The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-06-05
TIE EVENING STORY
Her Poet Lover.
B A, Howard).

/ son III the WOElQ, lOI she was ~ 81 VII
Jasper Slappey to the first picnic Of
the year. And you know, mother"
she explained, d~elightedly, that
means that 1 shall be the May queen"
When Ephraim Slappey, the butcher
married CaroIeen Carney, a foreigner
from ireland and member of a ravel-
ing theatrical company, everybody in
Bologee aid that no good would come
of it. Jasper came of 1t, and then the
pretty mismated woman died and
God-fearing man, though rather hard
at driving a bargain, was left with this
queer child or his hands. The little
Jasper grew up in his fathers shop,
a gay. irresponsible child, devoted to
the phlegmatic butcher, but no man
ner of help to him. Once when he was
a tiny boy Ephriam sent him to de-
liver meat to Lawyer Hale and Jasper
fed the chops to a stray cur. Law
yer Hale, he insisted, was fat and we'll
fed, whereas the was starving.
Ephraim demonstrated and Ecolded,
and then forgave his son. He knew
it was no way to bring up a child
he knew that he ought to whip Jas
per, but he could not bring himself
to strike the boy. for Jasper looked
exactly like his mother, Caroleen.
AS Jasper grew older it became the
nope of Ephriam's life to see the sign
"Slappey & Son" above his butcher
shop, yet he could not take the boy
into the business when he refused to
handle raw meat. After much trou-
bled cogitation the butcher decided to
break Jasper forcibly of this squeam-
ishness, so he took him with him to
the slaughter pen. The calf that was
about to be veal was led out, and Jas
par draped himself about the Great
ure's neck. Pocahontas weeping for
John Smith was a mild sight compar-
ed with Jaspar Slappey pleading for
that calf. Ephraim, however, was OBJ
durate, the calf was killed and Jaspar
Foinfad oyyaU The butcher was manic
stricken; he carried the boy home in
his arms, and after that Jaspar had
his own way.
Jaspar's way was to be a poet. the
only poet in Bologee. When anybody
died or was married or was born IN
the town Jaspar g in
their behalf and produced a touching
commentary in verse. Envlous anu
admiring friends had sought many
times to discover how he did it, but
the process, though simple, revealed
nothing. Jaspar would climb to his
fathers hayloft, sit there quietly a
ant of hay intended for the horse
not Pegasus, but old Dobbin-would
evolve a poem. Many aspiring youths
in Bologee sat in lofts and cheWed
hav. but nothing came of 1t, SO every
body knew that Jaspar was a born
poet.
One of Jasper's poems had been writ
ten to Polly On her graduation day,
and she had adored him ever since.
The poem described her as the OK
eyed maiden" and, to Polly, that
seemed wonderfully appropriate from
the butchers son. She told Jasper SO
and he laughed until he nearly fell
out Of his chair, though Polly could not
see why. She could not understand
but she was immensely proud
of him; for he was tall and handsome,
with violet eyes and curly black hair.
Moreover, he lac the happiest knack
of making other people enjoy them
selves, and was always leader in the
merrymaking. Tt was he who planned
the May pole dance Zach year, and he
who chose the queen. In joyous antici-
Polly could already feel that
of roses resting on her head.
All the town was at the picnic, and
Polly and Jaspar were welcomed by
every group. They were in the midst
of these greetings when suddenly Jas
per stopped talking and a faraway look
came over his face. Polly followed the
glance and saw two strangers coming
spick-and-span young man, whose
clothes and ways were not of Bologes.
But it was the girl at his side that at
tracted Polly's attention. She was a
radiant girl, with a clinginy
green dress and a floppy green hat
hair. Jasper stared at her in
mute admiration, and Polly in her
orimly starched white dress felt awk-
and ugly and lonely.
Evelyn Bib was with the stranlers, '
she stopped a minute to introduce {
They were her cousins from the I
eity, Marietta and Morgan Bib. Ma
-ietta spoke, smiled, then swept on her
path, but as she fIoated by
she carried Jaspar with her. The lit {
lie country girl was left standing alone. !
For a few minute Polly was too :
1eartbroken to hide her misery, her l
Eyes kept following Jaspar, who SEEM !
ID to have forgotten her entirely. Pres ;
entity, however, she noticed that some I
y the girls were laughing at her evi-
discontinue, and pride came 70 /,
lei aid. She was by nature demule |
md dignified, but now she flirted. !
and determinedly, and soon |
he was the center of a laughing group. !
md Morgan Bib had appointed him-
elf her especial cavalier.
Polly's small stock of courage al s
most rave out when the Maypole was :
ct up and Marietta was chosen queen, :
tut she took her place and danced
nth the others. After. the dance
anne The browning a =
Freath of roses was brought forward y
nd jasper real a poem to the queen a
f beauty. Then he knelt and laid ii
roses on M&Tietta's hair. Polly
cit faint n turned away her eyes.
ntfl a gasp of surprise from the crowd r
made her look back. s
She saw a strange, sight. Il
wreath had caught in Jaspar's c