The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-20

liken grins vanished, everybody was
sticky and miserable and cross. All
that prevented a row was that they
were too feeble and enervated to fuss.
And although they had gone out two
by two they crawled off in the shade
of logs and fought their gnats and
mosquitoes one by one
At about o'clock, 10, breeze,
springing up from nowhere, tanning
the dead air to life and the devitalized
Nature-Iovers to energy, hope and en-
thusiasm again. They struggled back
to camp and the lately unDearable So
ciety of their fellows and made a
splendid big bonfire. The air grew
colder and colder and the wind roared
in the leafiess branches overhead. but
the fire blazed and cracked and they
wrapped up in their heavy cloaks and
robes and perched on log and re-
GREETED the remnants of steak they
had thrown away in disgust after din
ner. They raved again over the SIM
pie life, wished they never had to
return to town, and planned to go
a-gypsying in covered wagon ana
spend the rest Of their days in the
OPEN Regrets for the discarded beef
steak grew with the pangs of a natural
hunger whetted by the singing wind
and the bracing air. Somebody found
the sack of coffee grounds which had
already done duty for dinner, washed
off the dirt, filled up the coffee pot
with water and started a secondhand
brew. Somebody else went to the
farm house and brought back dozen
fresh eggs and a jar of thick yellow
cream. Bread and butter and sugar
and salt and onions and some of the
cold baked potatoes had been miracu-
lously saved and from those materials
such a supper was prepared as they
had never tasted before in all their
lives. Vitality is certainly the secret
Of the low of life-the source of hap
harOiSn1
But when they got up out of that
sheltered timber hollow and into the
wagons for the homeward drive they
found that a long. hard winter had set
trees. and whistled over the prairies
where not a CLINT of green remained
to paint the promise of spring. Not
bird had the heart to twitter an even
song. The sky was overcast and 1t
was dark as stack of black cats
before they were halfway home. In
the woods beside their roaring fire it
had been just cold enough to be
snuggly. Out on the unprotected
highway with only half enough wraps
it was arctic. The light In farm
house made them wonder Why any
sane person lived in such lonesome
spot They hoped there would be
fire in the furnace when they reached
home, and wondered if they would be
in time to keep their evening engage
City the next day and another talked
about the new bill at the Novelty and
until they reached home and We're
thawed out with hot baths and hot
drinks Mother Nature couldn't even
get honorable mention.
K
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Crawford gave
box party at the Grand last night,
their guests including Mr.. and Mrs.
John B. Nicholson. Mrs. Gertrude Nc
Court Rankin of Mcpherson and Mr..
Charles Wolff.
Mrs James O'Hare gave dinner
last night for Mr.. O'Hare to celebrate
his birthday anniversary. The guests
were: Mr.. John T. CLANCY, Mr.. B. I.
PAYNE Mr.. George Youngreen, Mr..
Henry Pohlman. Mr.. L. T. Price. Mr..
Fred B. Spears, Mr.. Hoyt Tidrick.
Mr.. Walter Duff. Mr.. Milton
Gawthrop. Mr.. Pete O'Hare. Mr..
Frank Snyder. Mr.. Charles O'Meara,
Mr.. Dan Stoddard, DR.. E. E. Roblyer
of PaXico.
Belle Barton. S21 Lincoln street
gave party this afternoon for the
following little girls: Margaret Hill,
Elizabeth Purdy, Margaret Stubs,
Zelma Knapp. Vernon Knapp. Mar
jorie Raub, Evelyn Yates. Marjorie
Hemus, Dorothy Van Hook, Marjorie