The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-07
THE EVENING STORY
a second-Hand Love AFFAIR.

| AoAhouS dtHeIete ana popular society
| man, started his aristocratic intimate.
| by refusing to follow the smoothly heat.
en- trail prepared by his progenitor and
by starting in literally at the bottom o.
the mill.
The mill, a plant manufacturing cot.
ton thread, was situated in little far
away New England town that no one
| had ever heard of until Dan discover
| ed il.
While his friends and family stood
| around amazed or weeping, Dan laugh
| ingly gave his dress suit a farewell
pat and instructed his man to fold his
brand-new overalls carefully. He
ance in mussed up overallsI 1t would
blight his whole career!
But the following Monday morning
when he CROPPED his way down to the
factory in the sunless dawn, the situa-
ton seemed less comic than he had
pictured it. Dan was no gutter, how
ever. He proved that as the long, ardu-
Gus days went by.
The mystery to his friends was, on
seeing him over an occasional week
end that he appeared not only plucky
and determined to make a success of
his work, but actually happy.
No amount of comradely interest in
his fellow laborers, no mere apprecia-
ton of simple country life, they argued,
could account for that.
And they were quite right.
Inc ulrect cause OF Dams enthusiasm
over his work was Mary Brown She
worked in the room where he was now
overseer but for several weeks they had
worked as SecOnd-hands, side by side
and exchanged the scant courtesies Of
each working day as it passed. Gradu-
ally Dan fell into the habit of walking
home with Mary at night-their board
ing places being near together.
Their conversation at first conferred
around their one mutual interest-their
work A hOIlf haTsca1f m
not make Mary talk. She seemed shy
and embarrassed, but she was evident
ly genuinely pleased with his rapid pro-
motion.
pretty, bright, unsophisticated girl, Dan
came to feel himself better understood;
more stimulated and more contented
than with any one he had ever known.
In fact he woke suddenly to the fact
that he loved her.
With this realization came the serious
contemplation of his future. What
would his family say, if he should tell
them that he contemplated marrying a
secondhand" in the mill?
Why was he not free to act independ-
ent of all the rest of the world? Here
was he, young and strong and bound
to make his way. And here was Mary,
young and strong, too, and beautiful,
and the one human being toward whom
his soul yearned. Why should any one
else matter?
Mary" he began earnestly, as they
were tramping along a country road
one mild winter Sunday-every one
called her Mary-"are you happy here in
this little town."
She glanced up at him quickly, her
cheeks all glowing from the brisk pace
they had been going.
"Of course I amr' she laughed.
What a silly question:"
How can you be?" he urged, SO We
hemently that it startled her.
why" she answered slowly. evident
ly thinking out her reply as she spoke. |
I'm interested in my work. That's the
main reason, I suppose"
What are the others?' Dan demand |
ed. q .'"
And like the people work with"
''All the people?'' he probed. ''Or |
some one in Particular
IT did not mention any Names" she |
evaded. laughing lightly.
''I noticed you didn't" Dan continued i
unabashed. But in my opin- |
ion the main reason for being happy is |
liking some one in particular"
And are you happy" Mary asked |
Very" Dan replied so emphaticalIy |
that Mary involuntarily glanced up at |
him, and then Immediately looked |
away again, her heart humping hard |
And L am going to mention names,
Mary he said, smiling at her tenderly
L am SOlIS TO 40 IIlOTe imam lkIdL-l III
going to ask you to change yours"
Mary gave little start of surprise
and her cheeks flushed still more rosily.
II have already changed it, she said
in a voice SO low that Dan just caught
the words please let us forget this
this little episode, Mr.. Hewling. I
know 1 haven't played fair. 1 ought to
nave told you before-but I didn't know
t would make any difference"
ANY differencew Dan echoed bitter
- H. sz,.l
N silence.
1--WE are going to be good friends,
aren't we, just the same" Marry
at length, her lips trembling.
Dan steadied himself.
"Of course he said. at has been all
NY fault. You have played perfectly
fair. There was no reason why you
should have told me anything"
The following Saturday Hewling took
he train for his native city. He felt
hat he needed q change of surround
ngs He had just tossed his suit case
ID into the rack and was about to set
lie down when he saw Mary get into
he car. But she did not see him.
So she was seeking a change too. He
had a dozen minds as to whether he
should join her or not, but finally de-
,ided not to.
He changed his seat, however, so that
lie could watch her more closely. AL
hough she had a magazine he noticed
hat she did not read it, but continued
o stare out of the window almost i'm
He noticed, too, how exquisitely
'retty she looked in spite of her plain,
costume. Something of
he Viking spirit took possession of
i'm for a moment and made him feel !
Ike leaping on the engine and carry
ng her off at terrific speed into some
ig, undiscovered kingdom.
Suddenly-or so it seemed to Hew-
train came to a standstill |
nd people began to leave the car.
When the crowd had passed by him s
@ looked again for Mary. She had
one. too. Jerking down his suit case y
nd snatching up his overcoat, Hew-
ny rnada mad dash off the train.