The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-18
THE EVENING STORY
Mr.. Manton's Method.
(By Claudine sisson.)


ton. bachelor. He had the fortune left
by an aunt-he had very few worries
he was a bachelor with no thought of
marriage-he had no fads to keep him
awake at night.
Mr.. Manton could have spared the
money to build three or four free libra
rieS, but he didn't build them. In a
vague way he realized that the world
ought to be made better, but he knew
that 1t was sure thing the first man
he reproved for profanity would hit
him on the jaw. The poor suffered for
Ice IN summer and for coal in winter;
but the rich suffered from imposters
thieves and burglars the year round,
and that appeared to be an Offset.
He had only to glance over his
very wicked world. 1t ought to be SO,
however. to furnish a contrast to
Heaven. If the world were good
enough then what would become Of
the arguments of priests and min
listers?
One summer afternoon Mr.. Manton
lay down on the lounge for a nap. He
knew that thousands of the men
around him couldn't indulge in this
luxury and earn their bread at the
same time, but in a sleepy way he re-
fiected that those thousands had their
glasses of beer every night, while he
positively disliked the liquid. He had
slept for an hour when he quietly
1t was a ragged girl of fifteen. She
was down on her knees rifling a bu-
reau.
IF you knocked or rang 1 didn't
hear you" he said as he sat up
The girl rose up and looked him in
the eyes for half a minute.
1T was over the roofs and through
the window for me. You were sleep
ing so nicely I thought I wouldn't
wake you up. What are you going to
do with me?"
Nothing"
But I'm caught with the goods on.'
Looks like it, but when the ice man,
the coal man and the shoemaker are
grating on me why should I make an
example of you? The other day some
one stuck me with a bogus half-dollar.
Did throw it into the ash can? No,
ma'am! I went half a mile out of my
way to buy cigarettes and work that
coin off on the tobacconist. I'm what
they call an honest man, and yet 1 did
that"
''Then it amt the coop for me %
asked the girl.
mot at all. That would simply be
one more person behind the bars, and
what would that amount to? I'm not
even going to ask you to be good. TO
get into that window you must have
incurred q big risk shall let YOU
out by the door. If my iandlady sees
you she will raise a great howl because
I let you go. but the other day I left a
dollar on the rug to test her honesty
and she pocketed it,
Would you mind If I fell in love
with you?'' asked the girl after a long
silence. my name is Janet, and
have never met man like you. We
can't get married. of course, but
should like to be in love to see how it
seems
''Then go right ahead. You are en-
titled to your romance as much as any
other woman"
Thanks. I'm sorry l was going to
rob you.''
mot at all. Do you find any of the
trusts apologizing?"
Ct most think I Will give UP steal
might think it over, but don't act
on impulse. That is, don't give up
stealing and turn to something worse,
as many reformers have done. Tell
you what you might do, though, TO
make the old town assume a more ar
tistic look. You might wash your face
and comb your hair and sew up some
or the rents in your wardrobe. And
now I think will bow you out
AS he held the door open for her to
pass out she was smoothing back her
tangled hair and showing more shame
than when caught plundering- The re-
buke had hurt.
Almost every morning Mr.. Manton
had a stroll. During an evening he
sometimes sauntered through the ten
ement streets. On a certain evening as
he sauntered he was hit across the
back of the neck with a sand-bag and
went down. When he recovered con-
sciousness he was in a bare room.
hands and feet tied, and a couple of
hard-looking men waiting for the
event. They had gone through him,
but that was a mere trif1e. They
wanted five thousand dollars to give
him his liberty. Mr.. Manton didn't
rage 1t was a straight business propo-
sition- Only that day he had read Of
thirteen members of the Ohio Legisla-
ture being arrested for Offering to sell
themselves Was this crime worse
He didn't charge that it was. He sim
ply refused to buy himself at the sum
named.
The kidnappers were not cruel men,
They simply wanted their money. They