The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-25
THE EVENING STORY
Seeing Vesuvius.

ROBERT CASTOR was a bachelor of
III I'M r' 1y.elght. and was known to be fair
~ Wealthy. He was a clubnan in a
conservative way. He was also nat
| ION OF the theater, but not of actresses.
NOW and then he made a bet on a
Lorse race or an election, but he did not
viz 70 me MOUNDS nor participate in
a mld reveIry. He was a bachelor of
sooo character, and why he did not
marry was something no fellow could
find out.
knows. Mr.. CASTOR knew that he was
simply waiting for the right woman to
come along and arouse the romance in
ms HIS mature. That he had romance he
a osl quite sure, but that the right wom-
an would come he had begun to doubt.
ne mad prevented a girl in financial
distress from leaping into the river.
put sne was older than he and did not
appear TO him. He had stopped a run
away cab horse and saved the woman
inside the vehicle, but she turned out to
De bachelor girl, who coldly thanked
MIN and said that she was about to
vault onto the horses back and stop
him herself. At a theatre panic one
night he had seized a pretty girl in his
arms and hustled her out, but she had
told him that she was already engaged
ana mad offered him a dollar in cash
for his exertions.
Between the ages of twenty-five and
thlrty-efght Mr.. CASTOR had had at
least fifteen narrow escapes from call
ing up that slumbering romance that
would lead to admiration and love. and
he had finally come to the conclusion
that 1t would have to be something out
or the beaten track, and might never
happen at all.
How little do we know what a day
may bring forth? On a certain Sun
day Mr.. Castor sat In the smoking
room of his club and read the six
volume Sunday papers and was satisfied
and contented. On Monday he decided
sail w IL O
Vesuvius in operation. No one had ever
suspected him of a partiality for vol
canos. He had not rushed off to the
Johnstown flood nor the Galveston dis
aster nor the Baltimore fire. He had
never been known to attend a prize
hight nor pay a visit to the morgue, and
he had once turned pale at sight of a
bleeding finger of club waiter, but
a volcano belching destruction for TWEEN
ty miles around
Five days from the date of making
his decision Mr.. CASTOR sailed for
Naples. HIS steamer was not over
crowded. He would find plenty of
STANDING room at the deck rail when
he reached port. This would be one
or the occasions when the front seats
were not reserved for ladies. 1t was
TWO days before the old bachelor sud-
denly discovered that there was an ex-
tremely good looking young woman
aboard in charge of the captain. His
heart gave one jump and then he
turned away. He was off to see VOL
canoes. and not to look after comely
Besides, the captain whis-
pered to him that Miss Dawson did
not care to make acQuaintances on the
voyage. By way of revenge, Mr.. Gas
ton did not stare at her at the table,
as did all the other passengers.
Four days had passed and he had
met Miss Dawson face to face dozen
times and neither had seemed to see
I, of H. To =. -
steamer chair and found her purse
lying where she had carelessly left it.
Finding a lady's purse, whether on
land or sea. calls for immediate ac-
ton. Mr.. CASTOR was in search of the
captain to hand it over. with contents
when he met the young
lady face to face and had the hardi- |
hood to address her. She at once re-
sponded smilingly. Yes, it was her
purse, and she was under a thousand
obligations, and so they introduced
to each other and sat down
for a chat.
She had told the captain that she
didn't care for introductions. but she
was willing to make an exception in
Mr.. Gaston's case. Mr.. CASTOR was on
board for the express purpose of go
ing to Naples to see a volcano hump
Ing itself, and hadn't expected to speak
willing to make a solitary exception.
There were many other chats, but it
was not until the last day out that Miss
Dawson solved problem that was
the bachelor. She was going |
to Italy to claim a large estate left by |
her grandmother. She had all the |
papers with her. She was an orphan
and had no relative to come with her.
and her New York lawyer and her
maid had accidentally been left be-
lind when the steamer sailed. She |
must go to hotel in Naples and wait
Tor them, though she would be In |
with an italian lawyer
and some preliminary
stops could be taken.
The romance that had been buried |
1eep in the heart of the old bachelor
began to thaw out. 1t thawed and
dubbed and rose to the surface. 1t
oegot admiration. Mr.. CASTOR wouldn't
nave made a wager that it would end
n begetting love. The thing that was
needed had come to him at last. On
arrival at Naples the captain took
Mr.. CASTOR went to another, but of
course Mr. CASTOR could call, at any
proper hour. He did CALL
There was old Vesuvius belching
way and scattering ashes and fire
works all around. and hundreds
,ut he was not among them. He was
alling in love with Miss Dawson, and
Naples must stand. Together the two
aw the old hill doing her stunt, but
fortune. It amounted
O millions of dollars and Miss Dawson
vas the only heir. It would be a great
for her. and she almost
lreaded getting the money. Alone in
he world and immensely wealthy,
low could she tell whether a man
ought her hand for love or the long
.reen?
At this point Mr.. CASTOR reached
ut and took her hand and said some
hing in reply, but as there happened :
o be an eruption just then-a sound
Ike ten thousand mad bulls below
ng at once-the young lady never |
aught the words. She took them to |
mean something at least brotherly. |