The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-26

els that SOP
81 had the lead in the play you
named
"'Can it be possible!'
"tAnd.I-I-am Gwendolin, and you
'"eArthur Bonnicastle?
'fTableaup
RED fret"
"Hired man wanting to cut my
throat then and there.
When I had asked Gwendolin to
be mine and she had consented re-
sumed as soon as could get grip on
myself, .1qreturned home to break the
news of my happiness to my father.
He met me with cold and cruel
stare, and in words in which there was
no pity he informed me that / must
give her up or become penniless OUT
cast. took the alternative. With only
nine cents in my pocket I started to
rejoin the woman who had my heart
in her Keeping. When I reached the
town where I expected to find her it
was to learn that she had eloped with
the heavy man of the company. That
broke my heart and took all my cour-
age away, and instead of returning
home to make peace with my father
became a Diiapidated Gentleman and
here am
How stranger How wonderful
How queerl' exclaimed the widow, as
she hitched around. If any one had
told me that this would have ever come
The heavy man claimed to have seen
a notice of your death in the papers,
and as he was in love with me at the
same time I decided to marry him. We
did not elope. as was told you, but the
company busted and we headed for
New York over the railroad ties. A
thousand times have I thought of you.
and always as sleeping in your grave.
Yes, I am the willowy Gwendolin of a
score of years ago. I am the leading
lady of the play of Coon Hollow
'.Murnurs of establishment from my
self.
"Exclamations from the widows
daughter. ~ ,sss
Melting looks from the widow her
self.
"Murderous chances from the hired
man.
81 was telling a fictitious anecdote,
of course. Nothing of the sort or kind
had ever happened me, and to this day
believe the widow was also in the
kidding business. Perhaps she want
ed to make the hired man jealous. AT
any rate, she said I must stay. there
for at least a month, and she pro-
noUnced my name In tender accents.
The hired man got the green eye all
right. 1t was announced that I was
to have the parlor bedroom but just
before retiring he invited me to go to
the barn with him to see the threshing
machine. He was it. When we got
liars and thieves and gave me such
walloping that I took to the road and
never stopped for the next five miles.
How he explained matters to my will
lowy Gwendolin I never heard.
THE other coincidence 1 have in
mind was pulled off in Connecticut. I
was hoeing corn for a farmer for a
dollar a day and my board, and had
worked for three days, when he said
we'd stop and rest our backs if I'd tell
h i'm str 7 Td 19-al
our hoes and sat down. The tramp
who tells a farmer any story at all
should make it a murder story to bene-
fit by it. On this occasion claimed to
have murdered an old couple in Ar
kansas for their money, but was dis
appointed in laying hand on any cash.
described how 1 used ak, crowbar
and knife, and how hid in a swamp
for four days afterwards. and he en-
joyed the particulars like boiled din
ner. 1 put>him on his oath not to give
me away, and it seemed to me- after
the story had been told. that he looked
up to me with awe and reverence.
Say, now. that was curious thing.
When wa went to the house to sup
per the farmer showed me an old
newspaper with an account of just
such a crime in it. 1t had occurred in
the sa me state the victims were an old
good his escape. I read it, but did not
WORRY After had cone to bed the
! farmer drove six. miles and got the
sheriff and two constables, and the Of
ficers were within quarter of a mile
! of the house when the good wife woke
me W and warned me to flee. She said
| she always did. have a speaking sym
pathv for. murderers, and she hoped /
would get away.
"cet away I did, but was followed
| for hundred miles and had to do a
heap of lodging. don't know wheth-
| er the farmer felt sure that I was the
right party or not. You can't always