The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-28
THE EVENING STORY
A Case of Apliasia.
(By Claudine Sisson ]

(By Claudine Sisson.)
There were men in his club and
about town who envied Mr.. David
Chester for his serenity. They might
also have envfed his good looks and
his wealth and his opportunities for
travel, but they spoke only of the
serenity. He wasn't biase. He was
simply serene-always the same
never put out-never losing his half
close to his ear. but he did not jump.
There had been fires in his hotel. but
he waited to arrange his necktie before
descending the stairs through the
smoke.
Mr.. Chester himself knew that he
was serene. He never entered a theater
without being prepared for the cry of
ire, and he never rode in a taxi that
he wasn't prepared for a collision. He
was serene when a cop took him for
burglar, and he was serene when a
burglar flashed a light into his wink
| ing eyes at midnight and warned him
against any oratory. He had counted
on those things happening and pre-
pared himself for them.
| There was one thing, however, for
which Mr.. Chester had not prepared
himself, and he lost his serenity when
| 1t came. It happened while he was
taking most prosaic railroad trip.
His mother lived thirty miles from
l
weeks stay. He knew the depot
| couldn't very well collapse, and the
chances Of the train leaving the rails
could be figured as one IN d hundred.
At the end of his little journey a car
| rage would be waiting, and he could
take the risk of the driver being drunk
and the horses running away.
Therefore, 1t was with his wonted
serenity that Mr.. Chester took his
seat in a chaircar and opened a maya
h He.I l. ~I-A = L.
realized that good-1ooking young wo-
man occupied the chair on his right,
but he was not interested. He had
preserved his serenity when other men
raved. There was man with red
nose in the chair on his left, but he
was not a, disturbing element. He was
in the shirt waist business and he was
trying to design something new.
Mr.. Chester had become fairly in
terested in his reading when it &C.
Cured to him that the young lady was
undu1y excited. She was opening and
shutting her purse-searchfng her reti-
cHle-Iooking about on the floor and
talking to herself. Had she lost her
ticket? No. The conductor had taken
| that up. One of her rings, or a coin,
perhaps? No again. She was looking
out of the window as if anxious to
recognize the landscape.
Mr.. Chester's eyes left his book and
rested on her. To his surprise, she
showed anxiety, If not fear, and her
cheeks had lost their color. There was
no disturbance of serenity, but just
mild surprise.
sOh, sir!'' exclaimed the girl, whose
age was not more than twenty, please
l-pleaSe-''
what, madam? What have you
Iost?"
"Why-why, don't know who I
am? Please tell me!'
| do you mean that you have sud
denly lost your memory
Eyes, yes, do! It has gone from
me in the last five minutes! oh. what
shall I do?"
said Mr. Chester as his serenity got a
shock. eff you keep quiet for five
minutes all may be well. It's q case of
what they call aphasia and memory
sometimes returns very quickly"
But can't you tell me who I am y
"Not Just this minute. Let's try
and reason it out. Have you no cards
in your purse?''
| ttNo-none."
ST should say you came to the city
to shop"
ct must have, as here are some
knickknacks I bought"
"You were all right when you took
the train ?''
| II think so, though it seems a year
ago."
t'You must live down the line some
where. Can't you think of the name
of your station? I will read from the
timetable. Here is Collins. Rosedale,
winthrop. Gainesville. Templar, Lam
caster
"I think it's Lancaster" she inter-
rupted, "but I am not sure. Oh. it
father-if mother were here! Why,
they'll put me in an insane asylum II
IL can't remember who I am. won't
Ethey?"
anyone in the car ~
"No!' with trembling lip.
Nov, don't be frightened. Can you
rem mber the depot building"
/ ''It's-it's got the name spelled out
in flowers on the lawn" she answered
after moments thought.
j "Good! That's Lancaster for sure.
was down here when they were laying
out the letters / get OF at the next
station beyond"
"But you won't leave me. will you 2"
she pleaded as her eyes filled with
tears. you'll get off at Lancaster and
take me home don't know anyone
but you. you see!"
How about serenity now! Mr.. Ches-
tier actually blushed and had the
i fidgets He looked around the car,
but there were few passengers. and
he saw none that looked as II ne might
become interested.
ssWhy-why. yes, of counsel" he re-
piled, stammering for the first time in
his life. tits the next station but one
and I'll get off with YOU I think your
memory will come back as you look on
familiar objects"
"And If it doesn't whats to become
of me?''
TT don't know exactly, but let us
wait No more tears. now. We are
sure to find some one who knows you
did you ever lose your memory
!. asked the girl after a long minute.
II Twenty times over and it always
came back" he bravely hbbed.
s"Then I guess mine will. I'm so glad
we happened to be on the. train to-
| Egether. I was so frightened at first
THAT thought of running out and