The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-19
The EVENING STORY
A Dark Dipiomatist.
(By Troy Allis on.)

akimbo, occupying the greater part Of
the tiny kitchen. Mrs. Blair, arrang-
ing a mass of dahlias in an old fashion
ed jar on the dining room table, smiled
on the old negro commiseratingly.
I'VE don't find 1t quite as roomy as
Debbie? But after the mortgage was
reclosed-Lesley's civil service ap-
pointment was Sodsend- l don t
know how the child ever got the idea
of standing civil service examination
though" Mrs. Blair sighed as if the
matter was beyond her comprehen-
sion. and followed her characteristic
thought.
Aunt Debbie beat the batter for her
cake energeticallv.
Miss Lesley-she's every bit quality
every bit as amt angel she said,
bristling at any idea disparaging to her
nursing. Dey's never been a purifier
child. nor young lady neither. than lit
tie Miss. En- de Idly of ma chile
seem to stomach it, She beat the
substance in the yellow bowl viciously.
Taint lack her ma and her grandma
done befoah her. Dey had close, and
in de country. What chanst has little
Missile to make a fine marriage, I
wanter know? Goes to work envy
mawin' at 9. De Lawd knows. 1 ulster
mas coffe to they beds at 9. En- hows
she a-goin' to meet any senators and
presidents and things to get chanst
to marry?"
The old nanny beat away as if she
had fate in the yellow bowl and intend
ed to render it harmless.
at worries me dreadfully, Aunt
Deb Mrs. Blair finished the dahlias
and stood off to admire them. ut seems
preposterous to think that a daughter
Of mine should ever be an old maid.
We've been here a year though-and
Lesley hasn't become acquainted with
single man of desirable calling ac-
1t would have been so diff
ferent if her poor father had lived"
'Or if he haedn't gambled away and
drunk up all his money foah he died"
muttered the old woman under her
breath.
Mrs. Blair sat down in the Morris
chair and took her embroidery from the
ancient mahogany sewing table.
"Well-Pm doing all cam insisted
on renting this fiat in fashionable
with young married couples that I've
never met. I don't believe there's more
than one eligible man in the building,
and we've never met him.
Huh! Who's he?" demanded Aunt
Debbie, seeming a prospect for match
making with as much eagerness as If
she had been of French instead of At
rican ancestry.
IT'S that young doctor in the first
floor front. He seems to have all the
swell automobiles and carriages in town
stop at the door, But no matter how
desirable an acquaintance he might be
we don't know any one to make the
necessary introduction-and we are
never sick The mistress laughed at
the old woman's falling expression.
II seen him look at Miss Lesley, any
how, when we pass him in the hall
Huh! It's enough to make any one sick
t] live fv, A1a hor Of n fof ooi6
Aunt Deb doiefully.
DIR. Fenton came in very late that
night and was smoking a final cigar
when his telephone rang.
please come up to Apartment No.
a fainting flor some
thing dreadful said a girls excited
voice.
When he reached the door of the
apartment, the girl with red blond
hair-the same girl he had often no.
iced in the hall-met him at the
door. Her face was still flushed with
sleep-but her eyes were dilated with
anxiety as she wrapped the folds OF
her blue kimona around her slender
figure and led the way toward the lit
lie back bedroom.
ITS my old colored NANNY" she
said breathlessly, 81 never knew her
10 be sick beforehand I'm afraid it's
apoplexy or heart trouble or some
hing. If nanny were to die-we
would be absolutely helpless
DR.. Fenton noted his patients pulse
and listened to her heart, then looked
1t Mrs. Blair in puzzled manner
Her hearts all right-rather I'M
usually strong. Has she been eating
anything that might give her acute
?"
"i'm sure I don't know" said Mrs.
Blair helplessly, "I was asleep when
she called me-and she Eroaned sew
eral times. then became absolutely un-
HAS she been drinking?" the doc
or shifted the atmosphere suspicious
''No-indeedl" said the girl indig-
lantly Nanny never was intoxicat-
ID in her life-I spilled that on her
rying to force some down her
hroat.'
The doctor. after several minutes
work, finally held some strong am
nonia to his patients nostrils and she |
opened her eyes.
Take dat stuff away" she said IN
iignantly-"do you want to kill me |
es' cause Use wuthless old niger 2" |
Dr. Fenton patted her shoulder in
lulgently.
"There-there-I guess you are not
lead yet-it's a sign of a good consti- |
ution when they recover and begin |
ussing and Tuning. Shows thew have
.rit enough to pull through ali right. |
Where do you feel bad. auntie?'
''In ma head and back-and ma |
aigs-and an awful misery in ma |
I reckon I'm mos done |
or" and she groaned in self pity.
I'm going to give you a powder
hat will stop all the misery, auntie. |
you must stay in bed tomorrow and |
II come I'm and see how things are |
,oing with you. I expect you have |
AIKEN cold and have neuralgia and |
ramp. You'll be busting around as /
Ively as anybody in a few days"
BE sure to come tomorrow, doctah, |
IN scairt plum to death /" the old negro
One night long after Aunt Deb's re-
overy, DR.. Fenton sat in the tiny par
Or of Mrs. Blair's apartment-and a I
usual observer might have thought he
Tas noting Lesley's pulse
"ADd IN think x,o11 e10gp, |