The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-28
TIE EVENING STORY
Her Finger Tin.
(By John philip Orth.

When Miss Fayram accepted the invi-
tation Fred was left out of her pro-
gram, except in an indefinite way.
They had met before, and each was
certain that they would never be more
than passable good friends. Fred had
said to himself that the young lady
was a romp, and she had said to her
self that he was a stick.
The two girls did romp. Why not,
when there were hills to slide down,
| skating on the pond, rabbits to hunt
with an old gun that wouldn't shoot
and pony to drive to a cutter? In
| fact, they were giggling and laughing
and romplng from sunrise to a late
hour in the evening, and then plan
ming more giggling and rOmping for
the next day. That stick of Fred
shook his head and told his mother
in private that something awful must
come out of such carvings on, but
was answered with
Nov, don't you get fnicky- Why,
at their ages I was jumping fences
and climbing apple trees. The girl
that never romps is going to be an old
maid"
And then came a winters afternoon
when Fred had to drive his mother
over to the home of a relative miles
away, and he was to return alone in
the evening. He must return to save
the house from destruction by those
break all the windows and wreck the
pony for life before he could get back,
but he would be in time to save the
pieces.
Nothing serious happened during
the afternoon. however. The girls
simply built up a snowman in front
of the gate and buttoned a coat
around his shoulders, and put hat
on his head and club in his hand
Further, they climbed up on the wag-
IN and iu11one6 down in TO a snow
bank It was only after the little
dinner they had by themselves and
night had come that Miss Nellie Fay
ram started with a giggle and ended
with a whoop. An inspiration had
come. A slangy young man would
have said it was a corker. She gig
gled and whooped, and an hour later
the inspiration had become a fact.
Behold two villains lurking beside
the highway SO far as can be made
out they are desl crate men. They
seem to be armed to the teeth. It is
painful to be armed to the teeth, for
you must have bowie knife tied to
your lower jaw, but desperate men
don't mind the pain. 1t is rather
cold, but the villains linger. A giggle
is heard now and then, but it is |
quickly suppressed. This desperate
state of affairs has been going on for
half an hour when the sound of sleigh |
bells is heard.
ut is Fred!'
oh, dear!"
with this thing I'll never speak to you
againl"
Halt! Your money or your life.'
Roger Foster has received his di-
ploma as an NJ. D. and had been lucky /
to make a partnership with an old |
doctor at Shore Acres. He was driv-
ing across the country from Little
Falls in his own rig to begin his du-
ties. In his pocket he had pistol.
No giggling now! Two stern and
blood-thirsty wretches. The sticks
they held pointed at their victim
might have wobbled a little. but the
doctor didn't notice it. He was after
that pistol He wanted to keep both
life and cash. He fully intended to
was discharged and long, wild
shrek followed.
you've shot her! You've shot her!"
exclaimed the voice of a woman as
she jumped up and down in her ex-
citernent.
what? What? What is it? What
sort of joke do you call this?"
That stray bullet had smashed the
end of a finger for Miss Nellie Fay
ram, and she had sunk down on the
snow and was yelling "Ouch!" at the
top of her voice It took DR.. Foster
Just three minutes to take in the sit
uation, and another three to get those
desperate villains to the house, where
the injury could be attended to. He
asked no questions There wasn't any
need of Miss Mollie to sob out that
they were waiting for her brother
Fred, and intended to give him a
scare He was somewhat interested,
however, when she did say:
Doctor, this is Miss Fayram, from
the city We shall both stick to it that
she had her finger pinched in the door.
We want you to do the same"
ssJJni UNI I shall have to call
here several times unless you want
your own family doctor"
"Call as often as you will, but you
have got to fb for US
''Umi Um! 1t was a silly thing to
do.
but we are couple of silly girls
81 might have shot one of you /
dead"
but you did almost kill poor Nell !
lie See how she suffersi If you
don't tell mamma and brother Fred :
that you were passing when I called
you in. and that the door gave her {
finger an awful pinch. then-then
Miss Nellie turned her fearful eyes
to his face, and he smiled and nodded $
his head. He had been gone half an
hour when brother Fred arrived, to (
fine one girl playing the piano SOFT :
and low, and another cuddled up in
4 big easy chair with tied-up finger
held straight out before her, and q
tears still to be seen in her eyes
whats the matter here" he de- t
nanded, as he shifted the fumes of
earbohc acid and arnica left behind I
he doctor.
It was explained that Miss Nellie il
lad Dinched her finger in the door.