The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-15
THE EVENING STORY
a Major and a Masher.
(By Susan H. Endicott.)

ana IancleS TO keep the family and the
neignbors busy, but one particular fad
was destined to get him into trouble
sooner or later.
He could read in his morning paper
with the greatest equanimity of muir
ders. robberies. assaults, thefts and
ournings at the stake. but when he
came across an item about a masher
ne tired I'D at once and shouted out
that he would give five hundred dol
lars out OF his own pocket TO see the
scoundrel lynched or sent to prison
for life.
His daughter used to look at him in
wonder when he broke out in this
fashion. while the wife was discreetly
silent Perhaps the latter had flirted
bit before giving her heart to the
major, and he was remembering it in
his old age.
For three months Miss Kate had
wanted to attend an art school in the
city and receive instructions During
those three months there happened to
be an unusual number of "mashes'
recorded in the papers, and the faith
er would not hear of her even run
ming up town to do q little shopping
unless he or the mother was along
He was as firm as the rock of Glib
raltar.
After time, however, the record
began to peter out, and as he was
pleased with what his daughter had
already done with the brush, and had
gave his consent. It was only eight
miles to the city, and then a street car
would take her right to the doors of
the school, All she had to do, going
and coming, as the father told her
over and over, was to keep her eyes
cast down and her purse clutched
| tightly in her hand.
Unknown to her. he took the same
! train to the city with her for a week,
and then, nothing happened and
a v-nr ha Lea hor
| to make her way alone.
Two weeks had passed when Miss
Kate came home one afternoon in a
| flutter. Her mother happened to be
! out, and she must tell some one. She
| therefore related to the father that
| while on the street car, en- route to
I the depot and home, some thief had
shipped the chain Of her purse and
borne the prize away. The prize held
1 her return ticket and a dime.
At the depot she found her tears
| falling. but a good Samaritan had
| come forward and handed her change
| enough for the fare. She couldn't ex-
| actly say whether he was a grand
| father or young man, homely or
| good-looking. He had spoken only a
| few words and lifted a white hat or
/ a black one-she could not tell. Obey
ing her father, she had kept her eyes
on the floor, and they were filled with
| tears besides.
The major heard the story to the
! end, and then he roared. The man
| who had taken pity on her financial
condition at the depot was mash
| err of course. He had followed her
home on the train; he would meet
| her again and make the matter an
excuse for addressing her.
He was no grandfather, but a young
| man. and no doubt a professional
masl1er. Miss Kate should have re-
pulsed him with scorn; she should
4 arrested.
| have hired truck to bring her home,
| or walked if al the trucks were busy.
| For a quarter of an hour he scolded
and growled, and then wound UP by
| was at an end. She could attend nc
more. He would sit on the front
| veranda with a shotgun across his
knees, and if that plotting masher
even passed the house he should carry
| away buckshot. Tears were shed and
loving appeals made, but the rock OF
Gibraltar was right there.
Two weeks passed and the masher
| did not appear. At least the major
didn't fire upon any OF the young men
| driving or walking on the highway.
| The daughter felt that the stranger
had been actuated by the kindest mo-
| tives- He had spoken just enough
| not a word more. He had not offered
| his card. The fare was only IS cents,
| but she felt ashamed that she could
not return it, Had opportunity offered
for second meeting she would have
| insisted on doing so.
/ Two weeks passed away, and then
| the mother went to the city to do
little shopping. She also came home
| with a tale to tell. She thought she
| was telling it to her daughter alone.
| but 1t so happened that the major
| was Just outside the window and
heard every word She had finished
her shopping and reached the depot
/ when she realized that she had spent
all her money. A good Samaritan
| came forward. He smiled, raised his
hat and-that was ALL
| But Mrs Major Godfrey's eyes had
not been filled with tears and cast
/ down. She had seen that he was
/ twenty-five, and that he took the
same train as she did end evidently
lived farther down the line. Then
Miss Kate thought she remembered
Il her eyes@quite involuntarily, you
know-she had made out the same
sort of man.
This decision had just been arrived
at when the voice of the major was
heard in the land. 1t was heard as II
had not been heard since he led
| charge at Gettysburg. He stormeo at
the two poor females until they were
helpless with terror. A masner had
| appeared to break up his fanny, ana
his family were Wiling 10 De DioheH-
Such carvings on might do Tor Al
RIGA. but this was America, by CAD,
and he wouldn't stand for it.
He talked the women upstairs, ana
he talked the cook out of the house.
| and the good Samaritan was RESPONSE
Bile for a very bad night.
IT was three days later, and things
1 had settled down a bit, when the
major announced that he had to go
to the city on business matter: There
was another reason, but he kept It TO
/ himself He wanted to meet that
masher and make jam of him. He
/ felt that he could identify him among
/ hundreds, and once he was identi-
fled!
| On arriving in the city the man OF
| war called on broker and pocketed
some bonds he had invested in and
| then made calls at three Different