The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-05
THE EVENING STORY
OrosbY,a Cure
(By SIDNEY Hodges Coli

Office the eminent physician looked
keenly at Crosby and shook his head.
Your trouble, my boy. is a COM
mon one; In fact, it is becoming alarm
insiy common in these days" he said.
GU are afflicted with what 1 choose
20 call 'neurosis Americana; in other
words. plain ordinary overwork.
1ouVe got to drop it for a time.
The financing of all these things
you've had on hand just now you must
lSdVe 10 some one else, or let them fin
ahce themselves. It is imperative that
you get away, and at once. Go to-
morrow-anywhere where it is quiet
good old mother earth,''
Crosby nodded YEARLY,
oh, yes" said he, "a camp up IN the
wilderness; suppose
The physician interrupted him with
vigorous shake of the head. keep
away from the camp" he said fatty.
The simple life they advertise is a
delusion and snare. I know them
from A to e."
He leaned toward the younger man
with smile of understanding. "I was
in the same boat once myself" he OBJ
served 'I am going to tell you what
did, and advise you to go and do
likewise. I started out with no fixed
destination in view. I travelled until
1 found quiet little town that suited
my fancy. There I settled down and
in two months 1 was a new man. Sup
pose you try that plan"
The next morning Crosby hurried
ly put his business affairs in order as
best he could. and early afternoon
found him speeding away en- route for
Ashville Junction.
At the junction he took the branch
line, bought a ticket for the end of the
route and settled himself comfortably
| in the train to watch the many little
villages from the window and pick out
one that struck his fancy as a quiet
place of abode for a month or more.
At twilight the train stopped before
| little box of a station which bore the
name 'Freeburg' in gold letters on the
sign above the tiny ticket office. In
the soft light the place was decidedly
attractive. Green stretches Of meadow
went rolling away to the distant hills.
| which doomed cool and majestic against
| the flaming western sky.
Crosby alighted, and from the I'M
even station platform took in his sur
roundings with sigh of satisfaction.
| From the station agent he learned of a
| he would very probably find the accom-
modationS he sought in the way OF
| board and lodging.
He picked up his suitcase and made
| his way thitcher. With no difficulty he
found the place, a small white house,
nesting beneath giant elms at the foot
of the hills. The elderly couple who
| lived there received him Hospitality and
Crosby, after settling with them as
| to terms, ate his supper and was shown
| to a rather bare but spotless room I'M
der the caves.
1t was a pretty vista from the one
| window Just beneath 1t were three
apple trees laden with fruit. Beyond
them the great bulk of the hills rose
against the pale of the evening sky;
and to the left a little lake made a
patch of silver in the green of the
fields.
Crosby, tired out, retired early, and
| slept as he had not slept for months.
He was awakened early in the morn
| ing by wild whoops, much high-pitched
| laughter and the noisy clatter of many
| children. He arose and looked out OF
| the window.
| fruit overnight. Among the branches
| he saw a half dozen small and ire
| pressible boys climbing about at immi-
nent risk to their small necks. A
score more, with a great deal of I'M
| necessary noise, were climbing over
| the fence just beyond.
| Crosby groaned. Plainly the serpent
| in multiple form, had entered his little
| paradise. He dressed hastily and went
| downstairs. His host and hostess were
awaiting hin at the breakfast table
| and to his somewhat irritable questions
they explained that the place next door
| harbored a fresh air brood from the
| city; that they really did very little
| damage and were allowed to CLIMB the
| apple trees at Will.
| breakfast was a rather gloomy az
| fair Crosby ate little, but did great
deal of thinking. When it was over he
| went to his room and consulted the
time table he had brought from the
station. The first train either way left
| at 1 in the afternoon. In the apple
trees below the fresh-air infants were
holding high and noisy carnival.
with a grunt of disgust Crosby rose
and went downstairs In the kitchen
he informed his host that, for unlocked
for reasons, he could not stay; that he
would leave on the 1 o'clock train
Then, there being nothing else to do to
kill time he went out for walk, tax
ing the path that led to the little lake
He had nearly reached the water
when a great commotion sounded just
ahead-screams, bowls of terror and
sobs. He broke into run, and, round
ing a turn in the path, saw the cause
of it all. In the water small red head
bobbed up and down beside an over
turned boat while group of children
close to the edge Of the lake made the
morning hideous with demonstrations
Of their grief and terror.
| Crosby was a good swimmer. In a
| second his coat and shoes were of and
he was swimming with sure, strong
strokes toward the red head. In an
other few minutes he had the boy
ashore, apparently but little the worse
for his mishap.
AS they reached the shore, some one
came running along the path and
caught the dripping child from his
arms. Crosby looked up to find a very
pretty and very anxious-faced young
woman beside him.
"Oh. how can ever thank your" she
| cried impulsively. 'The children are
not allowed to come here; never once
thought of their disobeying US. If you
hadn't been here
TT is really nothing, assure you,
said Crosby with as much dignity as