The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-07-11
THE EVENING STORY
The Tale of a Feather Duster.
(By F. P. sunmerwell.1

louno MIN orlItlng and lonely, in the
midst OF the bowling mob that surged
| around Herald square.
The horns, the tickling busters, the
showers OF CONFETTI, the merry inter
mlngling of class and mass, were all
100 new to be quite pleasing expert
ences. He felt interested enough
however, to move with the throng
and to take good-naturedly the many
1amiliarit1es of the people near him.
AL Thlrty-seventh street and Broad
way ne saw slim young girl trying
10 escape the attentions of two over
jealous buster holders. He pushed his
way to her side and the boys fed.
leaving him alone with the lady, no
longer in distress.
She was young and of an alluring,
Iimpfd prettiness that made him feel
big and awkward and anxious about
the set Of his coat. So absorbed was
ne In her general charm that her sud-
denly thrusting of a buster under his
nose was a distinct shock. He had
Just sense enough to snatch it and ask,
who are your" when she ran away.
Over her shoulder she ca1led-"I'll tell
you, when you give me back my
duster." Then she was gone.
He moved with the capering merry
makers up to Long Acre square, where
date for governor, then went home.
The buster he carried with him, and
handling it tenderly hoped it might
prove means to dispel the crushing
loneliness which he had felt ever since
he had left his native town. He often
wondered what the letters NJ. M. on
the handle stood for.
His days went about as usual. He
paid his lost election bet to the other
young lawyer at the office. The win
ner's not treating seemed strange. At
home they always debut in New
York everything was so different. He
began to get on at the Office, and
once Judge Metcalf, his chief, men
toned taking him home to dine. but
the matter never went any further.
The night of the presidential cleo
ton found him once more mingling
in the swarning pandemonium that
ragged around Herald square. He had
the duster inside his coat, and was no
longer either lonely or listless, for he
was hunting for M. NJ. to give her
back the buster.
He wandered up and down, reading
the conflicting bulletins, but always
looking for a slender fairy of a girl,
who had sat like a queen in his heart
for two years. The great searchlight
at the Times building swung due
north, to indicate a Republican land
slide, while the Journals" bulletin
an overwhelming victory
for the Democrats. Farther down
town the Herald" proclaimed small
but safe majority for the Repub-
Leans, while according to a white
sheet at Thirty-first street, the same
thing had befallen the other party.
He wrenched yard-long horn from
an impairment Italian boy. was
tickled by a lady in an ermine coat
and received a shower of confetti
from a German housewife-all in
space of about ten minutes. He no
longer looked aSkance at the mixed
merry makers-it was New York and
1t all went
In front of the New Grand his at
Lention was attracted by a gorgeous
motor car. On the front seat sat his
lady of the feather buster. There
could be no doubt, it was she. $500
He felt cold and scared, but he
pulled himself together and, stepping
TO her side, gave her the duster.
handle first, and said, Now, will you
tell me who you are"
She opened her eyes very wide,
him and the buster, and
started to speak. when a smashing
him spinning. to fall with his head
against an iron grating. His next
sensation was of flying through space.
Then a thousand bells rang, lights
danced. voices buzZed, and he opened
ais eyes on a strange room. 1t was
1andsomer than his own, and beside
him sat nurse, looking out of the
window.
There was calendar on the table,
giving the date as November 16. 1t
must be mistake, he thought-this
vas November Z, election night, and
yet there was the calendar. He put
tut his hand to draw it to him, when
he nurse turned, and he recognized
he girl in the automobile. His head
tched and his hands shook, but he
vas good grit, and when he met her
bright gaze he said: ''You never did
al ma
'quarely at him, saying:
my brother seemed to think his |
answer quite sufficient. He knocked
-ou over before 1 had a chance say |
Lnything. You ought to know who I
I'M, anyway. My picture has been on |
ather's desk ever since the day after |
met you in Thirty-seventh street, |
md the boys told me who you were
t occurred to me then that he ought |
o have one, but you never saw it. |
IN Marjory Metcalf, your chiefs only |
laughter.
"Tom didn't know you when you |
brought me my buster, and before I |
Gould speak he knocked you down. |
We brought you home, and have had |
. terrible time saving your life. The |
lurse is asleep and I stole into her |
I guess I'll have to go now,
n she might not like it,
He caught her dimpled hand and |
persuaded her that the nurse really |
teeded rest, which she must perforce |
axe so long as she was without any |
They had a lovely afternoon, gig
ling over the imprisoned nurse, eat |
ng bonbons, forgetting his medicine, |
nd being as happy as one can be in /
he springtine of life.
At Mrs. Metcalf came in and told |
hem that the nurse had departed, in /
Ugh dudgeon. They did not get any |
ne in her place. Marjory and Tom |
nd Mrs. Metcalf taking care him /
themselves.
The night before he was to leave
farjory came up with the maid who
rought his dinner. She was so per-
ectly lovely in a clinging white dress.
pen at the neck, that he had no eyes
or anything except her dainty beauty. /
he finally decided that if he would |