The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-25
THE EVENING STORY
Humor and Romance.
(By w. F. Bryan.)

(By W. F. Bryan.)
civilian Thomas Ospon" was the
way the name was written In the Dig
family Bible, but since he had grad |
uated from curls and short skirts ana |
willie" he had been bill to all the
boys and 'Wnl' to all the girls. Only
the occasional appearance OF q letter
addressed in full reminded him that
his name was both sonorous and i'm
pressive.
Like Peter Pan, Ospon never had
grown up. He had arrived at the dig
nifty Of a mustache, ana, since ms
fathers retirement, he mad more tnan
doubled the capacity and capltai OF
light-hearted, apparently care-free
Bill Osbon that he had been in his boy
hood and his college days. Therein lay
the source Of his great trouble.
From the time she first could toddle
about until he had left for coifege'
Betty Durand had been his almost con-
slant companion. About the same time
she had gone to finishing school, and
when they had returned Osbon found
that there had arisen great barrier
| between them. ts=
Betty had developed ideals, and her
boyish sweetheart-boyish still-did
not measure up to her romantic stand
| ards. She still liked Osbon except
when he spoke of love, but Osbon was
too genuinely light-hearted to play
the lovesick swain, and when he spoke
! of love with a smile upon his lips Betty
"It's utterly absurd TO ask me to
| marry you" she had declared. Il
/ like you awfully well. VIII, but must
respect and look up to the man
| marry"
/ IT see," was the light-hearted re-
Spouse. "You want to be miserable.
though married"
l. Betty frowned again at this exhibit
ton Of levity at SO important mo-
ment, and assured herself that she was
4 right in her refusal to marry Osbon.
u Augustus Esterbrooke seemed to
answer to Betty's description of an
|, ideal. He was tall, dark, mysterious
and handsome in a saturnine way. NO
!, one ever dreamed Of addressing him as
l"Gus," and he moved majestically in a
/ little world of his own. where the
ycares and worries of every day exist
, ence were not permitted to intrude.
Esterbrooke had inherited wealth and
estates; wherefore he despfsed the lit
tie things of prosaic every day life:
It was characteristic of Osbon thai
he smiled as he saw the majestic
Esterbrooke escorting Betty down the
dock at the end Of which lay the ltttlt
steamer chartered for the Sunday
school excursion down the lake.
L OSDOn was ke6nly CONSCIOUS lIidI III
, | wanted Betty to be his companion, al
| she had always been in those earl,
,. years when they had eaten mixture
Of cake and sandwiches and devilet
eggs out Of the same shoe box and had
been supremacy content.
!, brooke's man solemnly bore an Eng
J lish lunch hamper and rugs and wraps
: enough for a score.
= Betty smiled in friendly fashion
upon Osbon, who was darting from
. | crowd to crowd, exchanging a jes
4 here. giving a word Of greeting there
and doing his best to inspire the hcli
! day spirit.
o He paused for a moment to ex
change a word with Betty, then Ester
: brooke led her OF to the upper decl
where they could make themselve
comfortable in the shade of the pilo
: house Passengers were not allowe'
= on the upper deck, but Esterbrook
= held a block Of stock In the transpor
: tation company, owning the fleet o
three steamers plying the lake, and n
: was a privileged person.
The pair were not again visible I
the rest of the picnickers until tn
grove was reached, then the servan
spread the rugs, made coffee by tn
aid of an alcohol stove and served tn
= lunch.
9 away to escape the crowd and they di
y not reappear until the boat was read
II to leave Esterbrooke hated crowds
and he had come merely because Bett
:, insisted. He argued to himself ths
II there would be time enough after maj
: rage to bend her to his ways.
y When they reached the upper dec
y he directed the captain to take tn
/ back channel on the way home.
ssIt's a beastly bore to repeat tn
= scenery" he offered IN explanation
=; s-rhe back channel will be little di
=, ferent."
y "The lake is at a pretty low stage
10 10 objected the captain. There are SON
y, ID pretty nasty rocks in the channel, M
= "Of course, II you are afraid"
10 began and smiled softly TO himself I
=, the captain brought his teeth togeth.
=. with a snap and stepped inside II
pfIot house. Esterbrooke had Gauss
the discharge Of one of the oldest me
in the employ of the line for less ths
this, and the employees reared ar
of presently the steamer entered Il
e back channel, and Osbon came hurr-
en- ing MP to remonstrate at the risk +
de was familiar with the lake, and,
w the chairman of the excursion con
Tn mittee, 1t. was his province to int
:. fere,s Aa
~ brooke, and the latter smiled as he
~ minded him that the charter did n
n specify any particular route. Osbo
es beaten. still smiled as he descended Il
&c ranRway, but half an hour later Il
az steamer struck a reef and held fast.
h AS the keel grated along the .rocl
ne ridge. all was confusion, but In Il
~ midst of the confusion, Osbon's vol
- NO DANGER, he shouted. you c,
Va get shipwrecked without extra char
IL and ven get our names In the papel
AThere's Z desert ialand within wad1l