The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-25
The EVENING Story
An Affair at Rose Manor.
(By Donald Alleno

iiioiioi MUSE, nau nVed twenty years
without in the least suspecting that
she was a born artist. She became
aware of it at last through her moth
er. She made a little crayon sketch
or the creek and the bridge below the
mouse, and the mother had scarcely
glanced at it when she said:
We'll, this settles it. We will sell
the place and move into the city
where you can attend an art school,"
The daughter hesitated until she
mad made another sketch-this time
or an old stub in a field with wood
pecker grubbing at it in search of
breakfast. Then the mother said
such talent must be cultivated, no
matter what the cost-the cook said
that the woodpecker looked as nat
ural as an old hen, and the hired
man said that any one who took that
old stub for a weeping willow would
have to settle with him.
GU go right over to Rose Manor
erty in the hands of a real estate
agent commanded the mother. At
ter that the thing was looked upon
as good as settled. America was sigh
ing Tor more landscape artists, and
she should have at least one recruit
Miss Melincent had an electric run
about. 1t was brought out for her
next morning and she started for the
village of roses. She remembered
having seen very small real estate
corner, and she decided to call upon
him first. If he said that manor
houses We're little dull in the mar
ket just then she would call on a
Digger man with smaller sign
She was making good time over the
smooth pike. and wondering whether
TO ask $4,000 or ST. 200 for the prop
erty, when the unexpected happened.
Mr.. Eugene Bamford had returned
from Europe. He was fairly rich and
a,-&;c
knew when his coat set well. He did
not know woodpecker from a robin.
but he could run an automobile. lust
then he was visiting a. sister at Rose
Manor and driving himself around
the country more or less. He was
out On this morning. He thought all
the rest of the United States was
sitting in its back dooryard, and in
making turn in the road he did not
decrease speed, and he did not con-
slider his right hand side from his
left
Miss Melincent was in a hurry to
get to the real estate office. Thou
sands of wouldbe buyers of manor
houses might be waiting there. She
was going pretty fast when she
reached the turn. She might have
been on the right side Or the wrong
side or in the middle of the road. A
good looking young lady is always
entitled to the benefit of the doubt in
such cases.
Presently there was a shout from
Mr.. Eugene Bamfordi And there was
scream from Miss Melincent Davis!
Then, turn of the wheel and both
ran into the ditch and things crashed
and snapped and sputteredi Both
machines were damaged-hers worse
than his, but no one was hurt. Mr..
Bamford was gentlemanly enough to
ask if she was MORALLY injured-to
insist it was all his fault-to present
his card-to climb the roadside fence
for her hat-to declare that he would
pay all damages and to ask if he
couldn't take her home. His machine
had lost lamps and mud guards but
was still in running order.
"I wouldn't care so much" replied
the girl in a hystericky way, but 1
was going to Rose Manor to sell some
real estate. 1t may go down in price
now"
"Too bad-too bad. think I can
tow your machine home behind mine,
and then I'll send somebody to re-
pair it,
:. Yes. but 1 know mother will be
disappointed. She said we ought to
sell within an hour
Mr.. Bamford had seen several good
looking girls before. He had also met
ingenious ones. In this case, however.
things were different. If they hadn't
been he wouldn't have coughed and
blushed and stammered out:
''Why-why, I am a real estate
agent myself. If you have property
to sell-that is, if you have property
to dispose. of-that is
''Why. how lucky" she replied.
"You can go home with me and see
mother and ask her lot of questions
If you have enough money with you
we may make a sale right off-today
I assure you we are willing to take a
fair price. 1t isn't possible that you
are an artist, too?"
"Yes'm!' he boldly replied. though
'How splendid! Mama thinks if
he wanted to club himself the next
instant.
you may want to change the
landscape around the house. II you
buy" was suggested as they were
chugging toward The Beeches.
Eyes. l have changed landscapes"
the creek had another bend toward the
house, it would add to the seen
cry
IF SO. I can fix it. I am creek
bender. That is, I can put all kinds
of twists in creek
Miss Milincent was awed. She had
taken the young man for a gentle
man of leisure and he had turned out
to be a real estate man, an artist. a
landscape gardener and a creek
twister- She was glad of the acct
dent. She was glad she had not gone
little man with the big sign.
Mr.. Eugene Bamford looked at The
Beeches through the eyes of real
estate man, and he looked at Miss
Milincent Davis through the eyes of
a young man rapidly falling in love-
He had the mother to deal with, how
ever and after spending an hour
looking over the property and taking
his departure she said of him:
well, Mr.. Bamford is the queerest
real estate man I ever saw. We have
four acres here and he thought there
must be nine. He at first thought
the place ought to sell for $40. 900 and
then came down to $1,000. Didn't
YOU hear him speak of the house as
a Queen Anne ~
ssI think the accident must have rat
tied him, mother