The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-18
The EVENING STORY
His Surprise.
by Rob NJ. Campbell. !


Friday afternoon found John Will
liams. head professor of English at
Middleton university. homeward bound.
1t was surprise all around. He had
written to his mother and friends at
his home in the western Kansas town
of Snlithton that he could not spend
Saturday with them as he had at first
intended. However, at the last mo-
ment arrangements were made so that
he could.
After all. he thought, as he leaned
back in the car seat, while the wheels
began to turn, his unexpected visit
would be all the more enjoyable. His
mother would be so glad-and Nellie.
At that thought he smiled. Main
~ for her sake he had struggled up
against overwhelming odds to his pres
ent condition; had worked his way by
every honorable method possible
through four years of college and then
tutored to pay for two years of post
graduate work in English. An assist
ant professorship and then his pres
ent position. with some success in lit
erature. followed
Meanwhile Nellie Brown had stayed
in his home town. For eight years
she had taught school from fall to
summer and had organized Shake
speare clubs between times. Litera-
ture was her strong point.
This had been the. bond of sympa-
thy between them in their high school
days. Later. during his battle through
college-and it was truly a battle-her
frequent letters to him had been filled
with reference to this mutual inter-
'En6Sa n7iSCiUaG u Inn Sy%
times, were his great inspiration when
he was worn out with study work
and loss of sleep. Of her sincere
friendship he was assured-of more,
Wen, certain memories of high school
days kept up hope.
This evening he would put these
hopes to the test. He was to arrive
at his native village in time for a call
at Nellie's home. He became almost
deliriouS with anticipation All of the
years of training in self-repression
were required to keep him from shout
ing aloud as the time for his arrival
drew nearer.
Then something happened. By miss
lng connections at Kansas City he did
not arrive at Smithton until 1890
p. m.
ITO late to see Nellie tonight-but-
morning soon-visit at home-no
school---see her soon after breakfast .
| So he thought in disjointed FRAGMENTS
| as he stumbled in the dark over the
uneven boards of the depot platform.
At the edge of the walk he met
Biz Green, his old playmate, who
now drove the bus for the one hotel
his lantern in the professors finely
| chiseled face.
Gosh, John, is that you? ?" he said.
Guess your ma want expecting you,
he continued. shes a visithn' at Mill
| Center. Won't be back fur awhile.
Better let me take you and your lug
gage to the hotel; it's a quarter of
mile, you know. No other passen-
, gers, SO I won't charge more'n two
bits fur you and your trunk BOTH
Williams had no trunk. but he YEARLY
accepted the drivers suggestions. A
feeling OF deep disappointment arose
within him. Yet he might have known
that such circumstances would have
been possible. His mother did not
need to be at home al that time. She
had many friends to visit in the
Eeighboring towns. Her husband, a
civil war veteran. had died several
years ago, leaving his wife a pension
and small farm. A cousin ran the
farm so John had been free to take
a chance for better education.
| The latter had one comforting thought
| as the bus jerlked him over the rough
| road The hotel people were old friends
and would make him feel at home.
| However, this hope was also DESTROYED
and the proprietors were strangers to
him-did not even recognize his well
known name when he registered. He
felt rather forlorn as he went to bed.
This feeling left him the next morn
ing as he sat in the hotel Office after
breakfast In just short time he could
see Nellie. 1t wasn't far from the
hotel to her house-or to any other
house in the place.
Although it was Saturday morning. not
| much business was going on in Smith
ton. Several loafers shuff1ed in and
took seats around the stove. They were
mostly some of the old men whom
Professor Williams had always dis
liked SO he buried his face in the
paper to keep from being recognized
until he could slip out unnoticed.
An automobile which whizzed by be-
came the topic of the remarks. AT
first Williams paid no attention to the
talk but a sentence or two caused him
to listen while his senses whirled.
Out arly," said man in a conical
fur cap. Guess he's a'goun' fur to
take her to Mill Center. Fine machine
an the gals a stunner-but nearly 80"
Yep, but she'd better watch OUT OBJ
served another as he filed his pipe
Her old Teller might drop in most any
time
.Sposun' he does" chimed in a third,
II amt heard that they was regularly
engaged nohow. Jist kid affair. may
be. when they was in school together
WALL I don't know said the first
speaker, 81 always was a 'hearun' as
he was powerfully set on a marrying
her arter he got his eddication.''
The professor sat still controlling
himself by a wonderful effort. Per-
haps, he still hoped. their remarks had
10 bearing on .is case-just coinciden-
tai circumstances. At any rate he
would listen further.
After q pause the gossip continued.
wall, it do seem to me- said the
hotel landlord, that the girls ma or
pa would interfere. That there new
conner in the bank hain't no business
a hang'un aroaund gal what amt
his'n nor hain't never go'un to be-"
80, don't know spoke up a young
man, whom Williams recognized as a
| distant relative of Nellie. He spoke
more rapidly than the others. Her