The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-18
THE EVENING STORY
In Patton Alley.
(By Lawrence Alfred Day.)

(By Lawrence Alfred Day.)
Miss Fanny Harner was s5 years
old. She was single. She was a seam
stress. Her friends said of her that
she hated men, and that her DISPOSE
ton was soured. She had rooms that
faced on Patton alley. No cat, no par
rot, no canary! She had a dog in
stead. The animal was referred to as
a whiffet and it was said that his dis
position had also been soured.
Mr.. Jacob RAISER was 81 years old.
He was tailor, and it was said of him
that he hated women and his DISPOSE
itno soured. He was single. He was
a little, man with a strut and much
pomposity, and he f1attered himself
never yet found a woman good enough
Cor him. He had lived for years over
paint store, but the smell of tur-
pentine had at last driven him to seek
rooms on Patton alley. They were
exactly opposite the rooms of Miss
Harner and only twenty feet distant.
He also had a dog and he was think
ing of bringing libel suit against sun
dry and divers persons who had re-
ferred to the canine as a mutt.
Miss Harner resented the arrival of
NJ. RAISER and his mutt. Mr.. RAISER
resented the fact that Miss Harner
and her whiffet were already installed.
L ne 1lISl L1liuS DOln VI lI0ul ulu was
to draw down the window shades.
That shut out all the light, however,
and they had to raise them again.
But they would ignore each other,
He did his cooking on an oil seove.
She did the same. The odor of his
fried eggs f1oated across to her, and
the odor of her fish reached his nos
trils. They even stared boldly at each
other, but not a nod or a word.
When Mr.. RAISER sat down to his
sewing machine he made an extra
racket for the benefit of his neighbor
an accompaniment at the top of her
voice for his delectation. Sometimes
he pounded with a hammer when
there was no occasion for it. Some
ley that the crash of glass might
startle him and make him thrust his
head out of the window. There was
antagonism pure and simple, but why?
And if it was so between the two
persons, how about the whiffet and
the mutt? They were worse. All day
long, with only short intervals for
breathing spells, they stood with thsir
paws on the window stills and con-
fronted each other and barked and
growled and INDUCED in bloodcurdling
threats. Their noise disturbed their
owners as much as any one else, but
they were not reprimanded. They were
even encouraged.
After month or so Mr.. RAISER de-
termined on bold stroke to van
quish his enemy. He had bought
tripe and Goldfish cakes and left them
exposed at the kitchen window to
make Miss Harner jealous. but she
had gone him one better by getting
smoked tongue and fresh CLAIMS.
He would dine at a restaurant. He
would dress in his Sunday clothes as
he dined. He would walk with his
cane, and his mutt would follow at
his heels. All the residents of the
alley would see him go and come, and
the seamstress would be Inundated to
the dust.
AS the tailor planned, so things
came about. He no longer fried and
stewed. Miss Harner shifted in vain
for doors. She saw him come and go
at certain hours, but it was a whole
week before she knew the horrible
truth. She had gone right along
frying sausage and holding her nose
high in air. The news astounded and
the truth hurt.
What? He, common tailor-a
man only five feet high-a man with
a mutt of a dog eating at a restau-
rant! Never! She would not and did
not believe it until she had slyly fol-
lowed him to his lair.
Miss Harner swore that her revenge
should be perfectly dreadful. She
would go to the same restaurant She
Wouiu get IaDle near that or her
enemy. She would listen to what he
ordered, and then she would Guido
him. Her meal should be twice as
expensive as his, and she would tip
the waiter besides. And her whiffet
should follow her and sit under her
table. and if his mutt came poking
around he would get licked out of his
boots.
On a certain evening the tailor had
sailed forth with smile on his face.
l..
His mutt strutted. Patton alley saw
and whispered it's admiration. 1t had
a denizen who was financially able to
eat out, and it was proud of him. It
was a sensation, and on top of it came
the knockout blow. Miss Harner ap-
and a purse. She wore her eyeglasses.
She walked in languid way, and was
followed by her whiffet. The whiffet
walked with decorum.
Patton alley dispatched three diff
erent messengers to follow Miss Har-
ner. When those messengers returned
and reported that she had entered the
same eating house patronized by Mr..
RAISER and taken a seat at the best
table-the only one Boosting of a
cloth on its surface-men and women
sat down on the curbing stones and
were dumb.
Mr.. RAISER was seated at table when
his eyes beheld a vision or, rather
They sailed past him just as he or
dered a small chuck steak and a soft
boiled egg. They sat down and look
ed him over in disdain. In voice that
thrilled his very soul and made him
long to do murder they ordered:
''Waitah, bring me fried oysters,
hash-brown potatoes, celery, aspara-
gus, salad and a small bottle of
your very best claret. Be sure-the
very best"
And the waiter, knowing that he
had a real lady to deal with. got a