The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-01
TIE EVENING STORY
To Meet a Young Lady.
lRv IaWrence Alfred ClaN.)


Booth Adams was in Europe when
his widowed mother bought her coun-
try place, and about al. she wrote
him in regard to it was the price paid
and the fact that it was four miles
from the village of Smithtown. Two
months later. when he returned to the
States and wrote his mother that he
would motor down on a certain date,
his sister Kate answered the letter
Her information was a little more
particular. She wrote:
Its a lovely place and you will be
charmed with it. Stop at the railroad
station in Smithtown to meet young
lady who is to visit me-"
Until the young man was gliding
over the turnpike on his thirty mile
run he was calm Then he began to
think of the young lady he was TO
when he arrived? Was she coming
down from the city on che of the six
trains a day? Which particular one?
What was her name? Would she be
expecting to be met? When a young
man is asked to meet d young lady
there should be some little points ne
should be posted on.
Mr. Adams had started at an early
hour in the morning. The young
lady might not start until late hour
in the afternoon. There might be two
ladies there to be met, and it was on
Even if there were only one young
lady she might ask him to identify
himself before taking four-mlle
trip in his company. What seemed
a mere trif1e at first began to grow IN
bulk.
A train had just left passengers at
Smithtown and rolled Oh when Mr..
Adams naotored up. There was a lat
man walking up and down the plat
form: there was tall. lean woman
sitting on a long, thin trunk; there
was Young woman looking out OF
the depot door and tapping her foot
in an impatient way. She was good
looking young woman and wore
fashionable travelling suit. she was
Just such a young person as sister Kate
would invite down to spend month.
She gave a start as she saw the auto
and then came forward. Mr.. Adams
was about to raise his cap and intro
duce himself and mention sister Kate
when the young lady said:
That's my trunk over there I have
been here two long hours Didnt they
know by what train 1 was coming
II don't know"
some mistake som eNhere. do
hate waiting around an cid depot III
sit with you. Sure you got the right
trunk?"
"Oh. yes"
well, move along. then"
There were no less than three roads
leading away from the depot. Mr..
Adams didn't know which to take, and
he didn't believe the girl had ever
been there before. but it came over
him to keep to the right, and away
he went No objections were made,
but after two or three minutes he was
asked:
you are used to autos. are you?"
Fairly So"
Il met with an accident through an
incompetent chauffeur, and l don'e
want another. It's pity that so many
of them drink
Yes, it is
"Are there many guests at the
house?"
81 don't think there are any as yet
| Mr.. Adams hadn't been quite salts
| fed about the young lady, and now
he was sure that there was a mistake
1t was time to ask questions and set
tie doubts. but before he could begin.
| the auto struck a stone and skidded-
/ 1t did not get away from him, but it
frightened his passenger, and she
screamed cut and exclaimed:
you must have been drinking!
Not a drop, miss
"Then you are not competent
driver I wish I had started out and
walked"
Mr. Adams was very red in the face
and very much perturbed, but the mo-
ment for explanation had passed. He
proceeded with the utmost care. but
this was not a turnpike. 1t was a
farmers road. Despite the chauffeur's
vigilance there were BUMPS and jumps,
/ and at each one came a reprimand
from the girl. At length she said:
Il am simply afraid of my lifel
That must be the house yonder and I
will walk the rest of the way
But Miss began Mr.. Adams,
when he was cut short with:
Il don't care to get smashed up
again, and so I will walk"
It was an awful cut or Mr.. Adams,
but he had to stand it. Fl must land
the trunk, if not the girl, and so he
stopped and pretended to tinker at
| the machine until he saw her reach
the house ahead. Then he went for
ward with a dash and deposited the
trunk inside the gate and fed for his
life Two miles farther on a farmer
told him that he would nave to make
circuit of eight miles to get back
to the depot In making the circle
the auto got stuck in a mudhole and
| it baked at a hill. and for half an
hour a farmer with load of hay re-
fused to give half the road.
When the depot was reached the
only one in sight was the agent, and
there was a grin on hiS face as ne
said:
Carried off the wrong one. didn't
you?"
II sure did,
The other one came down on the