The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-04
The EVENING STORY
The UnfafIing Law.
(By Ina Wright Hanson.)


(By Ina Wright Hanson.)
We were crossing Long canyon on
our way to Mussel Rocks. little Made
line and I.
Itook her hand to help her down the
steep side of the canyon.
1t is such little hand" I said
fondly. ut ought to be a wee bit
longer, though. for it's width"
MaSe3ns 1a funny boy you are 5an
ment! Why didn't you say, 1T is a
beautiful hand. and perfect one?'"
:! suppose it is my Scotch bluntness.
grille" answered. IF had said that
ing. 1 didn't mean to find fault with
the hand, though, 1t is a pretty hand"
We climbed the other side of the
canyon, and started along the trail,
hard to follow. At its end. Madeline
was pink-cheeked, and her hair was
blowing about her sweet face in dusky
little crinkles.
caves and all the wonders of the deep.
till I get my BREATH" she declared,
dropping on the sand.
There's plenty Of time" answered.
comfortably sitting down by her. 1--WE
have the whole long day before u.s."
"A whole long day." she repeated
musingly. "And after the day, what
them"
L L
sire, knew what would be after the
day. Another day, and another. and q
day beyond that, till life was done. all
filled with love and peace and Made
line.
"And now that your dredger did not
prove failure, you are a rich man.
jamie" she remarked presently, for
had been silent with my thoughts:
to listen to the throb of the engine as
it came to me family on the sea breeze.
That was the sound which spelled for
me success. By the engines work.
black sand were being taken out as no
other device had ever brought them
out-and the invention was the child
of my brain. Perhaps my jubilation
had made me oversure.
ITO one who understands the law,
the demand for something creates the
supply. have success and riches. but
neither is sufficient" I remarked AFRO
me. I want to change the gold that
the sand gives up to me into laces and
silks and fine linen for you, dear. into
jewels to sparkle in your little pink
your pretty hands. I want to spend my
gold for you as king would give to
his queen. May I, Madeline?"
why, Jamie!" Madeline was looking
up at me laughing. though her dark
eyes held no hint of laughter. "Why,
Jamie, you will turn poet yet. That
was pretty, pretty speech"
A breath from the sea, piercing cold,
struck me.
But you haven't answered my
question yet, dear" said haltingly.
" The demand for something creates
the SUPPLY, you said so, Jamie, but
don't believe it is always true. Not in
this case, anyway. 1t is good of you to
want to buy things for me, but must
decline-with thanks
But Madeline, you have to work
now. and I could do everything for
you"
The little head was raised so inde-
pendently.
81 am proud to earn my own living.
l thought you understood me. better
than that"
The unkind breath of the sea struck
me again. chilling my body even as her
words made cold my heart.
If you could change your mind" I
began, 81 could wait till-till-"
It'll sour grapes become sweet, and
the mulberry leaf satin?" she smiled.
You would tire of waiting; but We
won't talk about it any more. Now
m rested, shall we explore the caves ?"
l rose at once, and helped her to her
feet. Without animation, and almost
in silence, we looked at the different
colored lodges of the cave ceiling; we
saw the little sponges on the rocks; we
viewed the curious coal tar formations;
and then we took the narrow trail
homeward.
1.-The day has grown so cold, Jamie,
that 1T won't be pleasant to stay as we
had planned to do" she said. but her
dark eyes evaded mine as she said it.
I understood. 1t was not the change
of the day that had come to us, but
the change in ourselves, in our rela-
tions to each other
Next day brought news of a storm
at sea. The sun was shining, but the
waves were running immensely high.
standing In the door of my cabin,
twelve feet above the sands, 1 saw IT.
and realized my finish. My house.
and the house which sheltered Made
line, and the other houses on the bluff
were probably not in danger; but my
dredgeri When a man stands twelve
feet above ocean level, and can not
view the open sea because Of the
height of the breakers, he clearly UNI
derstands the fate of a gold dredger,
or any other object, in its very path.
In the course Of hours, 1t was all
over. Looking at the deceptive calm,
one never would have imagined the
destruction the sea had wrought. II
stood on tho beach and viewed the
wreck of my fortune.
Fifty thousand feet of lumber,
which had once been the boat, lay
scattered along the shore farther than
the eye could reach. Ten thousand
had been the motive power of the
boat, lay here and yon, in millions of
pieces, burying themselves in the
sand; while the work OF brain and toll
Of hands had been as nothing to the
sea in her madness.
AS I stood there, voice came
sweetly to my ears, and a hand was
laid timidly on my arm.
"It seems such a pity, Jamiei Such |
a dreadful thing to have happened;
but do believe everything that hap
pens is for the best, If we can only |
look at ii right. I'm so sorry but you