The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-30
THE EVENING STORY
Miranda Goes Fishing.
(By Harmony WelIerO

her with ficklenesS of purpose she had
flushed more or less guilty. Her
mind, she realized, was much like
that of butterfly, fitting about from !
one interest to another.
In the present instance Miranda did
not know exactly wherein lay the |
foundation of her fathers wrath. Was
he perhaps referring to the fact that
she had grown tired of Jimmy Dale |
or was it that he fumed because of
her recent unsetting of his favorite |
hobby-fishing?
You could not sit in a boat long
enough to catch a minnow!" Her
father jeered at her, only half serious.
For no reason accountable, Miranda
found herself irritated. Perhaps she
remembered that Jimmy Dale had
tainted her also with fickleness.
Il will bet you that 1 pull bigger
fish than you do out of the lake be-
fore we leave campI" she flashed back
at her father. There was the glimmer
| Of a smile in her mutinous eyes and
flush on her cheeks
Ho! Hoi A little peevish about it, |
are you?" laughed her father. you
no sooner drop anchor for a good
days fishing than you are ready to
t'Wait and see!" Miranda affirmed
stoutly. you will be jealous of
my catch that you will fish all night
to equal it, Miranda's piuuant face
for the moment reflected a stubborn !
desi1e to outwit her fathers as well
as Jimmy Dale's haunting spirit. She
would show them for once that she
was capable of steady purpose.
In the afternoon, when fish were
supposed to be most susceptible to
fishermen's guile, Miranda donned
sunbonnet and Bingham dress and
went forth with rods and bait. There
was more than a little defiance in her
swing and the manner in which she
rOwed her small craft into the middle
heart, she regretted her hasty wager.
So far Miranda had managed to pre-
serve her delicate complexion from
the ravages of sun and wind.
Now 1 shall become freckled, burn
ed and weatherbeaten," she sighed
and gave a vicious pull at the oars.
my neck will look like all other
leathery necks at the dances this win
ter. 1 simply will not go to them
that's al1I''
Miranda dropped her small anchor
with a splash that would have fright
ened the most stoical of fish, and with
another sigh for the ruination of her
complexion prepared her tackle for
the days sport in the hot sun.
She was sitting gloomily watching
her bobber with unseeing eyes when
she heard the soft swish of oars. Mi
randa glanced over her gingham-c clad
/ shoulder.
A bronze Apollo with eyes that
cleaned like turquoise beneath the
brim of a disreputable soft hat was
dropping anchor within ten feet of
Miranda's own boat Instinct warned
her that this new angler on the lake
would fish; in other words he seemed
not to notice anything save his own
particular business.
Miranda was slightly irritated that
one of the opposite sex should journey
near her domain, yet fail to observe
the ruler. In nearly all cases men
looked once at least at Miranda. 1t !
was either the copper of her hair or
the deep violet of her eyes that caught
the masculine glance
Perhaps the stranger was indiffer-
ent to femme charm; perhaps Miriam
da forgot that her attractions, as many
as the eye could see, consisted of a
huge sunbonnet, bingham dress and
a great length of dropping fishing !
rod.
She erected her rod suddenly and
under the present circumstances
would prove at least interesting. She
even went so far as to disregard her
complexion and to forgive her fathers
taunts about fickleness.
Moments stole by and over the lake
the stiffness of a dream held sway An
occasional fish, 1ured by proper bait !
found its way into either Miranda's |
basket or that of the man.
:. 1t was .long after shutdown that she
finally pulled up her anchor and rowed
stranger in his boat as she drew away.
put he seemed not to have known she was +
would he be there the following day?" /
mind as She fell asleep. sFfshing, afteS
all, is healthful.' She decided When she
awoke to another day.
Her father had gone for a few days to
a. neighpors camp to hunt with friends
mind to go fishing early A delicate tan
had already crept over her fair skin and
her nose revealed many tiny freckies. The
girl only laughed at her reflection and
ran out to her boat with two great braids
o. copper hair exposed to sun and wind.
impatiently for the nibble of the big fish
she had deterrlin mined to catch or for the
ne rounded a curve of the lake Miranda
knew which it had been.
week. Miranda had entirely forgotten
her complexion and sat for hours with the
parently her mind had centered on fish |
was a never-to- be-forgotten one in the
memory of Miranda and the bronze |
Apollo. |
Instead of the fish taking. the bait on
her pole line it had chosen the morsel on
lifted the great weight at the Side of her
boat it was either the excitement of sport i
randa suddenly into the water.
She had not screamed. nor had she so /
pected BATH e but the stranger had s leaped
swiftly in after her and carried her to his /
When he had climbed he looked at her
with laugh in his ewes.
You should never go fishing in a round /
face and laughed fEvidentlyr' she adj .
mitted and glanced at her overturned 4
boat DO you suppose my fish is still on /
I'VE will tow your boat to camp the |
man said and picked up the oars After |
few moments Miranda spoke again. |
They We're rowing laboriously shoreward.
towing her boat behind them. She felt |
curiouslv shy about Speaking and wonder /
ed at her unusual timidity-
IF there is a fish weighing over five !,
pounds on my line I won't have to fish |
any more" she told him.
IT know said the man. He looked al