The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-31
THE EVENING STORY
A Tro1ley-Car Wedding.
(By Emma Libbey.)


and make a playhouse for the kid
dies. You know it is very dear to me"
/ Seeing the look of surprise in my
| face, Jimmy, one of the two conduc-
tors our little trolley. line employed,
explained himself.
ct forgot, Mr.. Barton, that you had
| been super of this road only two years.
have been on it for ten and I hope
it will be many years more before I
am through pulling the bell. But do
you think I can get the old carr?
Realizing that Jimmy could tell me
tale that might pass away a tedious
hour in the evening, I bargained:
Sure, Jimmy. 1 can fix it so you can
to use it for tool shed. Run into
the office between trips tonight and
tell me what makes the old car so
dear to you and we will call it pay
ment.''
With a smiling nod and thank
you," Jimmy swung up the road to
the pleasant little home where
glad eyed wife and two little ones
were eagerly awaiting him.
That evening, in the long wait be-
fore the night trip from the beach,
the story came.
There was very little to it, Mr..
Barton, but it was my salvation. I
was twenty years old when 1 first
pulled the bell cord here. l had been
expelled from college, and during two
years OF a rowing lie IHtI L leu dIlCl
that, my mother died and 1 had no
ties to bind me to any spot.
1T dropped down to the little beach
here on a lobster smack, and the
quietness of the place appealed to
me. When learned that a conductor
was wanted I grabbed at the chance
to pull in two dollars a day.
THE five-mile trip through the
pine woods satisfied me for a year.
and then the old restlessness returned
and 1 found myself ready to jump at
the first temptation that presented
itself.
about that time little Ellen came.
She lived with Bill Jonson and his
wife, sIatternly appearing couple,
who lived in little three-room house
from hand to mouth. the husband dos
ing just work enough to keep starva-
ton away.
ELLEN was a bright-eyed, fifteen
year old lass when she first came, al
though she appeared even younger.
She took my fancy at once, and when
she asked me to tell. her where JON
sons place was 1 took special care OF
her. During a few minutes talk on
the long trip she told me that her par
ents were dead and that Bill Jonson
was her guardian until she was 1S
years of age.
'sShe was a willing little thing. and
even the rough life at her new home
morning she rode to high school on
my car. and her prattle proved the tie
that made me decide to stick to my
job.
"As the months sped by I found |
myself feeling lonesome when she |
skipped a day in riding. Nearly two !
years had passed when / suddenly |
realized that Ellen was a sweet young
woman, and that 1 was unwitt1ngly |
glad to discover that the child had
grown up.
During the next few months I saw
less than ever of her, but could see
that she was becoming thin and sad
faced. One morning I asked her II
she was feeling sick and tears filled
her eyes as she confessed to me that
she was in trouble. 1t took but little
coaxing to get the story from her.
Her father had left a foolish Will,
leaving his little property to her. pro
vided that she married before she was
eighteen. If she did not marry by
that time the money would go to his
brother, Bill Jonson. She would then
be dependent on his charity, ana IN
a drunken moment he had told her
that they proposed to leave town as
soon as he had the money in his pos
session, and would leave her to SHIFT
for herself.
s.I promised to think the matter
over and give her my advice when
she returned in the afternoon. Dur
ng the next trip I nerved myself TO a
and when she stepped on
he car in the afternoon I knew that
life without her would be miserable
1ne for me. ~
.ar when I sat down beside her, and
N the few minutes left me told her
If NV love and asked her to marry
ne and outwit her uncle. To my sur
rise she smiled and softly whispered
hat she had been waiting for over a
ear to hear me ask that question.
at took out my license. the next day
md in some manner the fact reached !
-onson's ear AS passed her house
With Jonson after her. She swung :
m aboard before the car stopped and ,
70 was left behind, swearing Justify.
seHer uncle had locked her in her 7
oorn. hoping to hold her until her
,ir+bday had passed, but she had
,,mped out of her window, and now
! was up to me to do something. l..
.sParson Goodyear, who was fond +.
f the girl, came to me and learned
he story, and his quick wit solved :
he matter. Looking at my license
q turned to Ellen and said, DO you'll :
AXE this man to be your husband?'
whispered Yes set my heart tic
hrobbing, and a moment later / re-
lized that I had said some words, :
nd the good parson was solemnly say :
no What God hath Joined together n
Il not man put asunder.' h
s"That evening Jonson came to get :
Is niece, but when he found she was =
~ wife, he gave up his efforts anu r
pom left the town Ellen used her d
loney to buy the little home, and her
we and the Riddles that have come !,
lake me feel that this job and NV q
amy home satisfy my ambition tT