The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-08
THE EVENING STORY
Faculty" for Two.


Olo Man Burroughs''-was noted
among his neighbors for two things.
Inc first of these was that he owned
the largest and best farm in the coun-
", and the second that he was the
rather of Celia Burroughs.
TO the young farmers and the
young men of the village the second
item was considered of much more
Importance than the first The two
combined to give him the considera-
tlon OF pretty much all of those who
knew him
jim Anderson respected him as the
rather Of Celia and feared him as the
WeA-to-do farmer who would not be
likely to give his consent to sutton
Tor his daughters hand unless that
sultor could show more of worldly
gear than the few infertile acres
which Jim had inherited from his
Iatner, VINO had been a failure at
farming and at everything else he had
tried
It's this way. JIM said Mr. Bur-
rougns. You know 1 must look out
Tor the future of my little girl Celia
| is good girl and 1 know she will
never marry any man against her
father's wishes. I am getting old and
am free to say that when I die 1 in
| tend to leave Celia my farm, but I
| nave got to know that the man I say
she can marry is able to take care of
her. I don't hold it against you that
you haven't got much of a farm for
| a start, but I certainly would not give
| my consent unless you can show what
we old Yankees used to cali faculty
Now if man has faculty he will al
ways be able to get along, make a
| good living and lay by som ething
| Il don't mean by faculty that a man
must be an out and out inventor. but
| =! Go mean that he must have ingenu-
| ity," continued he. you know. of
| course, that you are not the only man
who wants to marry Celia. For one,
| there's Tom Jenkins. Tom has got a
nice, well-stocked farm and he's a
bright fellow. is Tom. Celia likes him
too, but not in the way 1 think she
likes you. Tom is a bit older than you
| and he has had a better start in life
than you had. but he has improved
the old place great deal since he got
it and I know that Celia would be
| safe with a man like him.
| Now you know Celia is a great
| girl for reading those old romantic
| stories I got her to read one aloud to
me the other night. 1t was all about
knights fighting for the hand Of the
woman they wanted to marry and
such like. At first that seemed to me
| to be a whole lot of foolishness, but
| got to thinking it over afterward and
don't believe that 1t was such bad
way after all for that day and time.
| You see, in those days, fighting was a
| mans business. and the man who
could fight best would get the biggest
| piece of land and would, naturally. be
| best able to take care of a woman.
| 80 the matter stands this way: If
you can do something to show me that
you are man with faculty I'll
I mighty willingly give my consent to
| your marriage with Celia. But if you
can't make some kind of move with
in the next three months I'll put my
| foot down on the whole thing and will
| do my best to help Tom Jenkins"
| Jim went away from the interview
| in no very cheerful frame of mind. OF
| course it was quite by accident that
he met Celia walking down the lane as
| Jim that Celia preferred him to Tom
Jenkins. as he and she had long ago
reached an understanding.
AS Celia turned to greet him his
| disappointed expression told that he
| had been unsuccessful in his mission.
In as few words as possible he told
| her what her father had said on the
| subject.
WELL" said Celia. philosophically,
we've got three months to figure out
| something. And you know that I'm
not going to marry anybody but you,
no matter what father says. I won't
marry you without his consent. but I
certainly won't marry anyone else.''
Ills, Ol COuISe. WAS COIuIOTllIR TO
Jim. and he felt somewhat better as
he went back to his own little farm.
However. long as three months
seemed at the beginning. the weeks
slipped by rapidly and Jim realized
sadly that he had only one more
month in which to prove his faculty
Mr.. Burroughs had not forbidden
him to call at his home during the
three-month period, and Jim frequent
ly had long talks with Celia. As he
xrTo fol ir7er TO hnr IN Tr
Burroughs entered the sitting room
with a newspaper in his hand.
Look here. jim he said. THAT
new fellow who has opened UP gen.
eral store in the village has got ar
advertisement in this paper offering
to give a me1odeon to the farmer who
, brings the largest number of people
to town in his wagon on the last day
of the month. Now you remember
| you and 1 had a certain conversation
about a couple of months ago, and il
I remember right the three months We
spoke of will just about be up on the
last day Of this month If you are
able to walk off with this prize I'll ad-
nit that you have fulfilled the condi-
ton mentioned"
With that the old man turned and
left the room as abruptly as he had
entered 1t.
} Celia began discussing the matter
carefully reading the advertisement ir
? the newspaper, which Mr.. Burroughs
had left them.
. Jim knew that Tom Jenkins had
just bought new wagon with an un-
, usually large bodv and the ,recoIlec-
ton of this made him feel pretty blue
However, as she sat thinking. smile
suddenly came to her face and she ex-
| claimed to Jim. i've got it."
The contest aroused a great deal OF
excitement all over the county and
many of the farmers began overhaul
ing their wagons and putting their
| teams into condition.
At last the great day came around
and into the village from all direc-
tions came all manner and descrip-
ton of vehicles, each loaded to its ut
y-1r,9t cana city