The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-26
THE EVENING STORY
Bennett,s Bad Dream.
(By James William Jackson.)


newspaper that his father has failed in
busin ess for many thousands of dollars
and is q fugitive it gives man start.
Bennett involuntarily clutched the arm
of his. friend Marcy as they sat at the
restaurant table. Then he released his
fierce grip to read the article again.
Marcy rubbed the jabbed arm sooth-
ingly as he looked over on the paper.
oh he drawled. 81 thought you had
a fit" His glance fell on some bold
headlines having to do with a fashion
able debutante. "Oh. a woman. of
course who is she ~
Bennett did not answer and Marcy,
having finished his lunch, was Obliged
| to hurry away on an errand.
you look absent-minded,s he said
as he left Maybe you tasted some
thing in that hash that missed"
Bennett was not long in following
his wiry friend out of. the restaurant,
though with slower steps. He had an
lerrand at his boarding house before
he could return to the Office for the
afternoon. -
| He was In no hurry. The news had
taken the spirit from him. He wished
now that he had remain ed in the West
| with his father instead of bringing his
| in the hope of building up business
for himself.
| In his room he paced the floor rest
lessly with hands behind his back.
Finally he stopped, before hanging
pencil sketch of q tall girl in dress
that may have been gray and a big
hat.
| what would you do ?" he inquired,
standing in the attitude OF a suppliant
| before his queen.
Bennett hadn't the remotest idea
who the girl was although he had
made the sketch with considerable
ability and a great deal of interest. A
summer vacation in Maine. A tall girl
in difficulty on the rocks with the tide
rising. Bennett to the rescue. A smile
themselves and their tone on his MEM
DRY. Separation. Next day round or
the hotels to find the girl. Futility;
girl gone That had been his romance.
| Bennett had never been able to IND
| any one who could remember the girl
from his descriptions; and yet his per-
sonally sketched drawing showed that
he could describe.
| He had hung his drawing and had
| worked hard. Some day he would
find her and meantime he would make
himself higher, better and a richer
man.
what would you do?" he asked
again. And he seemed to have his
answer, for he bowed low. It was two
years now since the seashore incident
| Down in the office he found a letter
waiting. 1t was from his father-in
ECanada! Bennett had fought against
/ the idea that his father could have
.ldone any wrong aaldt was really q fu-
! gitive = Now he shook his head
| The old gentleman said nothing
about business. The burden of his let
ter was that he lay i'll in bed in the
| faraway country.
"I,1I be getting along up there to
brace the old man. the old mans
athletic son affectionately unused, with
a vision in his heart of the broken
and depressed fugitive. HE used to
put his arm around me when the
| world went against me. He used to
pay for the window panes broke
Now it is my turn to stand by him
| There passed across Benefits mem
orv the recollection Of a poem he had
recently read. In the firss verse a
father sailed the boat while his little
son sat securely on the lee; in the
second it was the stalwart son who
sailed the old father on the lee. Ben
nett nodded his understa nding of 1t.
| The newspaper told him that How
ellis and Weston were the eastern cred
itors in the many-thousand-dolla
Ismash-up. Bennett called up their Of
ffces in the late afternoon. Mr.. Weston
was out of town; Mr.. Howells had just
| gone home. Bennett made an appoint
Iment to see the senior member at once,
before he started toward Canada
On his way up town Bennett ran
across Marcy.
|
briskly, "you look as grave as a tomb
Istone. Have you got a funeral to at
i tend or are you looking for place to
have another of those f1ts?"
Bennett did not stor to explain.
Marcy was welcome to the unhappy
it.
In Mr.. Howells, Bennett found a
| courteous gentleman of middle life.
His rich surroundings simply en-
lphasized in Benefits mind his own
fathers poverty.
Il Anyway" he promised himself, eff
dad is wrecked he and will hang
together and paddle through life some
how on the wreckage."
} The business with Mr.. .Howel1s was
quickly stated. Bennett wanted to set
forth the extent of his own resources
and to place them at the disposal of
his fathers creditors.
Mr. Howells looked at him over
! kindly spectacles. II lost a son years
ago." he unused, gravely. He would
have been about your build now. I
should think, I'm wondering whether
he would have done for me what you
are doing for your father"
Bennett could offer no opinion. The
merchant looked him over carefully
land continued:
However, you give yourself needless
anxiety. Your father is our western
4 agent The smash-up was an invest
Iment which he placed fer us-which
: The warned us against. too. We can
afford to lose the money and learn our
} lesson
Bennett was ready to kick up his
? heels with a wild joy. His fathers alb
{ isence in Canada had nothing whatever
r to do with irregularity of business
Furthermore he had just telegraphed
Mr.. Howells that in view of the dis
aster he was well enough to try and
start for home. Bennett had no need
Ito make the trip. He accepted an in
I lvitation to stay for dinner.
A servant came in to tell the mer-
: chant that his automobile was ready
, Mr.. Howells apologized for a hast,
errand. He had come home from ths
office with a wrong paper and mus
e go for the right one in person.