The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-06
THE EVENING STORY
Training Harrington.
DIV LuIu Johnson.)

10y Lulu JOunool~J
Crisp and bracing was the morning as
Harrington came on deck. and he drew
great draughts Of the cold air down
into his lungs, assuring himself that
people who took vacations in the not
months were fools Indeed. He even
felt sorry for poor Fannie. who was left
behind in the city. A few weeks OF this
bracing air would do her more good
than the five-dollar-a-visft specialist
who looked grave and shook his mead
when he stood by the bedside and de-
clared that she must have complete
rest.
1t was true that Harrington himself
had wanted to take his vacation In
August, and when Fannie's collapse
had prevented his leaving then, he had
making everybody uncomfortable ana
bloodthirsty to varying degrees ac-
cording. to their temperaments and
fondness for Fannie. Harringtons
calm assumption that Fannie had no
right to be i'll when he wished TO go
on his vacation was irritating to the
others.
Now, as the steamer moved slowly
between banks on which the green was
giving way to the first blush of autumn
tints, the world seemed good to Har-
rington, and he could even think kindly
of the little woman who lay at nome
in darkened room and whose break
down had been responsible Tor MS oe,
layed vacation. In August he Woulu
have gone to the shore, as was his Gus
tom, but in the latter part of Septen-
Der the country offered greater appeal
so he was to spend a month with MS
sister. The latter had lent no ear 10
the call of the city, but had remained
content to live a farmers Wife as she
had been born a farmers daughter
1t was afternoon when the tram
pulled into the tiny station. The ride
had been hot and dusty, and after the
early morning on the boat. the worse
by contrast. Harrington met MS
brother-in-law with the tolerant pa
tronage that the city man feels for his
country cousin and considered that ne
had discharged his obligation when ne
offered the other a smoke with the ex-
PLANTATION that it was city cigar.
II guess most of them come from the
CITY," suggested Sam Dryer. With
chuckle as he bit off the end and ap-
piled the match. II guess you're about
the twentieth chap this summer that's
given me a city cigar with the air OF
expecting me to drop dead with delight
because it comes from the city,
You don't have to smoke it If you
dan't want to-" snapped Harrington as
the last vestige of the mornings bene-
diction fed
II don't mind" explained Sam, good
humoredly. Pm used to smoking city
cigars. That's LATE Spence's new barn
over there. Before he got 1T done pill
man came along and painted one END
I'D with his sign, and Lafe got hoppin
He danced around and told the man
that was just what he built barns for
and the man said if that was the case
he guessed he'd paint the other end
too"
We'll what's the rest of the story?"
demanded Harrington sharply when
pause was not broken by speech.
Il was waitin' for you to laugh at
that" explained Sam. THE answer Is
| that he painted the hull barn, Just like
you see it, Lafe's constable and he
threatened to put him in the lookup IL
| he didn't do the right thing"
Harrington cursed the evil fortune
| that brought him into. contact with his
| brother-in-law, and insane country
| jokes, and his irritation against FANNIE
returned. If she had remained well
they would have gone to the shore.
| where amateur humorists could be
snubbed into silence. He was glad
when the old homestead came into
sight, and Ella, on the front porch.
| waved him a welcome.
The remainder of the afternoon and
| the evening passed off pleasantly
| enough, but the morning brought It's
| troubles. Harrington was always at
| his worst in the early hours. He had
| been compelled to rise a full hour be-
fore his accustomed time. and there
was no hot water for shaving. The
studs were not in his clean shirt, nor
was the shirt laid out. At home, even
from her sick bed. Fannie had made
| certain that the little things were
looked after. 1t was the little things
that Harrington cared about, and he
was in a black humor when he came to
| the breakfast table.
| He had been slow in dressing, and
| the breakfast was cold, though it had
| been placed in the oven to keep warm.
Sam had already left the table and
| Ella was alone
| Harrington pushed the bacon from
| him. at never eat bacon unless it's
crisp" he said irritably. land 1 don't
| like the eggs fried so hard. Can't you
| cook some more that are Just set? And
| for heavens sake. Ella, please remem-
Der 1 can't eat hot bread for break
fast
"I'n get some cold bread" volun-
teered Ella. ut will only take a few
| minutes, Ben"
Then hurry" he commanded "I
hate to sit idle at the table,
There was a little exclamation from
Ella, and Harrington looked up into
Sans gray eyes. There was an ex-
preston there that he did not like.
you're not going to sit idle at the
table, exclaimed Sam. You're going
| to hurry up and eat your bacon and
eggs You don't have to eat biscuit
if you'd rather have bread. but that
stuff was all good when breakfast was
ready. If you want to spend an hour
in your room cursing your cuffs and
your collar button get up earlier, or
else eat cold breakfast.
you're welcome here, Ben, because
you're Elias brother. and because
she's got her heart set on visit from
| you, but you've just got to understand
that you can't cuss and domineer nv
| wife into a sickbed the way you've
| done your own"
/ Harrington swallowed a retort, then
he swallowed the bacon and eggs. Sam
| stood over the chair. and Ben knew
that he meant what he said.
When the meal was done Sam left
! the room, and Ben followed him out
| to the yard to stammer an apology.
| Then he sat on the horse block while
he smoked cigar, and Sans words
| came back to him.
!, tn 10