The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-28

it's something Notwithstanding as
bad as a robber. How could you do
after doing it how could you ever
come home and face me-and the
cat-and the clock-and other
things?"
This emotional breakdown consisted
of six sobs and twenty-eight tears. as
near as the deacon could figure it. He
must have felt his guilt, but he did not
betray it. He simply turned the paper
over and struck an item headed:
The Wonderful Fecundity of Rats"
and began to devour it with avidity.
A-game-old-sport sobbed Mrs
Dolby. as she used different elbows TO
told me that I should ever live TO see
this day I couldn't have believed it.
When I write the news to sister Han
nah in Wisconsin know she'll faint
away. You can't deny it, deacon. for
seven different persons heard what you
said. Mr.. Penrose told his wife that
he suspected you'd been drinking, but
he couldn't say whether it was lemon
ade or ginger ale. If I was sure you
had been drinking, on top of going
to a horse race and being a game old
sport, I'd pack my things tonight and
leave you. I'd be afraid of my life to
stay. And what happened when the
race started-what happened, deacon?''
The deacon finished with Rats and
smiled a vision rose up before him
The smile was so broad that Mrs. Dol
L
looking his way. but she had resumed
her needle and her eyes were cast
down.
I can tell you. sir. what happened.
and it won't help you any to deny it.
1t comes to me from four different per
sons. You rose up and hollered out
that you'd bet a dollar even up that
the spotted horse would win. Folks
wouldn't do it You said you'd bet
your hat and coat and boots. 1t was
awful-awful. I wake up every night
and think of it with shudders. and l
fall asleep again to Sc 1T all pictured
out before me. Deacon, a crazy man
would act that way. If you can say
that you were crazy perhaps I'll for
give you"
The deacon could have said so. but
he didn't. He wanted to grin, but as
she was looking full at him he shut
his teeth hard and began to study the
village market reports He round that
carrots had jumped two cents bushel
within a week.
while the race was being rum Mrs.
Dolby went on after sucking the thumb
she had pricked with the needle, you
stood UP and yelled and hollored and
swung your hat. After ii was over with
you went down among the swearing
crowd and talked louder than anybody
else You got so excited that you even
tried to buy the horse that won. You let
three or four different men slap you on
the back and call you old moss ana
never resented it. Think of il. Deacon
a dead game sport and an old boss!
WHY when I think of it.!
There were tears and sObs for the next
five minutes during which the Deacon
cracked his toes and read about the
Bulgarian massacres, thus proving him
self what he had been called. He had
begun to gape and yawn when Mrs.
Dolby wound up with:
And YOU came home as meek as a cat
and mixed up something and squirted
and sauirted it all over the plum trees,
and one to look at you would have ia
ken YOU to be as innocent as baby.
Not a word to me. The dead game sport
and the old boss thought his wife would
never hear a word of it. oh. Deacon
Deacon Dolby. what have 1 ever done
that such trial as this should be put
on me, How can 1 ever show my head
outside of this house. now that 1 know
that the worst is truei'
I want to plant that sweet corn early
in the morning. said the Deacon. as he
rose up and stretched himself, and so
I guess Wen get to bed a leetle early
Guess we've both of us been asleep all
the evening. You turn the cat out and
TN wind up the clock. ''-(Copyrighted,
1907 by Mary McK5on.)