The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-27
THE EVENING STORY
Delayed Proposals.
(By Clara Inez Deacon.


1t was a village with mineral
spring. What kind of mineral it was
makes not the slightest difference.
The idea is to get a spring the waters
of which will cure anything that ever
allied mankind, and the rest will take
care of itself. That is, the old chaps
who have been tied UP in knots with
rheumatism for the last fifteen years
will take treatment for two weeks
and then go home and swear they
can jump six foot rail fence, and
be the means of inducing others to
come.
There were five old maids in the
village. This fact was not adver-
tised with the waters of the spring.
The owner thought it might hurt his
trade if the fact got out. 1t wouldn't
have, of course, for drinking mineral
water doesn't make an old maid of a
girl but many a mineral spring has
been killed by. taking chances with it.
One of those who discovered that
there were five old maids in the viii
lage besides a spring was young
man who came from Boston, that the
mineral waters might relieve him of
some foreign substance which had
got into his stomach by way Of his
throat and was playing hobs with
his peace of mind. One doctor had
told him that it was probably frog.
Another had strong suspicious that
II was d 1lu0 LuIIlo "a THRU COAlS1O-
ed that he was almost sure he could
smell fish of some brand. The fourth
doctor studied the case for two weeks
and then said:
There is no use in mincing mat
tiers about this thing
"Then it may be a giraffe or
camel?' was queried.
young man, you are a sleep walk
er though you may not suspect It.
$500 ?''
picked up and swallowed a tooth
brush. 1t is in your stomach today"
tBut haven't missed my tooth
brush, and l gave my shears"
well, it may be your shears"
And nothing can be done?"
Certainly something can be done.
Go to a mineral spring for two or
three weeks"
And that's what brought the young
man who gave his name as Ray Had
ley up to the spring. The frog, or the
fish, or the turtle, or the, shears, or
whatever it was, vanished in a week,
and then a fortnight was spent in
making the acquaintance of the five
old maids.
Mr. Hadley made love to all five.
1t takes a little more time to court
five old maids than one, but a single
man at a mineral spring has the time
to spare.
Each old maid called Mr.. Hadley a
charming man. 1t was whispered
about that he was a rich man. 1t
never loved. Therefore, he was worth
winning, and each of the five won
him. That is, he acknowledged be-
fore the fortnight was up that his
heart was touched. and the day before
his departure he said to each one:
ct am not going to say what I wish
to say just now. shall write it after
get home, and hope to receive
favorable answer"
TIT will be so NIGEL" simpered
Besides the mineral spring and the
five old maids the village had a post
mistress-Miss Grace Parsons, the
daughter of an old soldier. She had
held the place for three years when
the tragedy of the five old maids
came along to raise a row. Three
days after Mr.. Hadley's departure the
five began to haunt the postoffice.
They had not been rivals exactly.
While they knew that Mr.. Hadley
had been rather lavish in his affec-
tions, each had solaced herself with
the feeling that she was the chosen
one.
After ten days of haunting the post
der if the other hadn't in some way got
hold of her letter and suppressed it. From
that they began to wonder If the post
hadn't suppressed all five letters. The
thought brought them together.
"She must have done it," said one
She don't like any of u.s. added an
other.
Mr.. Hadley must have written long
ago. simpered a third.
len in love don't delay this way,
sagely observed the fourth
Something should be done" was the
firm conviction of the fifth.
Something was done. complaint was
made to the postal authorities at Wash
ington. Five very important letters had
very probably arrived at the postoffice
and been suppressed instead of being
delivered. The matter should be
given immediate attention
The postoffice inspector for that route
had been taken i'll, and another had to be
sent over the route His name was Royal
Dayton. and the complaint was hande8
to him with the remark:
Here, look into this I guess II doesn't
to much, but it's in the days
work"
And that's how Royal Dayton and Miss
Grace Parsons came to meet.
why they charge me with suppressing
their letterst'' she exclaimed
That's it,
And they are very important person
ages in this community?"
$50 they say
But what five persons should want to
There is not a word of truth in it. 1 did
not know that I had a single enemy
well let us figure a minute" said the
inspector. It seems that five different
persons have been looking for five very
important letters
''Yes?''
Such being the case they would have