The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-01
THE EVENING STORY
..Beggar NV Neiehbor. y

Five nine eleven thirteen.
Miss Gatty counted anxiously, survey
ing her flock of hens. st can't make
out any more-but, dear me, the crea-
lures fidget so-then they're all exact
iy alike"
Again she counted, again, yet again
The tale was still the unlucky thir-
teen. Miss Gatty looked worried
Well she might The hens were not
her own, but held in trust for her alb
sent sister.
That, however, was less disuuietine
than the potentialities behind possible
runaways. Since the missing three
had not come to the feeding call, it
was clear that they were either dead
or in duress. Either state meant the
same thing-trespass upon the Lalor
lawn and strawberry beds. The Labor
establishment doomed big and impos-
ing two hundred yards away, but that
was no distance at all to active forag-
ers. such as white leghorns. More
over there had been trouble before
trouble which had left a residuum of
strained relations between the big
house and the cottage. The cottage
was almost the Gatty's sole posses
sion. albeit there had been a time
when everything in sight had been
Gatty land.
II don't know what to do. Susanna
would go look for them Miss Gatty
said to the clothes-post. her sole sup
port and confidant. Il suppose ought
to do it-but then how can :? Those
LalorS are SO new and so rich, they'd
insult me-why. they weren't even
afraid to be nasty to Susanna: Act
ually the woman told her she had no
business to keep hens if she couldn't
AFFORD wired runs for them. AS
though we hadn't right TO keep any
thing We please on our own place.
But 1 do wish they'd stay at home.
ica S,rr 80
selfsh-she is having a fine time at
meeting, and. patience
knows. she goes seldom enough any
where
Miss Gatty was slender and pale
and pretty, if she had turned thirty.
She had appealing brown eyes, and
slim hands. taper-fingered in spite Of
house and garden work. She loved the
garden. Indeed. it had been her sal
walton, after she had worn herself to
a shadow wrestling with primary
scholars. She d a not in the least
mind hens there. True they scratched
and pecked, and wallowed nightly,
and her garden was. in fact, chaotic.
Flowers grew indiscriminately cheek
and jowl with vegetables.
Notwithstanding she understood
how aggravating vagrant hens might
be to more orderly gardeners. Also
that with Strawberries ripe, the flock
was a bosom of destruction. Those
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fast to the last grain, began straying
lightly, and, as they walked, preening
themselves. Watching them narrow
", she saw suspicious scarlet fiecks
upon more than one white breast.
They had certainly been at the Lalor
berries. She put her hands up over
her head, thinking hard.
1t was o'clock of a lovely June
morning. Birds sang riotously all
about. Miss Gatty listened to them.
n 1a n taxx ard Hai
aens: II do believe all this comes of
going against nature. If you had
oroods, like the birds. you'd be too
busy feeding them to go hunting mis-
chief"
"Humph! They'd be worse than ever.
[ say thank the Lord there are no
;qualling keepers to whoop them up.
If there were-well. I'd have to move |
said behind her. Miss Gatty turned as
.hough shot. What she saw con-
her evoked a strangled cry
IF dismay. A tall man stood glowering
1T her, and swinging militantly |
punch of headless white hens. I've
brought back your property-not be-
ng a thief" he went on. "Now-letI
ne pay you for-the satisfaction I had /
n wringing their necks. Let me also
warn you the rest will go the same
Here! Take the money! If five dol
airs is not enough"
Twill you please to go away-in-
'tantly!" Miss Gatty said, actually
the poor chickens. too
they will pay some part OF
your damages-
Thank you. But I'm not in the
poultry line-neither restaurants, the
nan said, fiinging the dead hens at her
eet. A fieck of blood flew upon Miss
1atty's faded frock. Noting it. the
nan said awkwardly: please excuse
ne! I've been acting the brute. But
hose berries were my pride
You had a right to-do as you
please go away! Go quick"
She spoke STOPPING over the hens.
rhe man looked at her-close enough
He ran incontinently from
he sight, but not altogether cravenly.
inside five minutes he was back. with
basket of fine, dewy, scarlet berries
Miss Gatty had vanished. So had the
lain He walked around to the back
loor, searching for her without find
ng Being a determined person ne
tepped boldly inside. Miss Gatty sat
n the prim dining room, her mead
,uried in her arms beside the old ma
logany table. She was sobbing-hard
Try sobs. The intruder half turned as
hough to run away again, but tnoughL
,etter of It, stepped forward and SET
Town his basket in front Of her. with
resembling thump. As she sprang
I'D startled. he said in an embarrassed
-oice, Maybe you don't know who
names Labor
But / did know It. You should
lot be here" Miss Gatty painted
Your wife
Thank you-but I haven't got a wife
not yet" Mr.. Lalor said with grin
You must be thinking Of my sister-in-
aw Fanny keeps house for me. but she
ates the place and wants to leave. l
hi lr lat he mr. I
eace-and neighbors. Don't you think
re ought to be neighbors? l do So
We brought these" pointing to the ber-
les. Wont you give me some radishes
0 take home for my luncheon
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