The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-28
THE EVENING STORY
A BashfuI Couple.
(By Don La Grange.)

and Johnson had closed conversation
with sigh and the above expression
| 1T is too dinged bad,'
And times without number the respec-
/ tive husbands of these good wives had
| done the very same thing.
The Cantburys and the JohnsonS had
| been friends and neighbors for forty years
and there had never been a disagreement
The Cantburys had a son named Abel
He had been named after the young man
who was killed by his brother Cain
Father and mother hadn't stopped to in
quire into the details of the row, and
for all they knew Abel deserved the kill
ing he got, but they nailed the name to
that helpless boy baby.
The Johnsons had a daughter named
Rebecca. She had been named after
picture entitled "Rebecca at the Well.
Why Rebecca at the well instead or
in the kitchen made no difference to the
manners. The young woman looked good
to them, and the baby happened to
be born in complaining time when every
body was on the hustle, no time was lost
in making a second Rebecca of her.
1t cannot be said that the results in both
cases were what might have been expect
ed. Both boy and girl grew up so retiring
and bashful that their days were positive
ly painful. They hardly dared to enter
into conversation with their own parents.
If one outside the family came to the
house the children would find hiding
place upstairs under a bed. There was
no sending them to school, and they would
run like rabbits at sight of each other.
Tn Il LEX & it out Of Abel or take all his
he licked and licked and licked, but the
more he licked the worse the boy got.
'What'H cure Rebecca is a good spank
ing every time she plays the fool!' said
Mrs. Johnson.
When doctor was consulted in both
cases he replied: IT don't see that any
thing can be done. There are forward
children and there must be backward chill
dren to offset them and balance things.
You'll have to make the best of the mat
ter"
The pastor of the church at the cross
roads was consulted. mo, I can't say
hat i- of civ
cal names. They just happen to be born
that way. You might ease off little
on the lickings and spankings and hope
for something to happen"
An old man who tramped the country
with peddler's pack and doctored sick
cows was asked for his advice and he
gave it: Dog gone it, If there is a BASH
full boy or girl in America why can't you
let 'em stay bashfulr'
He was told how wretched the situation
was for both parents and children, and
he thought for a while and then replied:
MY great hold is doctoring sick COWS,
but mebbe L can prescribe cure in this
case. Tie EN- up so they can't get away
and then invite about dozen people in
to talk to EN-.
The prescription looked good and was
tried. Abel very promptly had a fit and
did not recover from it for two hours.
as one dead for half a day.
The most sensible advice given, and
the one followed, was rendered by an
agent who came along selling a patent
potato digger. AS he drove up to Can't |
bury's Abel made a break for the woods. |
half mile away. and as he arrived at
Johnson'S Rebecca made for the garnet.
Seem to be afraid I've got the small |
pox.''
sion of particulars, and he answered. |
You let 'em be. It's something they |
can't help, and they've got to- wait till |
the cure comes along.
"And will there be a cure?" was the |
:, Bound. e be-, bstsI amt giving no !
no
Plus E Pluribus Potato Digger, which any |
child can use; and which is warranted TO !
DO the work OF four husky men and not |
half try. Sold again, and who takes the
next?"
birthday. ~ "f'u "ef
other. Abel had become a farmer, and
his father had become too old for hard
IF Abel and Rebecca would only fall
m love and marry was repeated SO
cheese. One day the father said to Abel:
It was at the dinner table, and the
young man was SO confused that he
'h9 MSr on mot Pefe Fl 6ecne9 beef
1t was winter and very cold, and the
Young mans ears were frost-bitten as
And the mother of Rebecca said to her:
"Rebecca, your father and 1 are very
anxious about your future"
The girl looked up in a startled way.
we want to see you married and set
led down"
TT would bring joy to our hearts if you
md Abel would marry.
With a half scream the girl fled out
nto the night.
Wha the father Of Abel tw said to the
Younger I'd hang that idiots hide on the
ence to dry
o father There
She's got too big to be spanked, and will
you tell me what is to be done with her?'
THAT potato digger man said there was
cure
''Then hope it will come along before
1t was coming but it was not for NOR
ais to know in advance just in what
Abel looked up from his work in the field
o o notice two tramps turning ing in at tn, the
een the old man and his wife ride away ,
o spend the day with a relative. This
would leave Rebecca alone.
There was an appeal here never made ,,
lefore. Almost before he was aware of
ward Johnson's at a fast pace 1t was in ,
reased to a run when he saw the tramps ,
unning. away and heard screams. He
,ecca That was the first time he had l
yer pronounced her name aloud. Re ,
nds. and amazed at his own temerity, he
an upstairs and down cellar and then out
1t was an old oaken bucket well. and 1t '
vas seen at a glance that the curb had :
cen partly displaced. Down on his knees
n the platform went Abel to peer into /
he semidarkness.
"Rebecca, are you down there?" t
ooh, Abeli'' floated up a wall from the {
epth of thirty feet /;
ne cure had begun to work. The ex-
tied young man did just what he ought {
0 have done. In scrambling around he I
ell into the yawning hole and brought up /
With a plump and smash beside Re g
acca 7
Gosh hang it, he sputtered.
1.-THE tramps, Abeli' {
fThey have gone. How did you come
own here?'' 6
''They c-chased me and 1 jumped! t
for you first
Il heard Why. Rebecca, do you 4