The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-20
THE EVENING STORY
1.-THE schoolma'am Girl"
(By MichaeI ]. Porter.l

they reached Chicago, though he was
shy, hard working young man who
had really noticed few women in his
day.
But even Gideon could be pardoned
for looking again at the ''schoolma'am
girl as he quantity nicknamed her.
None but a school teacher would
have that air and that pencil. And she
was so young and so good to look at
that Gideon was reminded of little
girls who played at various games, like
keeping house, and going visiting, and
teaching school. She was a school
teacher; and yet the title wasn't dis
tinctive enough. 1t did not classify
her. She was all girl. too-young and
sweet and happy. So "schoolma'am
girl'' it was.
Gideon. who was going out to ORE
gon to grow apples, saw that the
schoolma'am girl had a ticket much
IKE his oWn-a green one as long as
his arm.
Was she going West, too, maybe to
Oregon? But no; that was impossible
He would lose her at Chicago, where
she would change to one of the other
hundred trains that shuttled away in
every direction.
1t was dark when they rumbled into
the bedlam called Chicago. She SEEM
ed so little and alone and graVe-some
of her bright cheerfulness had depart
ed-that Gideon said a regretful fare
well with his eyes. And she answered
the same way.
Gideon hurried into the sticky mid
summer night, because everyone else
was hurrying; found a modest restau-
rant in the glare and clatter; hurried
through meal and trotted back to the
great station as the uniformed man at
the gate was bawling his train.
He found his tourist sleeper. Half
way down the aisle he paused, despite
\,
eyes wide open and his heart thump-
] ing; for there, comfortably disposed in
her seat, was the schoolma' am girl.
Next morning Gideon and the
schoolma'am girl had spoken to each
other almost before they knew it. BY
noon they had decided to make COM
mon cause against the frightful charg-
es of the dining-car with their united
lunch-boxes. By evening. Gideon had
told her the story of his life, and con-
/ fded that he had twenty-five hundred
dollars with which to buy an apple
| orchard.
The schoolma' am girl was equally
| frank. She told him that her real
name was Serena Blythe, but that all
her friends called her Bun She had
come into a heritage of school teaching
in a New England town at sixteen. She
| had expected to stay there always.
But her fathers health had made a
change imperative, and he and her
mother had gone west the previous
year. Now they had made a home in
northern California and had written
| her to come.
Together Gideon and the school
ma'am girl discovered that Gilesburg,
Oregon, and Evansville, California,
were really not far apart.
why, we shall be neighbors!" said
| Gideon. Il can run over after supper
most any evening"" They both laughed
at this slender joke; but it did seem
cheering that the two little black dots
were separated only by a few score
miles of mountain ranges and rivers.
'Edensville is growing wonderfully"
said the schoolma'am girl, with new
but genuine western enthusiasm for
her own town. Mama says it's half
as large again as when they moved
there. Papa has all the work he can
! do; he is a carpenter, you know, and
carpenters are scarce=so is capital. A
man with some money is sure to make
a success. You could do we'll there"
81 can do well at GiIesburg," return
ed Gideon, sturdily loyal. THE finest
apples in the state are raised in that
district. It's a good shipping point
too"
but see here. what mama says
about q young man from home, who
has only been in Evansville two years.
She unfolded a letter and read:
'Abram Hewitt is doing splendidly.
| He is the only money-lender in town,
and is one of the rich men now. He is
building beautiful home and is very
helpful to your father and me. You
would not know him for the same
Abram- He inquiries every day when
you She broke off abruptly.
Gideon WINGED inwardly. ST would
Mt do as money-1ender," he replied.
too much sympathy for the other fell
| low. I've had TO borrow, myself"
| Constraint fell with that. and Gideon
went to the smoking compartment and
sat himself down, gloomily, in a cor
ner.
"Of course" he chided; 81 might
| have known some rich man would
want her. I'm surprised she ever got
away from New England without being
| married" With that he watched a
vague and delightful dream which had
come into his life in the past forty
eight hours fade as the light Of evening
faded on the distant CONTAINS.
The rich Mr.. Hewitt stalked into
| their conversation and spread himself
around like a. wet blanket frequently
after that. Gideon tried to avoid him,
and so did the schoolma'am girl. But
| he was evidently character not ac-
customed to being ignored. It was
patent to Gideon he had nominated
himself to be the husband of little
Miss Serena and that furthermore. Sc
rena's parents were eager to ratify the
| nomination.
Once. when they were looking over
some of the little girls snapshots they
| came to a man posing under a tree, q
\ man with his hat tilted knowingly
back. unaware that he showed a fore
head from which the hair was reced-
i ing. He had an upcuried, oily-1ook ;ng
/ black mustache. and wore a satisfied
smirk
That's Mr.. Hewitt returned Ser
"why, he's old.p cried Gideon, with
fierce triumph And then he leaned