The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-15

Somebody ON the Roof.
(By Donald Allen.)

maid. If she hadn't been an old
maid she wouldn't have been the
owner and principal of the Wells
School for Young Ladies. Old maids
have fondness for opening schools
for young ladies. It's their way of
getting revenge for never having had
any romance in their own lives.
They become watch dogs and tyrantS
and gloat over it.
When Miss Jean Kelly arrived at
Rayendale and the Wells school with
her mother. she was left in the parlor
tired to private room to have a
confidential conversation. Miss Jean
was to be seouestered on account of
her being in love at nineteen. She
determined young man, who was
two years older. He had said to the
mothers face after being turned
down that he would marry Jean if
had taken the strongest kind of par
entail authority to bring the girl
to the school, and she was to be kept
there as a pupil and a prisoner. No
letters must be received. or sent with
out being read. AS she walked out
on the ground, guards must be sta
toned to watch. If allowed outside
the grounds two guards must accom-
pany her.
She had been hurried from home.
SO that the determined man might
not get track of her. but in case he
did he would be known by a scar on
his chin. Miss Wells was 70 look for
a scar.
''Trust me-" replied Miss Wells.
when she heard the full particulars.
'sThere is neither love nor romance
taught that this world would be al
together better off without men:
Thomas and William are old and Grip
pied, and they are the only two males
q ms
cannot be bribed or deceived. In
three months your daughter will have
ceased to think of the young man."
Miss Wells expected to find a sulky
and obstinate young lady in Miss
Jean, but was agreeably disappointed.
The new pupil settled right into place
and gave no trouble. Instead of sulk-
ing she sang. There were fifteen
constantly kicked about the weak
soups and the oleomargarine on the
thin slices of bread, Miss Jean
thought is was romantic: No other
pected her of duplicity, but Miss
Wells did. Her heart and hand had
never been sought by determined
young man, but she could figure that
not have given him UP so easily. A
mother might be hoodwinked. but an
old maid-never.
And Miss Wells's vigilance was
she opened the prison door to a
young man with pencil and notebook
in hand. He was taking the censusNof
the country. That scar 1t was there!
and the door was banged on his
heels.
A week later. when the grocer's
delivery boy drove UP to the kitchen
through the back gate, Thomas passed
him with a grumble. Something
warned Miss Wells. She left a class
to walk through to the kitchen, and
behold. the grocer's boy was young
mani And the scar? Yes, it was
there; but. though he was driven
away he went with his head up and
determined look on his face.
Then various small boys earned
the grounds, but they failed in their
attempts if they had notes to deliver.
One day one of the girls gashed her
hand. A doctor was sent for to dress
it. With him came a young medical
student. That is, he got as far as
the door again, and then that scar
gave him away.
Miss Jean Kelly had been in the
school for three months when Miss
Wells got a shock. One of the girls
turned tattIe-tale. She announced
that many a night, about midnight,
Miss Jean had sneaked out of bed and
dressed herself and gone up through
the Scuttle to the roof and remained
there for an hour. She said it was
for fresh air.. tattle-tale said that
determined young man could reach
the roof by climbing the big oak tree
growing near the wall.
Miss Wells compressed her lips; she
would see to it; she did see to 1T.
Old Thomas was set to watch at
night, but snoozed the hours away,
His old watch dog took his place,
very next morning.
All. she had it at last, She would
go upon IT, roof herself and catch the
Criminals red-handed.. ~Ile was a lit
roofs at nigh but the honor Of the
Wells school was at stake.
The second night after tattle-tale
had given things away was a beauti-
for cats and lovers to prowl. An hour
before midnight found Miss Wells
stealing up the scuttle ladder and out
on the roof. She was there to watch
.tually overhung the roof 1t would be
no feat at all for a determined young
man. Miss Wells was scantily
dressed Her scant hair was hanging
barefooted in her slippers.
The watcher had been at her post
nearly an hour when something hap
pened She thought she heard some
position she lost her grip and went
rolling down the steep roof until a
chimney brought her up. She was
safe from further fall but she must
get back to her place. A cat could
have done 1t, but alas, she was not
cat She was only an old maid with |
shaky nerves. She wouldn't have
tried that climb for a thousand dol |
lars, If she called on: who would |
hear her? If she waited until day
light-heavensl
And then she looked up to see the |
figure of q man above her Some |
f1c fni dpfoT-
mined young man with the scar on
his chin. In addition, he told her SO |
himself. He was very cool about it. |
After gazing down at her for three |