The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-30
THE EVENING STORY
Mrs. Lakes Secret
(By Belle Mandates

mouse Twill only harrow your feel.
TT seems like Sinking 70 Let vor
| go for me- said Ethel Stureis "bI,,
| again. 'hiii g
I'll go to town and get that new
auctioneer and drive him to your
house to tag the things Tornorro1.y IsI1
go to the auction and finish the h,,si =
ness, and you won't have to go"
GU nave been so kind to us. Mrs
Lake, said Ethel wistfully as the
comely, good-natured woman Slammed
one reIns over the broad-backed horse
and drove down the road.
Then the girl returned to the house
ana vigorously applied herself To
household tasks. She dared not be idle
long enough to think and remember
1t was two years since she and her
father had left the little town in the
East and bought the farm that was
TO Drlng them prosperity. Things had
gone very wrong from the start. A
cloudburst, the Hessian fly, her faith
er illness and the failure of a bank
brought about the loss of the farm.
All they had left was a forty-acre
piece Their household goods were to
be auctioneered on the morrow to
enable them to buy the stock and i'm
plements for their little remnant of
land. Their kind-hearted neighbor
had invited them to remain at her
house while the sale was in progress,
and she insisted that they continue to
accept her hospitality during the con-
struct1on of the little cabin her faith
her proposes to build on the forty"
Toward evening Mrs. Lake returned
from her expedition
I'VE got them all tagged, Ethel. ."
she said cheerfully. THAT auctfoneer's
a dandy. I got him interested in your
pa, telling him what chunks your bad
luck had come in"
Ethel WINGED. She knew her neigh
boris propensity for talking over"
things, and she felt that she would
rather realize less from the sale than
have her private affairs discussed
with a stranger.
"If only you could have brought
yourself" continued the loquacious
woman, ''to have taken Austin Ho-
bert. He's so we'll fixed and so kind.
He's just wild over you"
81 wouldn't marry a man for those
reasons" said Ethel
well, he isn't so bad looking. One
eye just mite off and his legs aren't
quite true, but you can't have every
thing. Sometimes I think you have
had a love affair and been crossed,
Ethel to let such a fine chance go
by"
The girl smiled family.
81 told the auctioneer about you
his spirits up, and he said you must
be plucky."
Ethel wondered vaguely if she had
confided in him regarding Austin Ho-
bert also. 'It doesn't matter, though"
she thought sadly. Nothing does.
now"
The next day. when Mrs. Lake re-
turned from the auction. she was in
a state of jubilance and excitement.
"oh, Ethel, the things brought
would. Here, Mr.. Sturgis, the auc-
tioneer sent you this check
Walter Sturgis took the check and
glanced at it eagerly. His face flushed
and he looked curious!y at his daugh-
'How much is it. father?" asked
Ethel, extending her hand for the
check.
But he had slowed the check care
'ully away in his pocket, and. naming !
he amount, he left the room.
"Oh!" she explained thankfully, |
that will buy the implements, a team, |
L COW, wagon. two hogs and some |
chickens. Who bid in the things, Mrs. |
AXE? Were the neighbors all there?"
Yes, and lot of town folks. What |
10 you think brought the most?"
'Why, 1 suppose fathers bedroom |
et. 1t is real mahogany, you know"
mo, sir; it was your little writing |
lesk.'
my desk! Who bought it? Why
vas it bid up"
Austin Hobert was bound to have
t, but a fellow from town got it. He
lid in a way that you could see he'd
leep bidding till kingdom come, so
Austin finally quit
what sort of a looking man was
lie ?" asked Ethel.
ooh, fat pudgy, homely man"
Probably some second hand deal
r.
Maybe; and he bought all the best
hings. All your parlor and bedroom
inc WOUld
AVE chosen
.'I am glad a stranger got them. 1t
would make me feel queer to go in to
all on the neighbOrs and see them
sing our things"
Early the next morning Mr.. Sturgis
rent to town. He came back looking {
1ore cheerful over his purchases than {
e had looked for months. Ethel was
eft alone very often during the next I,
yeek, Mrs. Lake taking advantage of
aving some one to leave in charge
f the house. One afternoon Mr.. Stur-
is asked Ethel to go over to the
forty and select site for their
abin. He declined to accompany her,
as in the midst of bread making, so
ithel saddled a horse and rode to- /
ard the forty" Suddenly dis
greeable thought struck her. t
eff Mrs Lake has sent Austin over
ere to see me I'll never forgive her" Z
She rode slowly, with her eyes glued
the horses name, wondering if she 2
ad been wise to reject Austin's love /
nd protection. She didn't raise her L
yes until she turned in at the forty"
hen she stared in amazement. Here
God a trim. little house with a neat, !,
road porch and blinds.
This is what Mrs. Lake and father \
ave been so mysterious over" she
fought with sudden enlightenment. I,
But how could it have been built in s,
short a time ~
She dismounted and went up the D
cps A card lay on the steps and n
me advertising matter. "Oh. 1 see!
ne of these portable houses. I Won
ar if the door is open?"
1t was, and with its opening came
lother surprise. Here were all her
Goods ARA ged as they n