The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-17
THE EVENING STORY
By the short Cut.
(By Matte RarneaA

Sby Matte Barnes.)
SparViiie was grateful to Henry Girls
void Not since the engagement of Mo-
Mahon's Minstrels," two months be-
lore, had the town had SO much to talk
about.
nine years ago Hank Griswold had
gone to the city in his Sunday pepper
ana salt suit, with cowhide boots and
ciotn cap to complete his costume. Now
to the splendors of weli-tailored clothes
ne aooed the magnificence of a fur
glossy.
Sparville was accustomed to fur coats.
pul WIN the fur outside. while Henry
showed only the cloth. Patent leather
shoes. too. every day in the week were
regarded with awe not unmixed with
envy.
Even more interesting was the evil
dent interest Griswold displayed In
Nellie Morrison. They had been sweet
hearts in the old school days and had
Kept up correspondence, a fact dis
seminated by the postmaster. but 1t
was evident that Griswold had come
home with the intention of cutting out
Ben Pierce, who escorted Nell home
from church Sunday evenings and 9TH
erwise gave evidence of ultimate SER
ious intentions.
Public sentiment was largely in favor
OF Ben. Had Sparville been SO frivo-
lOusly minded as to indulge In betting
the odds would have been about three
to one in his favor, for Henry had seern-
ed to lose interest in skating and coast
ing and other winter sports in which
Sparvflle delighted.
He visited the pond and the coasting
hill, but merely as a spectator, and at
such times Nell, fully conscious that
the exercise brought stronger glow to
her cheeks and an added sparkle to her
eyes, was most inclined to hector him.
GriSwold ascribed her treatment to
desire to display her powers Of coque-
try, but when, near the close OF the
second week, he made formal proposal
Of marriage and was refused he stared
at her in dismay.
IT'S this way" explained Nell JUDI
ciously, seeing his bewi1derment- Il
like you, Harry. but you are SO differ
emit now. When you were boy there
was no one who could beat you In q
skating race, and you used TO go down
Beeman's hill faster than any OF the
others. Now you're afraid to coast"
Pm not afraid denied Griswold. Il
don't want to, that's all! have found
other amusementS.
Nell smiled and changed the subject.
and Griswold went home feeling miser-
able. He loved Nell, ana this refusal
was a blow both to his heart and his
pride.
It was Ben who tusged Nelrs sled up
Beeman's hill the following afternoon,
and found Griswold gloomfly regarding
the coasters The hill swung in a rough
half circle down the steep decliv1ty-
Usually the roadway was beaten into
glare of ice by the coasters, for 1t was
the only good coasting place In the
neighborhood.
road could be observed. All summer
Henry Beeman had been cutting tho
thick growth of pines which had cover
ed the hillside, and now only broad
expanse of glistening snow crust, dotted
with the pine stumps, remained
IT was a pretty spectacle, and Girls
void enjoyed it in spite OF the evident
favor with which Nell regarded Ben
who accompanied her in her 'dashes
down hill and the walk back again.wi N
Nell walking by his side. Nominally,
Neirs sled was her sisters, and Ben's
was supposed to be the property or his
little cousin, but those two youngsters
had little use of their possessions
The sun was dipping toward the hills
on the other side of the valley and most
of the coasters had gone home. when
Nell settled herself for her last ride
Ben had stopped to tie his shoe laces,
and Nell looked over her shoulder.
"who catches may keep" she called
as the sled gathered momentum. Ben
sprang to his feet and ran for his sled,
throwing himself upon it and starting
of at a terrific pace.
Griswold gave one glance at the fly
ing figure far ahead. He knew that
Ben's sled was not as good as Nelrs
and that he would not catch her until
she reached the bottom of the incline
There was just one chance for him
self and, throwing Off his coat, he
caught up the pointer that Jimmie
Sweeney had just brought up to the
top of the hill.
At the foot of the field was a place
where two lengths of the fence had
fallen in and there we're two or three
similar breaks where he stood. It was
the work Of an instant to step through
one of these and throw himself face
downward upon the sled.
Steering with both hands and feet,
Griswold shot down the steep dechvity.
1t was several years since he had been
on a sled, but it all came back to him.
and with a skill that was the talk of
the hill for the remainder of the sea-
son, he steered his flying sled in and
out between the stumps. shaving the
bark here and lodging q trunk there,
just as a fractured skull seemed i'm
mdnent-
1t took but a few seconds to accom-
plish the Journey. but to Griswold it
seemed years before he shot through
the opening in the fence and with a
last terrific effort swung himself into
the road.
Just ahead were the smart gray jack
ct and saucy, little hat that he was
pursuing, and as he shot past he caught
the runner of Nell's sled.
who catches may keep he quoted
as he steered the two sleds into the
softer snow beside the road to permit
Ben to pass them.
How did you do it?" demanded Nell.
wonderingly.
Did you think it would be Ben ?"
he countered. The girl shook her head.
1T wanted to see IL you would make
an effort" she explained shyly 'All
the way down I heard Ben shouting,
and I was afraid that he was alone"
He was" explained Griswold sT
came the short way"
Nell looked at the runner marks
where Griswold had come through the
break in the fence and then at the
stump dotted hill.