The Topeka state journal., 1908-09-18
THE EVENING Story
The wooing of Rosxhel
(By Katharina h Crnsh,,

eBy Katharine K. Crosby.)
Farmer John considered him
HloSt ungodly young man, and for
Fe..p SSIe nlna 10 enter the yard. He also
Ioroade his daughter Rosybel to leave
s,e .-h yard except on Sundays when
eagle eye. l'iS
II may be that Farmer Johns
.aeals We're rather exacting; Rosybel
thought them SO, anyway. To her
tnere was nothing absolutely wicked
Hoout pipe OF tobacco, especially if
81 - PIPE were OF the rakish type
to college, ''1N Oen
Dick Melton had been to college:
indeed, his A. B. was barely a fort,
night old. Now he was touring the
country after a fashion all his own,
In the search of amusement.
He told his father that he wanted
to see something of life before enter
ing upon that glorious political career
which his doting parent saw stretch
ing before his eldest born.
NOW, touring suggests a gay and
1estive motor car, all red enamel and
staring brasswork, but Dick had
eschewed such vanities as all too
commonplace. He was touring in
hayrack.
Besides Dick there was in the hav-
rack a variety of commodities, a pile
OF boards of assorted sizes, for in
stance; q couple of canvas contrap D.
uons which when you gave them a
chance evolved into a cot bed and a
lounging chair; nickeI-plated nail
which could be transformed by some
miracle into a complete chafing-dish
outfit; a small table, and most i'm
portant of all, camp organ of the
sort carried about by wandering
evangelists.
When Farmer John issued his edict
that the young man who had dropped
into church from nowhere at all. and
walked home from meeting with his
daughter Rosybel should not enter his
premises on pain of death-via bull
oog TeWser-Dick was rather pleased
than otherwise.
His vacation bid fair to furnish
more entertainment than he had an
ticipated. Moreover, he was really
very much taken with Rosybel. who
was not only the prettiest girl whom
he had met with in his travels, but
was also blessed with sense of
humor- This is an adorable COM
bination, hard to resist.
The aforementioned edict was pro-
nounced on Sunday evening. when
Dick again presented himself to see
Rosybel home from meeting On
Monday morning the hayrack drove
into the field which was bordered in
part by the neat white palings of
Farmer Johns homestead fence.
The field did not belong to Far
mer John. Quite near the fence, in
the shade of a big elm tree, the young
man proceeded to assemble the boards
which he had taken from the hay
rack.
1t happened that Rosybers garden
had run sadly to weeds over Sunday,
and she was obliged to spend con-
siderable time out there on Monday
in consequence.
AS the garden was between the
house and that particular part of the
fence where the elm tree stood, she
could not help seeing what the young
man was about. For one thing, he was
smoking except at times, when he re-
moved the pipe, and sang a bacclla-
nalian ditty about a stein on a table,
which Rosybel was glad her father did
not hear, for he always voted no Ii
cenSe.
For another thing, the young man
was building a house, which in her
part of the country is not often gone
about so casually. There was, how
ever, neither pounding of nails nor
noise of saw. The birds sang undiS-
turbed in the branches of the elm tree,
and the hang-bird in her nest watch
ed him without alarm.
When Farmer John came in from the
fields at noon he snorted at the sight
of his new neighbor. By this time the
house was nearly done; Dick was
hanging the front door, and there re-
manned only the piazza steps to be put
in place.
When Farmer John came in from the
fields at night the camp organ was
hard at work on the piazza, filling the
air with. information about Solomon
Levi Later many couples came stroll
ing by, on the lookout to see Roseys
new fellow.
They came to see, and remained to
dance. The grass had been clipped
short, and the strains from the organ
invited to Portland Fancy" Lady OF
the Lake" and kindred measures.
When they had gone. Rosybel stole
down to the fence from the place
among the shadows where she had been
watching the scene. Dick got to the
fence first, and there was neither pipe
nor song in his lips.
BY the shine of his eyes you might
have guessed that there was whole
cycle of songs in his heart, All having
for chorus the refrain. Rosybel'
daughter of john" It was not long,
however, before they were interrupted
by the voice of this same John, calling
loudly for Rosie.
Il now became the favorite pastime
for lovers, young and old. narrled ana
to go down to the Old MIL
road to watch the wooing OF RosypeL
Usually there was music anu oaLcliS;
but once they had a grand candy pun
after the chafing dish had been unhm-
bered and brought into action
ON this occasion Rosybel came down
from her place among the shadows ana
snulIed" with Dick over the fence. That
was the gayest evening of them all, Tor
Farmer John was attending Grange
meeting over the mountain ana no
sound of revelry could reach him
This has been going on week. anu
nan. when the rest had gone and his
heart was singing songs against the
while paling fence; tomorrow is sun
Law. and 1 should like to walk nome
from church with you. Rosyoel.
o,aoe',se dad will be there"
And three's a crowd, I've noticed.
Do YOU happen to know, belovedest;