The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-22
THE EVENING STORY
The Last Stxaws.
IBy Carl w1lliams.l


From the hall came the chatter OF
the cleaners as they worked in other
offices already emptied Of workers. and
once or twice one Of the women poked
her head through the open door to see
how soon she could get in to clean room
s02.
Stella bent YEARLY over the type
writer. her flying fingers writing In
the addresses from a huge list on the
desk beside her, while at nearby ia
Bile the office boy slipped In the cir
culars which the envelopes were in
tended to carry.
To Stella 1t had seemed the last
straw when, Just before closing time.
the office manager had brought her the
voluminous list and had ordered her to
see that the circulars were sent out
that evening. He was going out OF
town and had left early.
The other clerks had slipped out as
soon as he had disappeared, and, with
only the assistance of the boy, she mad
to send out 800 circulars. In his hurry
left the usual supper money" so she
would get nothing to eat until she
reached her boarding house. 1t would
be long after the regular dinner hour
and she would be lucky to get any
thing at all.
1t was nearly eight when the last en-
velope swallowed up the last circular.
and she was free to go. The elevator
had stopped running, so she ana ner
helper faced a walk down eight flights
of stairs. For the third time in as
many hours Stella told herself that this
was the last straw.
She was not used to the grinding toll
of the city, and even the regular WORK
came hard. When her father had died,
and his wife had followed him to the
grave within a few months, all or the
| little savings had gone to the physician
| and the undertaken.
Stella faced the task of self-support
| bravely enough, but there were times
when her over-tired nerves were rub
| ged to rawness, and even the little
| things Of life bore heavily upon her.
The extra work coming at the close
| of a particularly trying day had ex-
hausted her vitality. Listlessly she
| climbed aboard an uptown car and sank
| into a seat, glad that the home-going
rush was over and that she did not
have to stand up all the way.
The approach Of the conductor reused
her from her absorption and she opened
| her purse. AS she glanced into the
| change compartment, she gave cry OF
| dismay. The pocketbook, never Well
filled, even on pay days, was bare OF
coin
| Feverishly she tumbled its contents
into her lap, replacing the articles al
| ter shaking them one by one put
| the IS cents which had been there When
| she returned from lunch had disap-
THAT bluff don't CO." The conduc-
| tors voice was hard and unfriendly.
He had had a row with the Inspector
on the last trip. and his i'll humor hao
| not yet subsided.
| "You'u have to pay or get off, he
added, as Stella looked up with the
tears trembling on the heavy fringe
| of lashes. I'VE don't have to take tears
| for tickets. Got the coin?"
| Not daring to trust her voice, Steua
shook her head and thought OF the
| three mile walk ahead of her. The
other last straws" became 1nsignln-
can't in the face of the new trouble.
The conductor reached up to pull the
rope, but across the aisle HAL fose
| and checked him.
| Don't get off. miss.
stella looked UP into the friendly
| face and smiled her thanks through
"I've got the change handy"
you must let me send you the
money, "she said. IT am very greatly
| obliged to you"
| II forget where live" was the un-
b,ushinr statement. "Just you forget
81 foo until YOU see some one that
needs a nickel real bad, and tell EN-
\ I sent it"
He sank back in his seat rejoicing
| In the fact that Stella's confusion pre-
vented her glancing across the alsie,
| which enabled him to regard her
| div without embarrassment
Disappointed at the turn affairs had
| taken the conductor retired TO the
| rear platform to devise new names LOT
| the inspector, and Stella looked out Oh
| the window with a new sense oi CUT
Nine months she had lived in the
| c,tv and this was the first time that
| any one in the throngs or men ana
women had paused in the rush OF the
workaday world to be friendly. Com
mo at time when the last straw"
had nearly had the effect Of breaking
her spirit. if not her back, the
courtesy was doubly welcome.
She turned suspicious; however;
| found that her companion was ioi-
lowing her. He read her thoughts
| with quick comprehension.
IT live on this street" he explained
with a frank smile. Il live at zsL
"I live at 24o," she cried. blushing
% and that she was pleased to know
! that he lived nearby: ,
"Skerry's?" he asked. Il say! 1
know the old lady. If come over at
ter dinner will you let her in r.,e ;ce
ne and go out trolley riding! It's moe
rs ride up to the bridge. There's
snre to be q breeze there"
stella nodded. II the particular
Ms Skerry was willing to act as
sponsor, surely trolley rae was
proper Stella beamed on the young
my names Jack Murray" he went
| IN anticipating the introduction.
mines Stella Meade" she vol,
unteered in return. "I'll be glad to go
ridine with you. Mr.. Murray. 10
80 70 stav in the house. This has
heen such a dreadful day. When the
manager told me to stay and get out
a lot of circulars it seemed like the
straw that broke the camels Sach
| Then the idea OF walking nome
/ xunrea than that.
Last straws may break camels
h.cLs" he said with a smile. but we
Amt camels, you see. There's always
| some one laughing around TO hft the
Il fnn haavvp