The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-19
THE EVENING STORY
Uncle Johns Sense of Humor.
(By Ruby Baughman.)

| the Los Angeles chamber of comm cree
behind her two prosaic kin-folks. Like
the humming drone of his own thresh-
ling machine. Uncle John prosed over
! silly statistics and poky- processes. She
was haif-gigglingly commenting, to
herself as she tagged dogsed1y along
after Aunt ELIAS ampiy- constructed,
black broad-clothed form, that Uncle
John ought to be prosecuted for big
gamy, on the ground that he had two
| times as much wife as he had when he
first married, when she discovered two
grey eyes, under a broad hat brfm, an
swering her chuckles with wrinkly
twingles.
| The naughty disdain which she duti-
fully tried to spread over her amuse-
nent fell before the good-natured ap-1
probation of her need of a relief ex-
| petition. She bowed, tentatively and
lreservedly. The hat lifted in most
dignified acknowledgment and its
towner advanced, holding out his right
hand. Margaret placed her brown
glove within his reach. with the af-
frmation:
| IT am very glad to meet you here,
very glad to see you again." in an
swer to Aunt sEliza's backward look
| of inquiry. The aunt's exclamation at
tracted the attention of Uncle John.
| Margaret led her new-found friend
Eup to her guardians.
81 am glad to introduce to you a
livery old friend from Iowa. This is my
uncle and aunt, with whom I am
spending my summer vacation. Mr..
Livingston
| Aunt Eliza only exclaimed again
aloud, and started to say that which
Uncle John interrupted by an en-
phatic wave of his big capable-looking
arm.
ST am delighted to know you, Mr..
Livingston; delighted to know you
Then taking an observation of the
young mans evident intention to fall
back in step with the niece, he reached
forward firmly for the young mans
arm, pulling him into step.
| eff you are from the middle west,
most of our agricultural processes and
products will be new and interesting to
Iyou. Now, here is and beginning
with a peroration about prunes, based
on the huge elephant constructed out
rided boarding house favorite-a
frightful, wobbly-kneed example of
iwhat industry, coupled with violence
of imagination, energetically misdi-
ERECTED, can perpetrate-Uncle John led
him by dried-fruit-bound paths into
the mysteries of California farming.
Silently, not to say patiently or re-
Isentfully, Margaret walked along with
Aunt Eliza. What profit from her
ltransgression If it not only furnished
no escape for her, but even afforded
a new sacrifice upon the altar of Uncle
Johns zeal for acquiring and impart-
ling information. PiIoted by Uncle
John, the humorless, the quartet stop
Iped before a model fruit farm. worked
Iout in papier mache.
This ranch, Margaret, which is here
Reproduced, belongs to your aunt's
nephew, Jack Jenkins. I have asked
him to take dinner with US at the hotel
tonight and you will meet him there
He's a good chap, never caught him
in a false position but once, and then
I think the fault was not altogether
his 1
The young man, with longing looks
toward Margaret. showed signs of
breaking away from her uncle's re-
straining grasp.
"Al he needs is a housekeeper-a
wife, mean, home-maker, like your
Aunt Eliza's been to me-" droned
Uncle John, stating that romantic sit
uation as one might speak of the num-
. Der of seeds in prune elephant. But
he is not much for women folks He
says it takes him six days to figure out
what a woman means by what she
says and by that time he's forgotten
what it was she said"
II The man with the sombrero flushed
with shame over this account of so
lunappreciative member of his sex.
Perhaps he never met the one wo-
man." he hesitatingly offered in ex-
Etenuation.
} Maybe" answered the guide of this
sense enough about other things. Now
that raisin plant is modelled after one
of his
Margaret Jagged farther and far
Their behind out of hearing.
| An alley, lined with golden pyra-
mids of oranges, opened before her.
. Mr.. Livingston might listen until
nightfall or hoarseness silenced Uncle
,. John; she escaped and found refuge
from the situation, if not from herself,
in her quiet hotel room.
Refreshed by bath and fortified by
a fresh gown she awaited the arrival
of her uncle and aunt. Uncle John
came into the parlor excftedly discus
Sing the probability of finding her here
as he opened the door.
Margaret murmured something
labout having stepped into a side aisle
to look at some very beautiful prunes
and thus losing her way. Uncle John
assured her of his regret. Aunt Eliza
comfortable, almost embarrassed.
''Mr. Livingston is stopping here,
ltoo, so he'll take dinner with US" ex-
lplained Uncle John. as they departed
to make ready for that meal.
Wondering how it would all end she
made her way with her chattering rel
atives to the table in the small dining
room. She was grateful for the chill
ling presence of a black and white au-
tomaton of a waiter. He seemed, in
some way, a means of postponement OF
1.-The moment of judgment.
"And what time do you put the corn
icrop usually?" she heard Uncle John
lsay With unbelieving ears she heard
the answer.
ooh, at the end of the rainy season
lin February or March, as a rule
IoWa's rainy season, in march, Mar
garet gasped in anticipation of Uncle
Johns scathing remarks. Uncle John
had spent his boyhood on an Iowa
Il L l. ErTr& Inr
"I didn't suppose the ground would
be ready to work so early in the
Ispring.''
ssoh yes. it's muddy sometimes. and