The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-29
TIE EVENING STORY
Gnson's Little CHI.
(By Lulu Johnson.)

Gilson's Little CHI.
(By Lulu Johnson.)
My little GIRL" ellison called her
70 himself. and OF all in the human
zoe That twice day swept through
the gates of that section OF the con-
course devoted TO the suburban traffic.
the gateman liked best the little blue
| eyeo girl. She reminded him SO
strongly OF that other little blue-eyed
girl who. in a happier day, had
greeted his oomings and soings. and
| That was before the tunnel wreck
three years back, when they had car
ried her and her mother home-two
victims Of the worst disaster the road
had ever known.
The claim agent had learned that
ellison was without work and had
settled the damage claimed by pro
viding him with a life position as
gateman on the big station. Ever
since then Thomas ellison had
watched the tide Of humanity ebb and
flow through the iron gates and had
found solitude In the crowd
| Until the blue-eyed girl had come.
not quite three months before, he had
watched indifferently the hurrying
| throng. The busy clicking of his
punch kept time to the dull mono
tone OF the announcer's megaphonic
voice.
Then one night he glanced I'D into
| the face Of girl SO like his own dead
daughter that his punch dropped
| from his nerveless hands and he held
them forth yearningly if unconscious
ly.
The ring of the metal on the con-
| crete pavement rouveu him. His
hands dropped to his side and he took
up his dull routine of inspecting tick
| cts, but the grimy trainshed, with it's
| smoke-stained walls. and its wastes of
| cinder-bed tracks held a new interest
for him.
The monthly ticket which she pre-
| sented was brand new and proclatme d
her q recruit to the army Of workers
who daily took their places in the
city's commercial field. and he knew
that each night he should see her
come hurrying down the eonoourse
| toward the gate.
| Later, when she learned that the
regular commuters never displayed
| their tickets. she would perhaps give
| fy recognition that the more exper-
| fenced always vouefsafed the guard
ian Of the gate. Gilsons memory for
faces was remarkable. He knew ali
of the commuters by sight and had a
nod for each.
1t was not long before ellison "got
her trains" She came In on the 1927
and every night she hurried to catch
the 6:45. Sometimes she was late
and missed that train. having to wait
for the 1883, and thereby missing also
her dinner.
She never went out for dinner
when she missed the earlier train. but
sat in the great marble waiting room.
| ellison, quick to deduce, knew that
| the money she earned was so sorely
needed at home that she could not
| spare the sum that would buy an ex-
! ira meal in town.
The old gentleman did not go on
| duty until 8 O'Clock in the morning,
but he was always there now at 1927
standing by the exit gate when the
suburban trains came rolling in; and
| that was how he came to know that
| her.
Usually they came together down
| the platform, and only glance at the
girls face was needed to tell that she
liked Metcalf Later on Metcalf took
to going out on the GAS instead Of the
e:43. which was an express and
stopped only at the more important
stations. No match making mother
| ever watched the social progress Of
| her daughter with greater solicitude
than did ellison watch the CROWN OF
love between Metcah and Miss Tray
| nor.
He had known Metcah Che had
| learned tho names on the commute
ton tickets) ever since he had come
to the station. Metcalf seemed nice.
| dom waited over until the theater
| train, and each morning his eye was
clear and his hand steady. His ap-
pearance betokened his prosperity,
and ellison rejoiced that his little
girl was making so good a match.
Then came the day when the little
girl came down the platform by her
self, her head held high and her
cheeks flaming. Metcaf fingered in
the rear, and he, too. was flushed ana
angry. Gilson's heart was troubled.
though he tried to tell himself that
ali would be made smooth that night.
/ But It was not made smooth. Met
calf did not appear until just In time
for the 1908, and there were traces OF
tears on the little girls face as she
passed through the gate to take the
l6:45.
j once during the week they both
came in by the Same train. but Met
calf was in the smoker and the little
girl was In the last car
She tried very hard to look as
though she did not care, but Glson's
sharp ewes could see the change, and
he worried so that he let fussy ole
lady take the next accommo datIon IN
the belief that it was the through ex-
press, which fact was duly repoTseo
to headquarters and resulted In Cir
sons being forced to economic Tor q
week to cover his fine
Then came the night when the little
girl, hurryfng to catch ner tram
found the gate shut just as she ap-
You are mean" she cried with q
stamp OF her tiny foot. ct could have
made 1t easily"
"Orders to close the gate on sig
nal" reminded Gibson stol1dly.
"But the train had not started to
move. she stormed, pointing to the