The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-21
TEE EVENING STORY
The Militant Maid.
.(By Ella Randall Pearce.

daughter had just closed behind her,
and continued to look long after the
sounds of firm, tapping footsteps mad
died away in the distance. Then her
troubled glance shifted to the paternal
head of the family, who was costly in
trenched behind his newspaper.
Father, 1 don't approve of this
sort of thing at all. 1 think you
we ought to protest.
What is t?' asked Mr.. Seward,
without looking up.
That's just it-are you blind?"
Mrs. Seward spoke a bit testify. It's
Anna. Don't you know where she is
going?"
Going for a walk, she said.'' re-
Piled the newspaper reader, compla-
Gently.
yes; but do you know where-and
why?"
The intensity of Mrs. Stewards tones
claimed her husbands attention at
last.
well, mother, what is it? What's
Anna up to that makes you so upset?
don't understand
"Ah, that's what I thought. You
don't understand. Yet our daughter
is out now practicing for hike to
the capital, as she calls it. She's join
ed club: she's a suffrag ettei''
Then Mr.. Seward threw back his
head and laughed until his glasses fell
of.
Club? suffragette? Yes, yes. I've
Pshaw! It's nothing but notion
Father, I'm surprised at you'll Do
we want Annals name in the papers,
and Anna hiking all over the coun-
try? She says she's going with tho
club tomorrow; she's been training for
the past two weeks. She walked ten
miles yesterday, and she's off again
today. Why, she'll make herself
sick"
Mr.. Seward looked thoughtful.
L wouldn't worry about Annals get
ting sick in that way, or doing any
thing diScreditable mother. If she's
taken a notion to join the female suf-
frage party and hike along with them,
there's no harm to it"
tOh, but, father, that isn't all.
There's something at the bottom of
all this. Annals disconnected already;
that's why she's turned to the excite
ment of club affairs. Our little girls
unhappy; she's not herself since Nor
was always so gentle, so domestic. 1t
isn't like her to be militant
well, if walking will help her any,
let her walk said Mr.. Seward, as he
gravity had fallen over his genial face.
Anna, his little daughter, discomfort
ed? Unhappy? That was a new, dis
agreeable thought.
Mrs. Seward resumed her needle
work with a sigh. Since the day of
the lovers quarrel, when Morgan Giles
had left the Seward home-forever,
as he had avowed-she had noticed
with much anxiety the growing unrest
and fitful moods of the girl
Unaware of the disturbance in her
home. Anna Seward swung buoyantly
through the streets of the town, and
out upon the suburban highway. She
was the picture of youthful health
and bloom. Her close-fitting costume
revealed lines of supple grace; her
dark blue eyes were sparkling; the
breeze that tossed the white feather
of her cap backward, loosened the
No one, to have seen Anna Seward
then, would have pronounced her dis
contented or unhappy.
Eleven miles or SO were made in
traveller started on her homeward
way All went we'll until Anna
reached the outskirts of the town
again. Just as she was crossing the
wide driveway that encircled the
park toward which her footsteps were
leading, a big touring car laden with
a gay, reckless party, bore swiftly
down upon her. Anna stopped abb
placed her foot on a loose stone, and
as it rolled over, she came tumbling
to the ground.
The motor car had been brought to
a standstill, and one of the party
came back to her assistance; but Anna
had drawn herself to a seat beside the
driveway.
Pm all right" she said, laughing
nervously; and. it was not until after
the gray car and it's occupants had
gone that the girl realized that she
was really injured.
Anna sank back on the iron seat,
conscious of increasing pain and the
fact that the afternoon glow was shift
ing into the gray of twilight. Two or
three times she tried to stand on the
injured foot but she was helpless.
Anna waited. 1t seemed, after
while, that the big gray car was to
be the last that would pass that way
before night set in. After time she
grew uneasy. The road was rather
lonely at this turn.
81 guess will be out of the march
tomorrow" thought Anna grimly.
Another hour dragged by. Sounds
of passing on the driveway within the
park could be heard, but no one came
along on the outer road. Soon the
figure on the seat became indistinct;
only the rampant white feather
pierced the darkness The lonely girl
grew really apprehens1ve. Even II
anyone should come now, she would
be timid about hailing a. stranger in
the night. The pain in her crippled
foot became intense, and she had to |
set her teeth sometimes to bear the |
sharp pangs without crying out.
Then came gay whistle out OF the
shadows, lifting like a birds song. |
Surely it would be safe to hail one
who could whistle in that way.
s'Boyi Boy" cried Anna. 10000 |
here"
The whistling lad approached won
deringly. Anna told her story: and
minutes later he was back with an |
old fashioned buggy and a driver.
HE came to see pa. and pas out,
drive you home, and I'll bring the