walking
very slowly, aided by a cane
AS she turned startled eyes on my
glossy horse a blind rage suddenly
+ possessed me. In less time tnan
takes to tell it I was out of the buggy
had Elsie IN my arms, into the buggy
L., al
> Her face went white, and the fear
in her blue eyes was mixed with I'M
mitfgated scorn and anger.
You are a brute!' she said trem-
bnngly.
+. Il know it." I agreed.
81. can't reason about it, can't hell
? iit! oh, please put me outi"
] The piteous voice Appealed 10 VIVA
< little manhood had left. stopped the
horse and jumped out AS held VI
nv arms. a paper careened across tht
road. St. Abe, noted Tor ms que
J nerves. snorted and ran. Elsie scream
r ed and shouted .'whoal" but he rar
the faster. while scurried after in the
cloud Of dust, my heart fairly burst
= ing with fear and remorse
It seemed to me that I ran for hours
3 The road had many turns. go theS
were Immediately lost to sight A
every corner / expected to come upof
: the tragedy At last fell breatnless
/ bv the roadside, and while I waited
sick at heart, heard the toot q the
tally-ho horn.
THANK Cod I cried, for l Knew i
t was the other guests who had, early
4 FL the morning, gone for tally-hc
ride THANK Godi'' cried, anc
: staggering up ran dizzily on.
As the road swervsd sharply 10 tn'
west q most surprising sight met my
i ewes. st. Abe was trotting swiftly to-
ward me-swfftIy but under perfect con
troI-and Elsie was his driver. BEHIND
t them came the tally-ho crowd shouting
! itself hoarse-
Elsie drew proudly up beside me. Th'
tally-ho folks spilled out, all talking
/ once.
3 ''Oh, you brave creature
: ssF4o1v did you dare2''