The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-28
The EVENING STORY
ODllglng ID. ID. ID.
(By NJ. NJ. Cunningham

| a
| brown linen scuttled across the lawn.
| up to more mischief" he growled.
Just had one spanking and getting
ready for another. 1 hope he gets it.
remember it better than the hairbrush
| sessions he usually has
Daniel Davenport Dudley slipped
| around corner of the carriage house
and Will Carrnan resumed his book.
| The day was far TOO fine for reading,
| but his clothes were downstairs, drying
! out, and one of Bob Dudley's dressing
gowns was scarcely an appropriate
| costume for outdoor exercise.
He had run down to mis- partners
bungalow for the day only. He had
| wanted to make a base of operations
against Ruth Emory who was staying
across the river at the Blessingtors
country place. Ruth was to leave to-
| morrow for Bar Harbor, and unless he
spoke today there was small chance of
| winning her hand for another six
| months. Carman was no letter writer
and he could not hope to conduct an
eplStolary cOurtShip.
Helen Dudley, his partners wife,
had suggested the scheme of his run
ming down ostensibly upon business,
just at the time that Dudley was going
away. He might go over to Blessing
toms for want of better occupation
and the battle would be won.
But they had not counted upon D.
D. D. That Ingenious six-year-old
ndQ spent lne early morning IN Dr1dg-
ing with branches and sod the tiny
stream that cut through the Dudley
lawn. Carman had broken through
the shal<y bridge and had soaked him
spanked D. D. D., but that did not
dry damp trousers nor muddy boots
and now Carman was sitting in the
guest room smoking Bob Dudley's eli
gars and softly cursing small boys and
other fates that kept him from Miss
EmOry's side.
Presently he laid down the book as
D. d. d. came around the corner of
the carriage house again. The roof re-
pairers had left some tar on the dirt
heap, and in making up a ball of the
sticky compound D. D. D. had smeared
hi, clothes with the mess.
Good" commented Carmen. Now,
you will get spanking No. 2. Just wait
until your mother sees YOU,
There was not long to wait. D. D. D.
ran to the rear of the house, and pres
emily a succession of walls announced
that the youngsters condition had
been discovered by his long suffering
mother. Carman chuckled.
vengeance was swift, my boy.
You'll wind up on the gallows yet"
Carman was not ordinarily heart
less and as a rule he was fond of
children, but the provocation had been
great.
Mrs. Dudley tapped on his door, and
Carman answered.
K, !
would hurt your boots to put them in
the oven to dry. We had them in the
sun, but they are drying very slowly.
Here are your other clothes.
Carman decided in favor of the
oven. Anything to hurry the process.
Perhaps, after all, he might be in time.
He assumed his restored clothing and
shuffled down to the porch in Bob
Dudley's bath slippers. Carman was
six-foot giant, while Dudley was small
There nothing
house that would fit Carman.
On the porch he chatted with his |
hostess and found it more pleasant to
talk of Ruth than to sit in a room by
himself and brood over his lost OPP
portunity.
D. D. D. was playing at the other
end of the piazza under the maternal
eye. With the prospect of a speedy re-
turn of his footwear Carman even
found it possible to smile upon the
youngster mildly.
Then the servant came out bearing |
the boots, and as she neared Carman |
D. D. D. made a dive for the footwear. |
81 want my tar" he exclaimed. ''I |
hid it there when Norah ran after me-" |
Norah dropped the boots on Car |
mans stockinged feet, and with a howl |
OF dismay and pain. the latter picked /
them up 1t was all too true. In the |
right boot were the dark stains that |
told how we'll the heat of the oven
had spread the pitch. The shoes were
ruined.
Mrs Dudley was all concern, but it
began to look as though all the fates
We're against Carman. There was not |
another pair of shoes about the place
that approached his size. 1t was out
of the question to send the girl to
town. The chauffeur had driven the
head of the house to the city and had
not yet returned.
tits all over" said Carman, grimly.
I'll go to town in the morning in the
TOf hnr hnr % h1l
bath slippers for me, and I cannot very
well propose in bath slippers.
"It is scarcely the costume of ro-
nance" said Mrs. Dudley.
cit is fate he said resignedly.
Ruth Emory will never be mine
perhaps it is not as bad as that.
You might write. you know" COM
forted Mrs Dudley, but Carman re-
vainly he had tried to frame a letter
that would sound unlike a business
1t was only the pros
pect of her leaving that had nerved
him to speaking. Now the chance was
lost, thanks to D. D. D.
That evening Carman sat in the
porch looking across the water to
where the lights betrayed the Bless
Ised to call on sick friend, and Car
mai would not hear of her remaining
at home. It was nearly 10 when a
figure stole across the grass and Car
man rose from his chair.
Look out for the pitfal1." he
warned. Don't get in the brook"
'T won't" came the CHEEKY reply,
and Carman started. 1t was not Mrs.
but Ruth Emory who pres
emily emerged from the gloom of the
trees to offer her slim cool hand.
'I thought that Helen was here"
she said. ct padded over to say
goodbye to her.
fShe will be home presently" he
said eagerly. Wont you waltz"
Somehow. now that she was here,
h.. had lost his courage again.
Ruth sat down and demanded an