The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-23
THE EVENING STORY
Wisdom of Fools.

81 (By James William Jackson.)
The chief clerk was about to take his
tenth annual vacation. In ten years
he had risen from office boy. eliminat-
ed the last bit of hayseed 1rom his hair
and discarded jeans trousers.
81 suppose, Marshall" the junior
member laughed, sit will be two weeks
for you of making daisy chains with
the milkmaid back home. eh?''
mot in August" Marshall gently
deprecated, wondering whether his
chief had any idea of the proper
month for picking daisies.
$50 ?" The firm member obtusely
missed the point. Maid have her va
cation then2 Should think the cows
would have to be MIXED just the
same
Marshall had spent nine of his vaca-
tons satisfactorily back in Greenville-
This year he had plans for a bit of
fashionable sea-shore life, AUTOMOBILE
ing, gay friends. Colonel Hanscom's
daughter, dashing lady, had helped
to persuade him.
He was hardly comfortable in the
decision, however. His mother would
be disappointed.
Salving his conscience he nervously
tip-tapped his pencil and preached the
business which had brought him to the
among the clerks somewhere; Marshall
had his definite suspicious and now
outlined a plan of having the cashier
at the bank accidentally put an extra
fifty dollar bill in the package of pay
day money, for trap
On the way out of tbs Office he met
Thompson, the suspected clerk.
GOOD morning, Mr.. Marshall" the
boy greeted. It suppose this time Fri
day you'll be gee-hawing the cows out
to pasture"
Marshall nodded good-naturedly His
eyes narrowed ominously and he shook
his head regretfulIy. Thompson was
late. There was no doubt that he lived
an unhealthful life and was getting
morally twisted.
Thompson attended his customary duty
of filling the pay envelopes Marshall
dreamily fancied himself on his vaca-
ton. Miss Hanscom was undoubtedly
interested in him. She was the open
sesame to a coterie of wel1-to-do and
lively friends. And Marshall was pros
pering. He had some money saved. A
partnership was looming Up.
Miss Hooper looked up from her
typewriting to remind him Of the
Greenville on which he was turning his
back. ct hope you'll think of some
way of raising our salaries while you
pick cherries this vacation Mr.. Mar
SHALL"
marshall DOW6Q Win a passing
wonder that she didn't know cherries
were over by August. Then Thompson
came to his desk and reported that
there was fifty dollars too much in the
money package. The ruse had failed;
the matter was pigeon-holed until after
Marshall should return.
Whils MarshalPs thoughts again
futtered truantly from business to
sandy beaches and pleasure, touching
lightly en- route at Granville, unin-
vited comparisons ranged themselves.
Bashful ten years ago, he was now
self-possessed and somewha. polished.
Broadway now was more naturaI-he
thought-than fields, whispering trees
and country things that peep at night.
Ten years ago Mary Garvis, with
plain face, big mouth and kitchen lore
had been to him an epitone of wom-
anly charm. But times were different;
and so was Miss Hanscom. There is a
difference between diamond cut and
uncut.
His imaginings had extended from
the Office to the dinner table where he
was reused from reverie. "Son, I
reckon Wen ple-ough the se-outh
meadow tomorrow mornin'." The /
voice at the other end of the table was
atrocious in its affected country accent.
"All right, Pap Marshall agreed,
genialIy. Then he added, with a sig
nificant glance at the bald head of the
speaker; 'Fbut 1 was thinkin' some that
the uplands ought to be seeded down."
Under cover of that he escaped to
his room and sat down to write ex-
planning his intended change in vaca-
ton.
His thought shunted while he sat
with poised pen and medTative air. He
da1lied again with comparisons of
Greenville fire-f1ies and Broadway
lights, Mary Garvis and the luxury
fringed Miss Hanscom.
There was a favorite picture on the
table before him. Mary Garvis had
snapped view of his mother in the
buggy, Marshall tucked it in behind
another picture and then fetched it
right out again. 1t didn't strike him
right to relegate his mothers face to
such oblivion.
Immersed in his letter at last he
was surprised by a knock. Young
Thompson was there. Invited in he
graveIy took his seat on the edge Of a
chair and turned his hat rim through
nervous fingers. Once be started to
speak and failed Trying again with
out success the color mounted heavily
to his face.
IT had a chance to steal fifty dollars
this morning" he finally blurted out.
az didn't take it. but
Then Marshall listened while the
boy told a tale Of populations. It was
a tale of wanting better clothes. the
theatre, restaurants. He had lied about
being promoted and spent money to
prove the lie. Marshall remembered
the boys proud mother ana shook his
head
aAnd now he queried, gently kind,
while the boy studied the floor
Now I'm going to back up!,
Thompson vehemently. declared. 'sI'll
take what's coming to me and start
over My mother Will stand by me
and-maybe;- there used to be girl,
you see. I wish to glory never had
got the notion she was too plain and