The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-26
THE EVENING STORY
Wanted-An ApoIogy.
(By Henry Abbott.)

and they took good care not to stir
him up. In the village of Winston,
four miles away, there lived another
peppery man about the same age. HIS
name was Talbot, and he was so touchy
that he had to be handled with gloves.
These two peppery old men had known
each other by name for ten years be-
fore they were introduced. Mr.. Jones
happened to be over at Winston one
day, and while at the hotel Mr.. Talbot
came in. They were rather chary of
each other for awhile. instinctively
seeming danger. but when that feeling
had finally worn off bit the peppery
Mr.. Jones remarked:
Its my opinion, from what have
seen SO far this season. that we are
going to have a plague of 'tater bugs
I shouldn't wonder if we lost the whole
crop"
well, L dunno" replied the peppery
Mr.. Talbot. "In my opinion all the
indications point to a return of the
grasshopeprs."
'I differ with you, SIR
"And 1 differ with YOU
There isn't the slightest indication
of grasshoppers."
Nor the slightest indication of ia
ter bugs"
You seem, sir, to be a conceited
man"
And I wouldn't guarantee .Aat you
had an ounce of brains.'
81 demand an apology at oncei"
"And 1 demand the same!'
AS neither would apologize they sep
arated in a spirit of bitterness. AS
thGy lived four miles from each other,
and as they had managed to get along
fairly we'll for years without knowing
each other, their feelings would have
II ade no difference but for one thing.
Gadsby Jones had a son twenty years
old. and Mr.. Talbot had a daughter
nineteen. The young people had met
and admired each other before the
of their fathers. and the fact
was dimly known to their respective
parents. When Mr.. Talbot went home
from the hotel it was to say 20 his
doue liter:
Ruth. are you acquainted with
young Jones of Hornsdale?"
''Why, yes, I have met him. ad
mitted Ruth. with a blush.
Then don't meet him any more.
He's a horse thief"
why, father, how you talk"
'"Tk at is to say, his father is the big
eest old fool in the state. and I'm sorry
now that 1 didn't call him liar. If |
catch the son hanging around here /
shall kick him out in short order"
And Gadsby Jones returned to
Fcrnsdale, getting madden every rod
OF the way, to say to his son:
Homer, do you know girl over at
Winston named Talbot"
talbot? Talbot" unused the young
man as he tried to appear indiffertn.
Eyes, sir, Talbot. Seems to me 1
heard you say you took her to the cir
GUS
ooh, yes, Ruth Talbot
"Well, you drop her like a hot ia
ter met her father over there today,
and of all the cantankerous old cusses
I ever ran un against, he tak@S the
cake. He owes me an apology, and
until he makes it no son OF mine can
enter his house."
The son and daughter could not look
upon the matter as the two fathers did,
and neither of them felt obliged ito
obey the parental injunction. While
they did not openly defy it. they con-
alton and friendship finally ripened
into love. In this they were secretly
by Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Tai
bot. The two peppery old men. VINO
had lived for fifty years without know
Ing each others existence, seemed
fated to meet at brief intervals after
the disagreement. Within a month
both found themselves at the same
blacksmith shop to have repairs made
to their buggies. and after glazing and
snorting at each other for time, MI
Jones sarcastically said:
"I haven't seen anything of them
grasshoppers yet"
'aThey are probably waiting to come
along with your later bugs"
"Um! Mr.. Talbot, if that is your
name, 1 pity the folks in this village
who have to put up with your ways"
"Um! Mr.. Jones, and that is un-
1oubtedly your name, for l never saw
L Jones who didn't look like mean
nan, If 1 was you I'd go hang myselt
md let my town take a nest"
Apologize, siri Apologize at once!"
Not until you apologize first"
They met again on the highway, and
again at funeral and town meeting.
md each meeting made them long to
other The and the
laughter were forbidden under all
orts of pains and penalties even to
DOW to each other, but their love-mak-
ng could not be stopped by such
idiots There was no question of love,
,ut that of marriage was held in abey-
nee in hopes that their respective
athers might undergo change OF
opinion. A mutual friend undertook
o bring this about. He called upon !
he peppery Mr.. Jones first. He start |
ID out with a lot of swell oil, but he !
hadn't talk over half minute when |
Or. Jones interrupted with:
THAT will do, sir. A year ago told |
hat old fool of a Talbot that it looked |
ike a good year for later bugs, and |
lie up and insulted me-
But there were no later bugs last |
ear"
Makes no difference. I have met |
lin two or three times since. and l
ell you he is a cantankerous old rep
obate. If he's going to continue liv-
ng in the state. I'll get out of it,"
Nothing could be done with the pep
'ery Mr. Jones, and so the mutual
riend tried the peppery Mr. Talbot.
lie had only stated his errand when |
he latter shouted out:
"Stop, sir! do not want that mans
anne mentioned in my presence! If
yer there was an obstinate old fool
rho needed to be kicked from here to
Iornsdale, he is the one. He owes me
n apology, and 1 shall insist that he
ct down on his knees to make it. Be
riends with Jones-J-o-n-e-s? You
ont know me, sir"
But yet things were working. Provi-
ence or something else always seeks
D bring things out right in case of true
I'VE One daY a party of people liY-