The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-30
THE EVENING STORY
In the Laboratory.
(By Jane OSBORNE

| seems, on the face of it, absurd, but
| then Burke Langton was a most I'M
usual professor-young, good looking,
seif-possessed, good natured and not
a bit conceited. And Madge Walton,
at least so Burke thought from the
first, was quite unlike the usual run
of chemistry students.
She was always letting acids burn
| her pretty fingers, accidentally blow
ing up test tubes and breakers and
keeping the chemistry class in gener-
al, and Professor Burke Langton in
i particular, in a state of perpetual ex-
element.
The task of wooing Madge had been
anything but easy; not because
Madge herself was unwilling to be
wooed, but because it wasn't wise to
arouse college gossip and never
engagement. To call on her at the
dormitory was much too obvious, to
chance to encounter her in the campus
was well enough, but hard to arrange.
Once or twice when Madge had 'let
things happen" in the laboratory,
Burke had had a chance to help her
and show her how great was his con-
Germ. On several occasions he had
requested an interview with her after
hours, apparently to help her with
her work, but really with quite diff
/ ferent intentions.
Finally, when the school year was
almost over, he took the final step
he ash asked tb her to go to town ga With him
| want to talk over with you," he told
her. trying to make his purpose clear,
| land of course it is impossible any,
where around the old college. Wen
just make the theater a sort of an
excuse
Apparently Madge was delighted.
She blushed, and then blushed all the
more to think that he had noticed her
| blush. He was to get the tickets for
something Shakespearean," and they
were to meet in town where none of
the college people could see them.
Madge was to spend the night in town
| with friends and he was to return to
college perfectly happy.
The great day had come, and Burke
was sitting before his desk in a state
of blissful reflection on Madge's eyes,
and Madge's voice, and Madge's anus
ing ways, when some one stepped tim
idly up to the desk.
Professor Langton!" 1t was in
deed [ sMadge who was talking; she
seemed very grave and constrained.
Professor Langton, III won't be
able to meet you tonight"
"Why, Madge, why, Miss Walton"
he said, looking in vain for her usual
smile. "Of course you will. It's all
planned. 1 can't let you off" He
looked intentlv into her face to dis
cover the cause of her sudden change
of heart. What do you mean?" he
demanded.
She avoided his glance. TT hoped
you would understand" she said. Il
can't explain
Professor Langton would have in
sisted upon a more complete explana-
ton had it not been for the inevitable
approach of other members of the
class-that ever present class. He
stumbled through his lecture some
how, experiencing all the tortures of
uncertainty, When he had finished
and had entered the sanctum of his
inner laboratory he felt as if he had
endured years of aging. ST hoped you
would understand" she had told him.
st can't explain" He recalled the
words and saw again the look of anx-
iety on her face. Yes; she understood
how he felt and only wanted to save
his feelings.
Then the vision of her as he had
last seen her came to his mind. She
had left the room with two of those
tall, overbearing, all-important seniors.
Just how he did not understand, but
somehow, he was sure, those seniors
were responsible for the change. She
had been with them continually, he
remembered. They were making her
another of that self-sufficient, tire
| some type of college girl. And yet
there came back the certainty again
that Madge really and truly liked
him.
When the afternoon had dragged
away and the monotony of dinner he
thought of the tickets in his pocket
and was inclined at first to invite
fellow professor to share the even
ing's entertainment with him, but the
thought of going without her was i'm
| possible.
So it was that Burke sought con-
ISOLATION in the laboratory, to go on
with an important experiment and
try to work himself into a state of
scientific Indifference. 1t was about
1880 when he reached the building.
1 IL Co. lnxy
but with the use of his latch key he
gained admission. He CROPPED his
way through the main hall, up the
stairway, along the corridor toward
the laboratory. Suddenly he stopped
short.
"Great heavens!' he said aloud,
: and then sickening dread came upon
him as he realized that he had STUN
bled in the dark upon something soft
) and human. In the deep shadow he
could see the graceful figure of girl,
covered with black. lying motionless
upon the stone floor.
"It's one of those poor, overworked
students who's tainted from fatigue,
he thought with a touch of annoyance
as he bent down over her. and then
realized that students couldn't be in
the building at this time OF night, as
: their work there was over at sun
To call for assistance was useless.
as there was no one within call of his
voice He hurriedly' lifted the limp
form in his arms and carried it up the
z stairs into the laboratory. There he
l laid it down on the floor while he
reached to snap on the electric
lights.
, 1t was Madge-Madge enveloped in
an academic gown, with back cloth
! drawn over her eyes. Almost faint
: with dread. he felt her pulse and lis
: tened for her breathing. Everything
e was perfectly normal, but still he
t could not rouse her. In second he
E had the bandage from her eyes and
S when he perceived faint smile.
still her IS were closed and she
n ] opnaraptIv y1noo0Sci0IIS "Madgei