The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-08
The EVENING STORY
Very, Very Impudent.
(By Carl Jenk.ns.)

son, Robin. Judge Cliff had manor
house called The Beeches. Col. Spen-
Ger had a manor house called The
Films. The two properties adjoined.
The judge and the colonel were old
cronies, but they seldom visited each
other at their homes. When they met
outside, it was BILLY" and Tom and
the greatest good fellowship. There
was no line between the properties. At
the rear of his grounds the judge had
| a big chestnut tree. AT the rear Of his
the colonel had the same.
1t should have been that the son and
daughter of these old cronies were at
least friends. but as matter of fact
\ up to the time that Viola Cliff was
10 years old. and Robin two years her
| senior, they had never met. The two
families had not been neighbors over
| a year, and the young folks We're
away at college and boarding school.
Sometimes the judge had said to the
colonel:
"Colonel, you have son, believer"
| Eyes, fine boy. Judge, you nave
daughter, I believer"
Yes, fine girl"
And that was all the two old cronies
knew of each others offspring: The
judge would have moved into the city
| for the winter in September, but for a
within of the daughter. She wanted to
wait for the chestnuts to riDen. The
trees were loaded, but she must wait
for the frosts to ripen the nuts and
| bring them pattering down. She mad
never gathered chestnuts. She had
never eaten chestnuts gathered under
her own tree.
Nonsense, my dear-an nonsense"
the father had replied, but she had
| had her way Just the same.
There had been three frosts. and
now the wind was blowing merrily.
That meant chestnuts would be fall
! ing-brown, fat chestnuts to be eaten
on the spot or taken home and
roasted.
A hasty breakfast was eaten, and
Miss Viola donned an old dress, hunt
| ed up her shabbiest hat, and set off for
| the trees with a basket on her arm.
Yes, the frost had done it's work. There
were heaps and heaps of chestnuts ly-
| ing on the ground, and more peppering
down with every gust. --@
hen there are two big chestnut
| trees standing within twenty feet or
each other, each loaded with fruit. is
a poor girl to think of dividing lines?
| Is she to remember that there is such
a legal phrase as trespass? Must she
| hesitate over picking up the latest
and brownest7 Not at all. OF course
she skips from tree to tree and back
again, and If thought of property
rights enters her head at all she muir
murs to herself that the law can go
hang If she were the daughter of a
| Judge, as was the case in this instance,
she would accompany the murn1ur with
a defiant toss of the head.
The wind blew-the chestnuts rat
tied down-Afiss Viola gathered and de-
voured. And then came the accident.
In passing from tree to tree she caught
her foot between two roots in such
caught in the frog Of a railroad
switch. 1t seemed a trifling thing at
first, but after five minutes she had
to realize that she was a prisoner until
aid should come. Standing there, with
a sapling for support she uttered a
very lady-like cry for help. Then she
uttered another and another. It was
forty rods to the house, and her father
deaf in one ear. The falling chestnuts
were peppering her hat, and the situa-
ton was looking serious, when young
man came into view.
He had basket on his arm. He was
also after chestnuts. He also had a
club in his hand, as if expecting to find
treSpa He came around the cor
ner of a thicket and halted within ten
that did not belong to her. She had
gathered chestnuts belonging to some
one else. In a hesitating way the
young man removed his hat. In a hest
tating way the young lady bowed.
Caught by the footi" laughed the
young lady.
you are on my fathers land"
Yes? Then you must be the son Of
Col. spencer?''
ooh, stop at Judge Cliffs. Funny
how 1 got my foot caught. 1 guess
you'll have to help me-
"H'm. You stop at Judge Cliffs, Ell
| You mean you are employed there?"
That's it." answered Viola, realizing
that her second-best clothes had de-
ceived him.
''Parlor maid PEE
Sometimes, and sometimes assistant
to the cook. They get all the work
out of me thev cam
"And the judges daughter-she is
homer"
Eyes, but I wish she weren't. She's
snippy and bossy. She wants every
niture all changed about before she
had been home an hour"
'T have heard that she was very
good looking
am. And she hasn't got my grit, either.
If she were out here. caught by the
foot, she'd be crying like baby"
Young lady, you are pretty free
| with your criticisms" observed the
young man as he tossed away his club.
I'm glad you didn't hit me with
that" was the reply ''If there's any
thing 1 hate. it's to be walloped over
the head with club Aren't you go
ing to release me?"
eff it's any trouble to your lord
ship"
He bent down and pried the roots
apart and she was free As he rose
up he put on a stern look and said:
"You are very, very impudent girl.
| T wonder that they keep you about the
house,
"Oh, you do? Wen, I can tell you.
It's to give it tone. Did you ever see
the judges daughter?'
"a few times, at a distance, but we
will not discuss her. I ought to con-
aaoaHo you1 bealzst, a. you are . tres