The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-30
THE EVENING STORY
Billy's MIX Route.
(By Lawrence Alfred Clay.)


The captains room at the Twenty
ninth street station abutted on the al
ley, ana the captains desk was so sit
uated that he looked out upon the
aiiey most Of the time. In fact. he
nad an object in looking out as often
as possible. Fifteen feet away was
the wall of the Sunbeam Book Pub
iisnlng company, and at window on
the ground floor, and opposite that of
the captains. sat a young lady for
eight hours a day. AS far as Captain
Ross could make out she was sub
manager. AS far as he could make
out also. she was good looking.
The captain himself was a young
man. AS to looks, they don't count in
man unless he is cross-eyed or has
had his nose broken. The officer was
rated smart and natty,'' and in time
the girl across the alley came to think
SO. too.
1t was in May that they discovered
each other, and two or three weeks
later their windows went up, to stay
up, from morning till night. One day
handkerchief blew out of the win
dow and the captain rescued and re-
turned it. After that, when he took his
place in the morning, and the girl
took her place, he said Good morn
ing. Billy and she replied with
Good morning. captain" But that
was all.
No one would believe there is any
romance in the daily life OF a police
captain. There isn't, if you think of
one of middle age and married. He
would secure for you ten days In the
cooler if you even limited at such
thing.
With Captain Ross it was different.
His dignity forbade a Irritation, but he
cast sleeps eyes many times a day
and wondered who the young lady
easier than to find out. but he didn't
try to nor want to. He wanted to
keep the romance as it was. He called
her Billy because he had no idea OF
her name, but when his lieutenant
called her the same the captain sup
pressed him at once. One day his
sergeant looked from the window and
saw the girl and remarked that she
was, to say the least. a pretty girl, and
was ordered to cut it short and never
repeat the misdemeanor.
Over in the publishing house, the
girls plagued Hilda Williams about
her police captain, or tried to. but she
stood up for him in loyal way. He
had a pleasant, CHEEKY voice, and af-
ter his good morning she felt better.
She didn't seek to find out whether
he was married or unmarried. It was
only a bit of romance for her, too
Hilda's mother was a widow, and
she had brother. Jim, whose wages,
when he worked, added to hers. sup
ported the three of them in decent
way. Jim was always meeting with
poor luck, however, and on many
Saturday night he had nothing to
show for the week. In August two
events happened to the girl across the
alley on the same day. The publish
ing house laid her off for a month,
and she went home to find that
Brother Jim had met with a fall and
would lose his place as the driver OF
a milk wagon. That meant no income
for a month, at least. Some lamenta-
lions were uttered, and some tears
were shed, and then Hilda sat down
beside the patient and asked him
score of questions bearing on the JOB
he must give up. When she mad got
full information she said:
"It is useless for me to look for
anything in my line. I shall get up
in the morning and take your route.
/ never drove a horse. but can learn.
places you have to go to, and I see
that I can get to most of them before
anybody is up. It's only at the dairy
that shall meet any one"
"But they'll boot at a girl driving
a milk wagon" objected the brother:
'There'H be no girl to. boot at,
was the answer. I'm going to dress
in your clothes and tell them I'm your
brother
but you may be arrested"
EST can't help it. 1 don't believe any
one will know If swagger little and
have a dirty face. No use talking
I'm going to try it,
And try it she did. Jirn's suit fitted
her fairly. well. and when her hair nag
been pushed up under her cap and
some dirt rubbed on her hands she
was a passable boy. The stableman
swore at her when she went to get
the horse and wagon, and the dairy
man said she didn't look as if she
knew any too much. But Miss Hilda
finished her route in good shape ana
returned home triumphant. She was
"pegged" at along the street by Few
boys and few family cooks who
were up to receive the milk growled
out because she was little timid in
getting off the wagon. But for two
weeks all went fairly well. Then
came a catastrophe. Hilda was driV-
ing along within block OF the TWEEN
ty-ninth street police station when
policeman hailed her from the side
walk for a bottle of milk. She had
to halt and it was her tirnidity and
confusion that gave her away.
80 it's girl driving mix Wag
had made sure. ''Well, you are in
boys clothes, and that's against the
law. and you'll have to come along.
Hilda protested and tried persua-
taken to the station, charged with the
offense and locked in cell, to be held
all day and arraigned next morning
There were officers about the statlon
who laughed to see the boy cry anu
hear "him" beg.
It was three hours after she was
locked up that Captain Ross made his
annearance. He had had good
breakfast and was feeling paternal;
He went to the window to say good
morning to "Billy," and was not lit
tie disturbed to find the opposite sash
still down and locked. After wonder
ing over it, for few minutes. he
called for the blotter and ascertained
that a girl dressed as a boy had I been
locked up. He entered the corridor
and looked at her through the BARS
and she turned her back on him.
Hilda had given a fictitious name,
and she felt that she could defy the
Judge and all others if only she could
prevent Captain Ross from discover
ing her identity That would numiH-