The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-27
THE EVENING STORY
Two Rescues,
by Richa,


I'm Shannon paused before the back
gate Of "a Leicester square. kicked 1t
open with his foot. and, shifting the
heavy basket Of groceries on mis- arm,
mace his way across the back yard and
into the kitchen.
Mary Nevins, the Grahams' fat cook
was humming gayIy to herself as she
ponshed the nickel work ON the range.
she looked up with a smile OF welcome
as Shannon entered.
- ooor on the other side of the kitch-
en- opened and into the sunlit room came
a trim figure of a girl in white cap and
apron. Her eyes were a deep blue, her
halr soft brown, her round cheeks
glowed with health.
As she saw Shannon standing by the
.aoie sto.Idly unloading the groceries.
she stopped short. A glitter came into
ner eyes, the uptilted nose went the
FRACTION of an inch higher.
shannon, fo- his part. looked at her
uLsminngly. Although his eyes bright
ened at the sight Of her and his pulses
qu1ckened, his lips set resoiutely. He
hesitated. looked away from her. gulped
miserably and looked back again.
Good morning. Annie" he said.
GOOD morning, Mr.. Shannon" she
replied with malicious emphasis. Then,
with a shrug of her pretty shoulders,
she slipped through the door by which
she had entered, angling it behind her.
a hne thing to be one of these
Eerces,' he observed bitterly
Come out of your riddle talk" Mary
advised
tbs ConIin that's made the trouble"
said Tim. Since he pinched them two
crooks that was ransacking No. Is the
other night every girl on the beat is
the glad smile for him: Annie with the
rest of them. She was talking to him
cut IN the alley last night when
4 a lat - 81
Of mine Ginning the cop on the beat.
II makes talk"
did you tel! her that?" Mary asked.
II did" said Shannon with finality.
Mary gave him a glance of plying
condescension. Jaw. the fool ways of
men with girl" she remarked scorn-
fully. You'd oughter be kicked
Maybe Tim admitted gloomily.
THAT you had" Mary went on with
conviction. You'll come down fine be-
fore ever she makes it up with you
now"
watch me" said Tim with a CLINT
of fire in his eyes.
He arose from the chair and picked
up the basket. He crossed the back
yard and entered the alley, siamming
the gate v1ciously behind him. BY the
window Mary Nevins stood watching
his stormy exit.
It was half past that afternoon when
Tim Shannon, his basket on his arm,
again came down the alley.
Jaw, Tim. Tim, the trouble that An
MES in" said Mary Nevins as Shan
non threw his burden onto the
way to lose her job here
Annie in trouble:'' he repeated.
"'Tis all on account o. that Persian
ls.tten Of Mrs. Graham's," Mary ex-
planned. Sure, you know how choice
charged us all never to let 1t out of
the house. This afternoon just LITTER
lrEe1i Mrs. Graham went downtown and
left word for Annie to comb the kinks
out of the kittens fur.
"'I'lI not be going to all the bother
OF cleaning up the hairs that gets
round, says she. 'I'll take him out in
the yard and comb him. s's7e, -
so out in the yard she takes him,
and while she's at work on him along
comes a dog down the alley and be-
gins to bark, and before Annie realizes
hats happening, away goes the kit
ten onto the top of the fence, and off
ne runs. I
"She chases him down to the end of
the alley, and there he makes break
for the square. He runs into the little
lark in the center of it, up one of them
big eln1s, and there he sits on one of
foot Of the tree with saucer of cream. |
trying to coax him down."
is she out there now?" Tim inquired. !
THAT she is" said Mary.
1lul <HurrttQ 10 the bdSeIu6Ht uDOI
that opened onto the square. At the
foot of a large elm in the little iron
fenced Enclosure he saw ANNA stand |
ing with saucer of cream held up |
tefnptingly toward the kitten.
Back to the house Tim sped, and a |
moment later returned with a long |
step-ladder. Without a word he placed |
it against the trunk of the tree, mount !
ed tt and by dint of a bit of stiff work, |
managed to swing himself into The tree. |
From here he worked his way upward |
and outward on the limb where the kit
ten crouched.
Far out toward the end of the limb |
the kitten took it's final stand. Inch by |
inch shannon worked his way thither. |
He. had almost reached his quarry |
when there was creak-an ominous |
slap. The limb bent down and then |
broke.
Annie covered her face with her
hands and screamed 1t was only
when a reassuring voice sounded from |
the top of the tree that she dared look
Up; ~ .,o ,asus r,,,
ing. "The blamed branch has broke
off, but there's enough left of it. |
can hold On here for awhile yet. Only
I iaren't try to climb up It for fear
i. will give way altogether
Annie lifted upward a pair of terror
stricken eyes. The end of the branch,
with Tim clinging to it. hung straight
downward by what seemed to be the /
NJ crest strip Oh DARK ana upef. BeloW
him the kitten was clinging and new
ing piteously.
The girl started to run across the |,
square. In her flight she bumped into
Conlin, who had Just turned the corner.
In her anxiety she caught him by the L
arm.
"Quick." she cried breathlessly, i
s1bere's man up in that tree. Get
him -dewn--eh.- get him down." Il
Conlin sped into the Enclosure and
Daopad IN at the broken branch He |,
seemed stupefed with bewilderment.
what are you doin' up there?" he
asked. |,
IF you'd use your eyes a bit you'd |,
see I was hanging on be the skin of
me teeth and praying this branch won't