The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-26
The EVENING STORY
Christy's Triple Thanksgiving.
(By Carl Williams.)

A single word, almost smothered by
emotions of joy, relief and fearful ex-
. postulation, was responsible for How
ard Christy's unprecedented and alto
gether unworldly decision.
"Motherp'
He had just come in his car from the
Beacon-Hargrave wedding. In Christy's
estimation all weddings We're bores. but
one must be bored in the cause of a
merger still hanging fire.
Hence Chrsty had torn himself away
from office routine, an importunate pri-
Vate secretary with an ever-increasing
pile of mail, the ticker and the entire
paraphernalia of his absorbing business
life, to break speed ordinances in an at
tempt to avail himself of a small time
margin and get into his very proper
afternoon raiment.
Then back to the church with its
crush of vehicles, fair women and i'm
Fortunate sightseers to say nothing of
reporters and camera f1ends.
And now, with the ceremony and
quickly dispatched reception behind
him, he was headed for the office once
more. His patient secretary would be
awaiting him.
In the half gloom, half mist of the
oncomtng twilight, as his car was
wedged in among scores of other We
hicles in front of the Grand Central
station, he heard that word, and heaven
only knows why he leaned forward to
see VINO mad uttered IT.
He looked straight into the dewy
depths of wonderful violet eyes, but
they were not fixed upon him.
They looked far beyond, across the
tangle Of vehicles to where a woman
with soft brown hair and beautiful
gray eyes smiled to the girl from out a
mass of furs and violets.
"Oh, mother. mother" said the girl
again under her breath. And in some
vague fashion Christy sensed that she
was just coming home from college or
boarding school, and that months of
that cry of relief and joy at the sight
of her mothers welcoming smile.
''Motherw
Christy forgot to urge his chauffeur
to get out of the tangle somehow. He
sat quite still for one long, thoughtful
minute.
Then he leaned forward with singu-
Iarly serene expression on his strong,
determined face.
You can drop me here. I am going
out of town.
yes. sir" was the mans mechanical
reply and not so much as by the flick
err of an eyelash did he betray his as
constituent as his master stepped from
the car, and, immaculate in frock coat
gray trousers silk hat, soft gray
gloves and boutonniere, walked through
the gloom and crowd into the brilliant
ly lighted station.
Christy had a private car in one of
the uptown yards, but he gave 1t no
thought He bought a ticket for Tru-
mansburg. He was going home Tor
THANKSGIVING with mother"
Years had passed over his head
since he had left Johannesburg. He
had often thought of going back for a
visit but the second thought was bet
ter than the first. 1t always ended in
mis- sending for his mother. to visit
him, instead.
Christy was not Napoleon OF
finance. In all these years he had
made no meteoric rise. but he had
climbed steadily, and now, as he had
acquired a path OF gray over each ear
and a trifling stoop of the shoulders,
he had turned over his fifth million.
He had become a mere business
machine, but one of the best, and even
the king of finance watched the alert,
nervous little man who could finance
railroad or break into a directory with
equal skill.
Eminent nerve specialists had warn
ed him that he must cease his endeav-
ors or lose his health, but Christy
laughed at them. His friends. too,
urged let-up, but Christy declared
that he was growing fat on work, and
proved it to them.
Neither urgings of friends nor or
ders of physicians had any effect. Yet
he now yielded to the note of JOY in
a girls voice and was going home. For
the first time since he had become a
money making machine he wanted his
mother-his people
on the rare occasions when his pa
rents visited him. spending a week or
two in the huge house of which
Christy occupied only the library and
his bedroom he was most dutiful.
He kissed his mother in the morn |
ing and saw to it that she and his
father were = -ovided with tickets for
the matinee or had arranged sight |
seeing trip.
He always made a point of dining |
at home instead of at the club when |
they were there. and sometimes he
spent the evening with them They |
refused to live in the city. They were