The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-08
The EVENING STORY
Broadening Jettro.
(By Carl williams.)

The town could boast no Seeing
Concordia Car" but had one of the
ubiquitous omnibuses carried visitors
through the pleasant. shaded streets,
it is certain that Jethro Hawkins
would have been pointed out as one
of the objects of local interest along
with the bank; the pulp mill and the
house where Washington had slept
when passing through the town.
In the absence of sightseers Haw-
kins was an object of unfeigned inter-
est to his fellow townspeople-more
especially the women, for a confirmed
bachelor is ever the cynosure of
matchmakers.
Other cavaliers came and wooed
and won or were dismissed to WOO
again, but Jethro's infatuation for An
dadra Wayland could be counted upon
as a topic of conversation year in and
year out.
When Jethro had been a great
gawky lad of nineteen and Andadra
a sentimental slip of seventeen-year-
old femininity, he had kissed her and
had asked her to wait for him. After
ward he never could tell how he had
achieved either the kiss or the ques-
ton.
Jethro was now thirty and Anada-
dra twenty-eight, and they were still
waiting, because Jethro was thrown
into panic at the very sight of
woman.
Andadra was patient and said mo"
to half score of SuitorS, but still
Jethro did not. speak, so the whole
town, knowing the situation, came to
take an interest in the affair.
That Jethro was in love was above
question. Love shone in his eager blue
eyes. Despairing alteration was be-
trayed in every line of the detected
figure.
If tongue could have spoken his
love as eloquently as his eyes, Con-
cordia's matchmakers would have
ceased to worry.
Then suddenly Jethro went away.
Connected with his departure was no
incident, but his return was eventful.
To be sure he planned to spend a
weekend with his grandmother, but
to Concordians a journey of two hun
dred miles was something more than
an event, and practically the whole
town saw Jethro off.
It gave him a rather good opinion
of himself and he bore himself with
dignity on the journey. He assumed
the airs of a traveller of long exper-
fence, and when the time came for his
return he approached the railroad
station with none of the embarrass-
ment he had felt when he went to
take the train at Concordia.
He even fingered on the platform
unit! the last moment instead Of
ment it pulled into the station. With
a blase air he let one or two cars slip
past him and he swung himself
aboard by the rail of the rear plat
form.
He threw open the door and passed
through the corridor of the sleeper In
the Mushroom half a dozen men were
playing cards with a suit case for a
table. Most of them were coatless,
and their collars and ties had been
removed in the heat of the game.
Jethro hurried on. He did not want
a seat in the sleeper; it cost more
money.
He knew that the day coaches were
just ahead, and vaguely wondered
why one sleeper should be in the rear
when all the others were up front
ahead of the ordinary coaches. When
he issued from the corridor he stood
rooted to the floor in amazement
Instead of the decorous, we'll
groomed city travellers he had ex-
pected to find. some twenty fashily
dressed women were scattered
through the car.
AS he appeared one tiny little
woman, with hair obviously bleached,
set up a cry of Look who's herei"
and the other nineteen obeyed the
command. Now. even city man
may well quail before twenty
against their raillery?
He was good looking, with an
athletic figure, but his clothes and his
manner bespoke the man of the small
town. His confusion was immensely
dlVertlng to the women members of
the burlesque company, who were
only too appreciatiVe of a break in the
monotony of travel
In moment they had f1ocked about
him and were plying him with cues
tions. Stammeringly he explained that
he was merely making his way toward
the forward part of the train. They
would not accept the explanation.
NOW, honest, Reuben. you came to
visit us!" cried the little soubrette.
You're sly old boy, and you can't
get out of it that way. Sit down and
tell us your name and all about your
self. Your name is Reuben, isn't it?''
Its Jethro," he explained, vaguely
conscious that Reuben" held some hid
den meaning not altogether free from
sarcasm. It's Jethro Hawkins, and II
didn't come to see you. L got on the
to one of the regular cars. I don't know
what this car is, but 1 guess it's a |
lunatic asylum"
A roar of laughter greeted the COM
ment and the soubrette patted the !
bronzed cheek appreciatively.
you're all right, Jethro,'' she cried, |
laughingly. This isn't the foolish |
foundry on wheels. though it will be if
long jumps. This is the Gotham Gaiety |
Girls company, and we're awfully |
pleased to meet you. This car won't be
cut off for three hours yet, and we can
have a nice long visit"
Il don't want no visit" declared |
Jethro, but his wishes counted for
naught. The company was train-tired
and welcomed the diversion of his I'M
call
They enjoyed Jethros embarrassment.
which amounted almost to terror, and
when he sought to push his way for
ward they chung to his neck. and he
was forced to sit down, if only to es-
cape the white arms that detained him.
Almost before he realized it he was