The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-24
TEE EVENING o
Clam Chowder.
(By Temple Bailey.)

frugally in summer to pay his win
ter's expenses at college. AS soon as
the school year closed, Tommy was
off for parts unknown, and it would
have interested his friends nightly
if they could have seen him living
like Robinson Crusoe on an island off
the coast of Maine, catching his own
fish, setting his own lobster pots,
| planting vegetables in a tiny garden
and making chowder out of a handful
of CLAIMS, two potatoes and an onion.
That the result of the last named
recipe. was appetizing was proved by
the fact that four people landing on
the beach from a motor boat shifted
with appreciation.
"It's a clambake," said the young
est of the crowd, a girl in a white
serge suit with a short blue REFER.
"Oh, I'm so glad, for L am starved"
Further progress showed a fire
with a small iron pot set over the
Goals. A savory steam rose from
the pot.
But there isn't much of it," said
Who's beeen eating my soup?"
quoted a gay voice, and around the
corner of a sand hill came Tommy.
"Oh," said the four intruders, star
4AAos AIN "SAA NAASJ 60o4S AOA
while Tommy we'd like Robinson
Crusoe, he wore a snowy white MILDLY
blouse and white trousers, his fair
hair was brushed up from the fore
head and shone in the sunlight and
his strong young figure showed the
effect of good training and outdoor
sports.
I'VE don't mean to intrude." said
the oldest lady of the crowd, but we
are exploring the islands,; we didn't
know this one was inhabited"
"And there's something the matter
with our boat" said the girl in the
don't know how to fix it."
Delighted" said o Tommy.
"But 1 hope you're not keen for
chowder. There's only a taste. You
see. I cook for one; but such as it is.
He busted himself in serving the
simple meal. And while he worked
he listened n girls name, he dis
covered, was Helena.
Tommy's blood was blue; so blue
that it had taken great fortunes to
live up to the family name, and poor
Tommy was the last-with an in
heritance only of a sense of humor
and a signet ring.
The ring gave him away, for the
girl glanced at it, as he filed a little
blue bowl with chowder and passed it
to her.
why" she said, Jean Dewitt has
"She's my cousin" said Tommy.
The others at once became gra-
cious. The Dewitts were not to be
ignored. o,
said the Oldest dame, whose name
Tommy nodded: It's great" he
said; IF you sI Will fsh stay ayd f 6ak s1p per
tatoes, and there's some lettuce left In
my garden"
Now. Tommy issued this invitation,
not because of Mrs. Griggs and her
kind, but for the sake OF the girl IN
the blue REFER ,.
wen stay" said the girl. eff
you'll fix our boat" \
All that afternoon Tommy tfnkered
and the gorl watched him while the
three elderly ladies took a nap in
the warm sand.
Then Tommy went out and caught
a fish, and broiled it over the Goals.
he said as he served it. that your boat
isn't mended. and that you viii nave TO
make yourselves comfortable for the
,ut the girl. She flashed a glance at
and he flashed one back, and
then he said to the ladies', graveIy'
st shall be glad to offer you the nos
stops here with provisions. You
leave on that"
Since there was nothing else to be
lone. they consented, and after the
ish was eaten Tommy and the girl
walked down the beach until the stars
out, and they could just see the
ong white line of the breakers against
blackness.
They talked of many things; and
lay awake half the night, Won
Iering how he had believed that life
vas worth living until now.
He slept on the other side of the
;andhill from the tent, and walked at
lawn. After a plunge IN the sea, he
rent forth in his snowy white suit to
ace the sunrise.
The girl was up n came down to
he beach to meet him in the stiffness
the wonderful morning.
THE sea is like a pearl" h whis-
,ered, land the. sky like an OPAL"
Tommy was breathing quickly
here" he said. The boat
early, and before it comes I've
rot something to say to you-some-
hing to say-to you"
She smiled up al him frankly.
Look here" he said, again, you're s
most wonderful thing in the world.
yesterday I was a boy trying to go I
through college and living any old way
n the summer to help meet I
I'm a man, ready to fight life to
he finish to-get you. g
"I haven't a right to ask anything of
,ou, but I'v got to tell o this-that '
you don't find the one man before
can come to you and fight it out with {
rest of them. that you won't COM
promise and take some other fellow E
because you're tired of waiting
or the real thing. Because I'm going l
o be h real thing for your sake. Andis