The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-09-16
THE EVENING STORY
Drawing the Line.
(By Clara Inez Deacon.)

| QlnStOn tnat ne was OF the people anu
for the people. He meant by that he
| was no better than the man who split
his stove wood and worked in his gar
den. He was usher at his church, and
| he showed as much Difference to his
! washerwoman as to the wife of the
leading merchant. He bowed to ev-
erybody he met on the street. He lent
his hoe and shovel and rake and
! wheelbarrow.
! While the deacon got much praise
for his attitude, there were few peo-
| pie that did not believe in his sincerity.
unsupported by any one, the deacon
hankered for political office. For
years ne had wanted to be county
clerk. 1t was dignified position,
and he had the dignity to match it.
and the salary would put him on
Easy street. The only reason he
! didn't hurl himself into the political
| ring and have a shy as a candidate
| was, firstly, that some one else al
| ways beat him to it; secondly, he was
| not quite clear in his mind whether
| a deacon could hold a political office
and go to heaven afterward or not.
1T can't be done,'' was the opinion
of at least three ministers he furtive-
ly sounded.
But wasn't the thief forgiven on
| the cross he had timidly suggested.
| He was. but he hadn't mixed with
| United States politics"
Others, and they were good men,
! too, had replied to him: "Yo GU see, by
| taking the office and being good you
can draw a comfortable salary and re-
form politics WELL
| While Deacon Coddington hesitated
and hoped and waited he did not
| change his attitude. He kept right on
| being popular. The time might come
| when this would count.
| The deacon had son, George. For
a year he had courted Miss Dora Lam
! sing, the daughter of the village dress
| maker The father knew it, and did
not object. George had followed in
/ his footsteps and was lone of the peO-
/ ple.'
Dora and 1 are to be married in
six weeks" he said TO his father.
"Well, L think she will make you
a good wife"
There was no objection on the part
of the Widow Lansing, and so there
were no clouds in the sky for a week
or two.
Deacon Coddington received a let
| ter from law firm in Chicago stat
ing that if he was the right James
Coddington a legacy of $50, 900 awaited
him. He was asked to forward $40
| to pay for a search of certain records.
by the great horn spoon, but it's
comet" shouted the deacon as he made
Decline for home with the open
letter in his hand
IN. B.-The above is the strongest
exclamation that active church dea-
cons are permitted to use. When
they become non-active they can
roar out by Heck!' and other pop
ular expressions.)
In just thirty-five minutes by the
clock the deacon had received and
read and answered his letter and in
closed a money order for $40. It
was then that he showed the lawyers
letter to his son.
But are you the MANI" asked the
son.
Il am James Coddington. amt I?'
But there may be another
eff I'm not the one, why did they
direct the letter here?''
''Thats So-that'S So
81 am the man, George, and [ am
to have thirty thousand dollars!'
tGosh!'
''And you want to go slow about
that marriage
do L? What for 80
This thirty thousand is going To-
make big difference with things.
We shall have to draw the line"
What do you mean, father?"
The only son of the rich Deacon
Coddington can do a heap better than
to wed the daughter of a dressmaker.
can't he?"
You mean for me to break the
engagement ?"
Prepare the way for it this very even
ing. The eagle cannot mate with the
But for years you have been saying
thar one person was as good as another,
so l have George; so 1 have. But I
didn't have thirty thousand dollars as
good as in my pocket L shall go into
county clerk next year. Prepare the way
George: prepare the way
But George didn't. He hadn't said
word to Miss Dora and her mother, and
was trying to conceal his anXieties when
his father got another letter from Chi
cago. Finding him so easy to work, the
lawyers struck him again-th;s time for
$40. There was not much doubt that lie
the man, but 1t was safer to search |
further Was his grandfather on his faith
mother his mothers side afflicted
with indigestion that she could not eat u
The $50 was hustled along by the first |
mail. and the deacon walked around on |
his tip-toes and said to his son:
plain
And then he went around blabbing about |
his legacy and George and Dora, and be- /
fore a day the whole village had heard |
tWell?' asked the dressmaker of the /
lover.
Dora and I shall be married just the |
same" was his reply
The deacon judged from the attitude of |
be very slow about '-dra wing the line" |
and he set about assisting him. He walked /
over to the widows house in a pompous |
manner.
Mrs. Lansing. have you heard of my |
changed condition.
Il have heard that you are to get |
large sum of money
Just SO. and naturally
You don't want George to marry the !
daughter of a dreSsmaker.
Not that she isn't a nice, sweet girl,
you know said the deacon, greatly |
pleased at seeing how easy his task was |
..Dut that you'll be in high society"
"N ell. that's about it-about 1t
IT haven't heard Dora say much about /
the affair hut If George wants to be re- '