The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-13
The EVENING STORY
Gathering Chestnuts.
(By Lawrence Clay.)

AA0 A1St lEOSt OF the season nau
come, and Miss Dolly Meserve was on
her way down to the back lot with a
basket on her arm. A big chestnut
tree had stood there for no one could
remember how long, and this fall it
simply hung loaded with burrs. The
of them.
The back lot was half a mile back
OF farmer Meserve's house, and the
SRI with the basket was his daughter,
VINO mad Just completed term at a
seminary and was home for good. 1t
was biting morning, and she had
donned her mothers hood and shawl
ana borrowed a pair of yarn mittens
from brother Will.
Yes; the frost and the morning
breeze had done their work A bushel
OF chestnuts peppered the earth and
more Were falling, and the basket
Miss Dolly had brought held only
about two quarts. She was eir1
who dotted on chestnuts and hadn't
mad any for three years, so it was
easy to tell what she would do on
nnd1ng the ground covered with them.
she sat down and began to shuck
and eat. She hunted for the yerv
biggest and latest, and didn't mind
the squirrel chattering and scolding on
the limbs above.
She knew he was there to get his
share. and she had half-formed
idea that when she got through eating
she would throw clubs and give him
scare. Had she been familiar with
squirrel lore she would have under
stood him during the first five min
utes to be saying:
well, upon my soul this is cheeky
or you! Haven't you been to break
1ast? Have you got to lay in a store
or starve through the winter? Go to.
girl, and give us squirrels show!"
Pretty soon she noticed that his
cnatter had changed, but she didn't
look up nor try to interpret it, What
ne was saying was:
A young man! A young mani A
young man is coming this way."
VI course Miss Dolly would have
scrambled I'D to look for the young
man and make out whether he was
tau or short, light or dark, handsome
or homely. Not getting the alarm,
she continued to devour fat chestnuts
He's got gum He's got a gum
He's got a gun on his shoulder" ex-
claimed the squirrel as he hid behind
a nmo and peeped out with one eye
Ihey ought to have been plain to
the girl as Greek, but she never even
missed bite. 1t couldn't be charged
that she was thinking of a man,
young or old, and SO in an absent
minded state.
And he's going to pepper meme
mel" shouted the squirrel as he dis
appeared into a hollow limb.
rms time Miss Dolly family COM
bang-scream! She scrambled up and
down again with a moan, and was too
overcome to hear the squirrel Shrek
ing out:
Hes shot a girl! He's shot a grill
He's missed me and shot grill"
What Is it? What have I done ?
What's happened" cried the voice
of man bending over her, and Miss
Dolly shrank away and looked up to
see a young man with a gun in his
hand at her side. Her hand was
clasped to her chin and blood was
oozing from under her fingers.
II have wounded you'll" sgasped
the young man as he turned pale.
Yes, you havei You have tried to
kill metz
ooh. no. no, moi I shot at squirrel
In the tree l give you my word I
shot at a squirrel
here"
Eyes, but one of the shots must
have struck a knot and then DETECTED. |
I am sorry--so sorry! I can't tell you
how sorry am. May L see the
wound? Perhaps the shot only
glanced off,"
And perhaps I shall carry hor-
rible scar there all my lifeI'' she re-
piled with a stamp of her foot. "You |
are nice man to be given charge of |
a gun. How many other folks have |
you killed or wounded this morning." |
GO for him, Dolly-go for himI" |
chartered the squirrel. HE tried to |
kill US. and don't you let him talk |
about any DETECTED shot!''
$50 sorry, you know-so sorryI"
the young man kept stammering. ct |
have shot you for five dol |
I wouldn't. Is it bad !
wound? Is it painful? Do you think
it is mortal?'
81 fear it isl" replied Miss Dolly as
a spirit of mischief dubbed up. Eyes;
it may be fatal, and I don't know
what excuse you can urge before a
coroner's jury. You will be declared
my murderer l.
..He wiII--he will-whoop. he
Will" chartered the squirrel.
$50 sorry-so sorry!" said the con-
fused and upset young man. q
can't call an ambulance here. you
know, and-and I don't see any doc
.ors' signs around. Can 1 help you
nome and then-then--"
'I think I have the strength to
walk home. but you may run to the
village and tell DR.. Smith that you
nave shot me and ask him to come:
Tell him it's probably a mortal
Meserve you tried to kill. Better
throw away that gun or you'll be
shooting the doctor!'
"Yes-yes-surely I will. Yes; I'll
get Dr.. Smith So sorry. you know.
without help? Yes. certainly" And
he was gone.
It was true that some of the bird
hot with which the gun had been
oaded had struck something and
been DETECTED. Two of them were
buried in the quilted hood, and two
II three others were found in the I
Odds of the heavy shawl. Only one !
lad struck Miss Dolly as she raised
Ter face. and that was In the center
If the chin. 1t had not penetrated i
leep1y. AS a matter of fact, she dug
out with her finger nail on the way s
home. The doctor arrived in his gig ,
p s horco on the Hon Az fNSf I