The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-23
TIE EVENING STORY
Aunt Jane Advises,
(By Carl Jenktns.)


own hreside, and that the sister who
kept his house and was like a mother
to his daughter had orders to go
ahead and not bother him about any
thing. He was more like a boarder
than father or brother. but there
came a time when the sister felt it
| her duty to stand before him and saw:
Jacob, have got to have a talk
with you."
With me?" he asked in surprise.
yes. Have you forgotten that You
are the father of Mabel?'
Why-why, must be, but I'm
busy with that new typewriter, you
| know"
Are you aware that Mabel is 10
years old ?"
She is, eh?"
And that at least four young men
are in love with her and have pro-
posed marriage ?''
we'll"
You hope, and yet you are not the
father to care whether she marries a
rascal or good man.
ratchet of that machine bothers me
terribly"
DO you want to talk to MabeI?"
Yes, in a month or two
It's your duty as "a
leave it all to you"
The sister turned away in despair,
though she had hoped for nothing
different. She had been watching
things for a year past, though not
with one admirer before marriage
may have three or four afterward.
She knew that Mabel was prudent,
and that if worries came she would
be consulted. So she was. A month
after the talk with the father there
came a stormy evening when there
were no callers and the women were
alone. 1t was the girl who started
the conversation that Aunt Harriet
was wondering how she could intro
duce.
"Aunty." she began, "do you know
how many offers of marriage 1 have ?"
II believe there are four young
fellows who ring the bell as if they
lived here" was the reply.
yes, just four
And four offers?"
Eyes, four"
But you can marry only one."
And that is why I want to talk
with you. 1 seem to be all mixed up
Three of the young men declare they
love me to distraction, but the fourth
one has very little to say. I'm sure
he loves me though I can't love four
persons at once, can II"
Hardly. Don't you feel different
toward any particular one?"
Il can't say I do. and that's where
the muddle comes in. You see, I was
treating them all as callers and
friends, and they had to go and pro-
pose and spoil it ALL
II see," said the aunt as she sagely
nodded her head. What has been
your answer?''
"That I'd think it over"
''I don't think you really love any
one of the four
''Poor mel smiled the girl. ''some-
times 1 think I do. and then I think
1 don't. If I was sure L did love any
one of them well enough to marry
him then the other three would be
wrecked for life. If 1 don't marry one
then there will be four wrecks. What
are you smiling about, aunty?"
Corbin."
Yes, he's nice and wishes he could
do something to prove his devotion"
HE can. It is November. The
river has not frozen over yet, but the
the shivers. Ask Mr.. Corbin to swim
across to show his devotion"
why, he will do it, of course"
And there is Mr.. wfckham. Does
he want to do something heroic ?"
pice" o
rs he? Well. we won't make it as
bad as that. Ask him to have a |
tooth pulled sound one
m sure he'll do it,
And there is Mr.. Baker. Has he |
ever talked devotion and heroics?"
From the first. Oh, he will undertake !
looking for it,
well. Wen find him a little one. You
know how imputent the butcher was the |
meat?''
He called you a crank"
He did, and I want him licked for it. |
Ask Mr.. Baker to do it for your sake
He'll almost kill the butcher If 1 ask |
him to-
'And only Mr.. williams is left" contin-
ued Aunt Harriet. What shall we have
him do?"
He is very brave" replied Mabel HE
has done things to make one shiver."
Wen do the shivering at the proper
time Wen set Mr. Williams easy
task. He may jump of the roof of
q barn. In love-there is a certain amount |
Of Stiffness. Young men fall madly in
love, think they do, and they are ready
to avow, protest and declare. 1 would
but not one of the four young men is
enough to give you a fair living |
They must know they are not, but they
are ready to plunge into matrimony. 1t
snt bit fair of them. They call here
and admire and love and flatter, and you
get but the one impression of them. How
will it be after the honeymoon? There
are more husbands bringing woes to their
wives than there are young men fatterfng
maidens."
'Aunty, you scare me!' said the niece.
Better be scared before than be grieved
after. However, you go ahead we
alked and let me know how many of the
tour persisted for your sake
1t was a week later when the two sat
Town together again. There was an en-
oarrassing silence, and then the aunt
111iGt1E said: Al