The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-28

| them had acted precipitately and fool
ishly, and that the student had finish
crawfish. but she left an opening
for Dick. She wasn't going to
town that day, and seeing Farmer
Collins. their nearest neighbor, hitch
| ing up his team, she stamped her let.
ter and ran over to him and asked
him please to drop it in the postomce
when he got to town.
"I'n do it, gall" was his hearty re-
ply: ITO Dick Re BED .s emf a1ad p Wbsn 3
I heard of the match. Oh, yes III
mail your letter.
And then-he didn't. He carried it
in the breast pocket of his coat ana
never thought of it again. Miss Min
ME looked for Dick that evening. but
she looked in vain. The same next
day and evening-the same for week
Then she was both repentant and in
dignant. In her repentance she wept
and in her anger she cried out:
"I was a fool to give him chance
to snub mel Dick Redfern can just
go to grass!"
And as that letter hadn't reached
Dick he was heaving signs and call
ing himself an idiot at the same time.
At the end of ten days both lovers
heard some interesting news. GOSSIP
had it that the engagement was on,
and that Dick was to marry Susie
Tompkins and Miss Minnie had prom
was nothing in it but gossip, but IL
made two people very uncomfortable.
Both would deny the report about
themselves, but not about the other
With little more announcement gos-
sip went so far as to set the wedding
days and prepare the bridal outfits. The
old love was surely off in everybody
opinion.
Then came a day when Farmer Col
Inns took down his best coat again TO
hunt through the pockets in hopes OF
finding some tobacco for his pipe. Ali
of a sudden his good wife heard him
call out:
wall now, by heck!"
Joshua, what you swearing for?
was asked.
"Pm an old fool!''
That's no news"
ct orter be kicked by a dozen cows"
you may get it If you live long
nuff.''
1.-TWO or three weeks ago, Minnie
Baines asked me to mail a letter In
town for her. Here it is. I forgot
all about it,"
''Who's it writ to-"
'Dick Redfern.''
my starsl Joshua Collins, you have
surely cut a dog in two! AS I under
stand it, they had a little spat about
a hired man, and Dick got on his high
horse. After a week Minnie wrote
Indt letter 10 make up. LICK HoNOA
got it, and now they are both going to
marry some one else!"
by heck and by hen!'
Swearing won't do any good. You
have ruined two livesv'
'Here-gimme the letter." he ex-
claimed as he snatched for it,; and next
minute he was out of the door and
running for the widows house Miss
Minnie sat on the veranda alone, and
he held up the letter and said:
'T forgot to mail It'll"
ooh, Uncle Josh" she moaned.
Eyes, went right past the postoffice
twice, and like the old fool I am, I
clean forgot"
I'm so sorry
would that ere letter have made
up the fuss between your
II think So"
Then give it here"
But, Uncle josh
Gimme the letter. $3.50 . es5'-27' ''s '71
With it in his hand he ran for the
barnyard, and five minutes later was
speeding towards the village on the
bare back of his old mare Six miles
there and six back. He made it in a
little over an hour, and brought with
him word that Dick Redfern would be
out within half an hour. Dick came
and joy and happiness were shedding
their radiance around like a 25-cent
electric mantel when in walked JJncIa
Josh to say:
Them twelve miles ON the galIun
was too much for Sally and she's dead.
She was twenty-four years old how
ever, and I'm an old fool, and if Won
two folks make up and git married
your taters shan't cost you a cent for
the next ear:"-(Copyrighted, 1912,