The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-28
THE EVENING STORY
Cupid and Ghosts.
(By Donald Allenl

1 .
John Wayne. her father, was lawyer
OF note, and when the ease" was put
into MS hands by the mother he handled
IL IKE lawyer. In this instance he con-
and the verdict was that Miss Hilda was
to be packed off to the home of a maiden
aunt in the country for three months.
The, mother doubted, but the father was
confident. Hilda had only reached the
childish age Of nineteen; this affair was
only, a trifle. Aunt Judith was an old
maid and had no sympathy with such
nonsense, and would give the girI sage
advice. That conclave, consisting mostly
of the father, settled things in half an
nour. mere IS popular compliant about
HLda was not told in so many words
why she was packed Off to summer with
| the geese and bumblebeeS and milk
weeds, but she had her suspicious. She
| at once set to work to beat the lawyer.
Aunt Judith was grim and Watchful and
| unsympathetic and held Cupid in con-
tempt, and that was where her case was
by means Of a tow-headed boy on the
next farm, the girl was receiving and
The aunt had figured it out to her
self that her niece would sulk for about
four weeks, and that she would have to
read her at least a dozen lectures. She
| was, thus agreeably disappointed when
I1ilda did not sulk.
| Out in the orchard, under apple
tree, rested an old soap box. Twice a
week the toW-headed boy came skulking
| across the fields to leave letters under
| that box and take away those he found
there. He was receiving ten cents a let
ter, and he had career before him. The
soap box was not quite as romantic as a
silver chest would have been, but it was
a fairly safe postoffice.
BY and by a letter told that Walter
Allen would have his two weeks vaca-
ton beginning at certain date and
to happen. This letter was worth an
extra dime to Hilda, and she conscien-
she replied. She also sang so often and
was so cheerful in and out of the house
that Aunt Judith held conclave with
herself and amusingly announced to the
audience that wasn't there:
4 have delivered only three lectures on
the foOishness of calf-love and the duty
have been sufficient to open the dear
girls eyes and make a different being of
An hour before dark one summer even
ing Hilda was asked If she wanted to
living in cottage half a mile down the
to herself as she set out. 1t by this
very road that within day or two she
might expect -. But she had to carry
that berry pie very carefully and not eX-
pect too much.
Between her aunt's home and the old
woman's was a deserted farmhouse stand
ing close to the highway. Windows and
doors were gone, the roof falling IN and
headed boy could have told Hilda that
1t was a haunted house and that ghosts
had been seen trooping in and out.
One can't simply hand IN a berry PIE
to a poor old woman and then rush
away. She must be questioned about her
rheumatism and other ailments and cheer
ed up to live another twenty years BY
the time the good samaritan was ready
to say goodby it was dark. She hadn't
paid any attention to the sunset and the
gathering clouds, and she had hardly
gone ten rods when big rair~drop struck
her cheek She began to run, but the
time she had reached the deserted house
she was drenched and thought only of
finding shelter until the worst of the
storm was passed.
oh of oh q :
was under shelter, but owing to the leaks
in the roof she had to move back. until
been the large front room OF the mouse
There she covered and trembIed and
she didn't know it
Ten--twenty-thirty minutes passed
ana then ghost waikiki tii5 DESPITE SeIr5 tine Inc
ghost plow its way through the tangled
and sOdden weeds before the door and
muttered; the water from its soaked gar
ments dripped on the floor. The girl
wet and dry, but now she needed no out
sider'S assurance that she was in the
less with terror until she heard the ghost
softly moving in her direction to get away
screamed out:
Are you a ghOst?'
No. Are your came the reply.
Then, who are your
"And who are your
oh Walter, it must be you!
L
cold, wet hand and found her in the
darkness, and it was not ia ghostly
whispers that they began to talk. Wal
ter had left the train at the depot three
miles away to walk across the country
where VI ere board had already been secured
for him. He had blundered into this
house.
It was an hour after his arrival before
the storm passed away and left the road
almost knee-deeD in mud and water.
Hand in hand the couple set out. Some
times they waded through puddles, and
sometimes it only sticky mud; some
times they fell, and sometimes the mud
about their feet held them upright until
they could brace up for another strug-
The hired man was heard hooting long
before the living ghosts reached the gate,
cnIIn1e stood before her she held up the
lantern and surveyed them.
you went to carry old Mrs. Renfew
a berry pieH she finally said
Yes" was the demure reply from Hill
aAnd she threw a barrel of water over
you and then rolled you in the mud!'
And then this-this person happened
along and she treated him In the same
mo, aunt. I got caught in the, rain,
He also got caught in the rain and did
the same, and he has helped me home"
And this-this persons name is?
walter Allen, ma am, and l was on
my way to Farmer Browns to become a |
summer boarder for u couple of weeks" |
answered the young man. 80.
ITO be near Hilda. of couTsei She left |
a letter lying around today that explains
all. Well, sir, Farmer Brown Is re
O'clock, and here it is an hour and half |
later. Come in, sir, and. get out of those
sopping clothes and get into bed, and you
can go on after breakfast"
land what about me, aunt?' plain |
u will See about your case in the morn |
ing, miss
But Aunt Judith was a buffer. She |
waited two weeks during which the |
Young man was almost boarder in her |
house and then wrote to her brother-in- |
law in the city: