The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-27
The EVENING STORY


Mr. Clarence Donald mad come
down to The Birches to do a little
winter rabbit hunting. He was %
wears old and was thinking about
the law, medicine, insurance, bank
ing and landscape painting. Also ne
was thinking about girls and rabbits
Thus far in life he had made up his
mind to only one thing-to fall in love
with the first goodlooking girl he met
1t was his brother who was master OF
The Birches and it was his cousin
Clara who welcomed him WITH sort OF
Indian warwhoop, danced jig, and
then exclaimed:
Never since Columbus discovered
America"
.'What?"
Have there been so many rabbits.
Down at the edge of the woods yester-
day I counted over million"
You don't sayr'
And there were millions more I
didn't see We shall shoot and ship
enough to the city to buy new auto"
That will be so NIGEL"
And you are to meet MOllie Parker.
She lives just half a mile away She
is the sweetest, incest girl you ever
saw She doesn't believe in killing rab-
bits, because they are so innocent, but
oh nv she is fierce on chicken thieves!
When she talks about them her eyes
fairly glares. She's had chickens stolen
three times. and she says if she could
him no mercy. She's got a shotgun all
ready for him
There was rabbit hunting. and there
was an Introduction to Miss Mollie
Parker. Both events were quite salts
factory to young Donald All the rab-
bits escaped, and he at once fell in love
with the girl. Rabbits ought to escape,
and girls were created to be loved.
Under certain circumstances. and If
rightly managed, they will also fall IN
love themselves.
At the end of a fortnight Miss Clara
began to giggle. She giggled all one
day and wouldn't explain why.
Next day she chuckled. She wasn't
going to explain that, either. but
Clarence took her out to snow drift
five feet deep and threatened her with
death by suffocation, and she agreed
to be good.
well, you know. want to play a
joke on Mollie,' she said.
s'WsIl. why don't you?' was asked
Il want your help. It's chicken
rs it something to make the hens
1T surely is You and ! will steal
four or five of her chickens and
bring them home here and keep
them for three or four days before
we let her know about it. She'll
think real thief got them, and
you'll see how she'll take on. Why.
when she's mad she's the loveliest thing
you ever saw
80 that's what you've been chuckling
and giggling overt Well won't so
ssWhv. Clarence Donald You won't
pretend to steal chickens to please
mep'
but they may havs a hired man,
and I may be caught"
Yes, they have got one, but he's lame
and deaf and always asleep by S
O'Clock. We are to go at midnight, you
know I've got it all planned out, and I
wouldn't miss it for thousand dol
lars
But hens squawk when you pull
them off the perch, and some one else
may hear"
..Then you are a fraidy If I was a
young man and dasn't go with girl to
steal a few chickens and play joke
alone and clean out the whole roost-"
But I can't see the joke protested |
Clarence.
of course not! That's because
your name is Donald. 1t used TO be
Mcdonald, and you are Scotchman, I
and YOU couldn't see a joke if there /
were a thousand hens in it. I'll tell I
Mollie how thick-headed you are.'
Il didn't say I wouldn't 60 I was /
just making few inquiries, you know. !
You don't think Mollie will be mad at |
me if we take the chickens2a
Mad? Why. she'll just love you /
for IL she IL see dL O14CS L3A1l SOu &c
not Scotch and ca intake a joke. Why. /
it will surely bring about a marriage /
between you" /
IF you think that way?'
.'Of course 1 do
Yes. Miss Mollie Parker had chick
ems. mile away lived a hardwork-
ing, honest colored man, VINO had been
helping himself to potpie at intervals
and escaping suspicion Miss Mellie
also had a shotgun. and knew how to
use it. She had loaded it with bird
shot. and vowed by her ten pink toes
that the next conner should find her
ready for him.
As the henuery was two hundred
feet from the house, and as no girl is
going to sit by an open window all
night on a winters night when she
has a bed awaiting her. there didn't
seem much danger of the hard-work-