The Topeka state journal., 1908-04-28
THE EVENING STORY

THE EVENING STORY HI
Whither the Fates Call.
Elsie Reynolds had just finished her
first year OF teaching. She had not en-
5oyed the experience particularly, ana
now that the train was carrying her
back to the east which she loved, sne
wondered how she could have even
ah-pledged herself to return in the
fall. But she had. and at length sne
admitted to herself the reason for 1t.
1t was not the work! Work she must |
have somewhere, to be sure. but 1t was
not necessary to seek 1t at SO great q
distance from home. No, 1t was not
the work. but the friends she had
full and spare herself no bushes. 1t
was one friend, Gilbert Chandler.
The admission came as revelation:
For six months she and Gilbert had
been good comrades, and they nad
parted as comrades, exchanging prom
ises to write to each other during the
long summer vacation II 1t were not
| TOO hot and IL they were not too busy.
| etc. But Elsie had made the ident1cai
promise to half dozen other men,
more or less who had come to the
| train to see her of. For Elsie was
pretty and popular-and clIDert
| Chandler had by no means clear
| field.
| Had the truth been told him (by any
| one save Elsie) he would have dis
missed it with a smile OF 1ncreounty'
| But Elsie had no intention OF tell
ing him-indeed, having discovered the
| state of her feelings, she had no In
| tention of favoring him with 1nfor'na-
ton of any kind. Gilbert must write
first. On that point she was inf1exi-
bic, even after month OF anxious
waiting.
Other men wrote, but the seals OF
their letters she broke listlessly. and
| answered them only in the nope tnat
| through them she might near sone-
| thing OF Gilbert. AT Ienetn tney ee1'
ed her purpose.
over and over again Elsie read the
| unbelievable words: you've DOUBT.
less heard about Chambers illness,
| set in. and that, with the typhoid COM
plfcations, knocks his chances TOR re-
covery about out. And just as ne was
beginning to be looked upon as
young lawyer, who must De rechoneo
with. Tough luck!
Elsie crumpled up the letter ana
sobbed her heart out. There was NJ
| one to comfort her-no one VINO Wouio
even understand e.
Elsie received further news. 6lipert
had lived through the awful crisls, oul
not to receive his full health. IN Iac.,
the doctors had ordered an entirs
change of climate and occupation, ana
tis vo,,thfuI ambitions, said goodby to
the world of friends ana actlVltIes,
| and taken up life with his sister on
| small ranch in Texas.
Then to all who knew her, Elsie
Reynolds did a surprising and unac-
countable thing. She resigned ner Pc,
| sftfon in the western boarding scnooi
and accepted the thankiess task o.
| teacher in a district school in Texas.
Her alleged reasop-that she was
| tired of civilization, and hungered Tor
primitive experience-was termed sheer
madness. Yet there was no one to
hold her back. She was fatherless and
motherless and perforce self-support-
ing.
For the next two years there were
two very small institutions in the
Lone Star state that prospered amaz-
ingy. One was forlorn. one room
school house, the other. g. pocket hand
kerchtef ranch which surrounded a
brave, but unpretentious, little bunga-
low. In both, daily miracles were hap
pening. The school house knew all
about the bungalow but the latter had
never guessed the existence Of its wide
awake neighbor to the west.
And when a letter arrived there one
summer morning announcing that FL
Texas on her way east and, If con-
venient, would like to stop of for a
few days to visit old friends, the bung-
allow opened wide its doors and win
|
sun in. like some unexpected guest,
come to warm and cheer its lonely
heart.
During the days that must pass be-
fore she should come. all was one busy
whirl of anticipation. To Gilbert
Chandler and his sister. the actual
presence of a friend from their old
abandoned world would seem nothing
short of glimpse of heaven.
Arrayed in its sudden acquisition of
| rI1ff7pS fx nd
quite consciously proud of it's honey
suckle perfume, the little house f1ut-
tered and beamed with expectation.
At last the great day arrived. Gil
bert rose early, his Drowned face radi-
ant with happiness, saddled the two
horses and went to meet her.
The ride back over the rolling prai-
rie, which for each of them held its
things unspoken. From full hearts
little save commonplaces reached the
lips.
You have been travelling. Elsie?'
II, traveling?" She laughed back at
him merrily. mo, same old story, GIL
bert. Teaching"
| But you're brown as Mexican,
and you don't look the least bit fag-
ged-though that's damning you with
} faint praise" he added, looking at
her with very frank admiration.
Where have you been teaching?"
"Oh, let's skip sordid Details" Elsie
answered evasively. Don't you love
this country?"
Gilbert followed her gaze out over
the luxuriant wealth OF grassy mead
ows and beyond to the high grim
! mountains.
"Yes," he answered loyalty. ct do
love 1t. It has given me back my
life."
To Elsie it seemed az IL her heart
must cry out and demand the whole
truth.
do you mean that you are really
well and strong again-Or merely
that you are grateful just to be
alive?" was the question that begged
to be asked, but she forced It back