The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-18
TIE EVENING STORY
the Fisher Maiden.
BY Anne Hinrichsen


A clear call rang across the water.
A woman standing in a boat waved a
white banner. Creighton answered the
I cry and sent his boat rapidly across the
river. AS he approached the boat he
saw that the woman who had sum-
moned him was young and decidedly
4 pretty.
! Are you in trouble?" he asked. as
the boats came together.
| 1 am in dire Distress" answered the
| girl. 7 have been drifting without
| oars since morning. 1 am lost and
| starved.
II had pulled my boat into the shade
! of some willows she went on as
| Creighton fastened the boats together,
and help her to seat in his. Il fell
asleep and when 1 woke 1 was floating
| down the stream and my oars were
gone. Not a boat has passed today. 1
! have had nothing to eat since morning,
and it must be at least o'clock. 1
| live at Doshe.''
| ''Doshe? 1 thought no one lived there
| except the fishermen and their fami-
| lies
II live with a fsherman's family
He looked at her curiously. He had
summer colonies on the river,
Il am camping near Doshe,' he said
Il am on my way there now. We can
reach the town in an hour"
AN hour" she sighed. Il shall die
Of starvation before then"
$50 shall 1 unless 1 get something
to eat" announced Creighton. But We
have a chance for life. There is
nice sandy beach covered with drift
wood. Here is string of fish I have
just caught. Can you cook?'
Half an hour later they were on
the beach. Before them were the fish
she had cooked and bread and milk
which he had bought from a nearby
farm house.
will you think me impertinent,"
he ventured, eff I ask if Doshe is your
home or merely a temporary abiding
place? You do not dress nor speak as
these fisher folk do
She interrupted him impatiently. II
do belong here. 1 am more interested
in Doshe and its people than in any,
thing else. Why are you staying near
Doshe? You a-e a stranger"
II am here for rest and an outdoor
Iife.''
His long figure was stretched at full
length on the sand. Under his thin
silk shirt the splendid muscles of his
arms and broad ches- were distinctly
outlined. His eyes were keen and there
chin was square. His lips were full
and straight. When he smiled a sud-
den kindness banished the touch of
hardness from his eyes.
The moon had risen when they start
ed back to Dosne.
Creighton and Mildred Norris were
drifting past camp near Doshe.
DO you know the man who owns
that camp?'' Mildred asked.
Creighton scowled. He is Jacob
Walton, member of the state legis-
lature.''
why is he here?"
For the fishing, L suppose. You
ought to know all about him. 1 have
seen you talking to him several times"
A few days later it occurred to
Creighton that Mildred Norris was de-
liberately avoiding him. When he went
to the fisherman's cabin where She
lived she was always out. When he
saw her on the river she was rowing
her boat in an opposite direction One
day he hailed her ON the water She
was rowing down the stream toward
him, but at his call she turned her
boat around and rowed rapidly I'D the
river. In a few minutes Creighton ov-
ertook her.
Mildred, L want an explanation"
"Of what?" she asked coolly.
why did you row away from me?'
She did not answer.
Mildred, for days you have not al
lowed me to come near you. am
miserably unhappy. I love you, Mil
dred. I love you beyond everything
else in the world
You come from world far different
from this fishing village. Do you
love me as you would woman of
your own class, or am I just an anus
ing summer incident?"
What nonsense are you talking
about woman of my own CLASP" he
stormed. Il love you. What do I
know or care about class?"
Let go my boat" she said, icily.
Il do not wish to talk to you
She pushed her boat away from his
and rowed toward the village.
That night was a sleepless one for
rowed to Creighton's camp His tent
and all his belongings had disap- |
peared.
The committee for the investigation
of legislative bribery scandals was in |
session. There had been circulated so /
many stories of bribery in the legisla- |
ture that the speaker of the house Of |
representatives had been forced by !
public opinion to appoint committee |
for the investigation of all bribery |
scandals. Any person who chose to do |
so had the privilege of appearing be- |
fore this committee to present proof |
of graft practiced in the legislature.
Miss Mildred Norris" announced |
the chairman.
Mildred entered the room. Allan
Creighton stood near the door. For a
they stared amazedly at each
other.
Mr.. Chairman" said Mildred, II
own several hundred acres of land
along the Green river. My tenants
are fishermen. They told me that
every year Jacob Walton, a prominent
member of the legislature, brings
hem a copy of a bill which he intends
10 introduce. This bill, if passed.
would restrict the fishing rights to
such an extent that the fishermen
would be unable to make a living.
each fisherman gives Mr.. Walton a
Of hn to1 hnl
-eceives is very large. He either does
lot introduce the bill or manages to
lave it defeated. The fishermen are
luiet people. living primitive. isolat-
ID existence. They have paid this toll
o the pirates SO long that they have
.nrne I'd it annual Tax