The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-11
The EDes,i,,s Story

Della Leslie was buying embroidery
silks in Miss Smiths little shop.
And shall want another spool Of
that rose-colored knitting silk she
added, al Miss Smith tied up her pur-
chases. You needn't bother to wrap
it up-T shall want to match it over
at Pryor's."
Della pulled out an end of the silk
thread. tested 1t between her sharp
white teeth. looked at 1t with q bird
like motion OF her trim little head
and took her departure.
As she passed down the three steps
into the village street the spool Of knit
ting silk Tipped from her fingers and
rolled along the brick pavement. UNI
winding q long rOse-colored thread &s
it went.
Della hastened after it. but the way
led down hill and the spool rolled away
with the most exasperating persistence.
It was a warm afternoon and the long
street was almost deserted.
Suddenly the gate in the brick wall
that surrounded the parsonage opened
and a man stepped out and walked
brislly down the hill. Della recognized
him as the new minister. She was
glad that he had not seen her nor
discovered her predicament for her
rose-colored silk was a tangle Of threads
for many yards ahead.
The Rev. Mr.. Flake was very absent
minded; he was walking with his eyes
fixed on the blue waters of the har-
Dor at the foot Of the long street, con-
seQuently he did not know the precise
moment when one OF Delia's tangled
threads caught around one OF the but
tons of his neat boots.
What shall do?" worried Della.
as the reverend gentleman proceeded
on his way unconsciously dragging q
tangle OF rosy threads and the appar-
emily exhaustless spool in~his digni-l
fled wake. IF could only catch the
spool and wind it up I might snap the
thread and prevent an accident. Sup
pose he should get both feet tangled
in the threads.'"
Before Della could reach that idiot
ically dancing spool. Mr.. Flake was
standing helplessly enmeshed. He was
peering near.sightediy down at his feet
when Della came. timidly up.
Il am So sorry" she said. BREATH
lessly.
Mr.. Flake could smile with his brown
eyes, and he did SO at this moment,
the smile spread to his lips and pres
emily he was laughing heartily.
I'm afraid you'll have to help me
out, Miss Leslie" he said at last. IF
you could take my pepknife and cut.
some OF those threads II would enable
me to proceed on my way unfettered.
Thank you-I'm afraid some lady ID
mourning the loss OF her embroidery
silks. Are you goinng my way-may
) Della was blushing deeply. ''Oh. no.
I was going over to the west SIDE" she
said hastily, and without one regretful
glance at the now empty spool she has
tened away.
Mr.. Flake watched her with inter-
ested eyes until she had disappeared.
Then he stopped and pulled out several
threads that still decorated his boot
buttons.
1T I were a romantic man." he
unused smiling, II would attach some
sienificance to this happenins-I might
suspect that Cupid himself had set this
trap to catch my unwary feet! I am
not a Observation-Disclosures I'm going to
keep the trap anyway" and he
promptly swept the tangle into one OF
the pockets OF his coat.
So Mr. Flake went on his way. quite
unaware that from one OF his pockets
peeped q skein OF rose colored silk
Old Mrs. Petty. upon whom he called
during the course Of his walk. spfed the
threads and pointed 4 playful finger at
them.
''Mr. Flake. reckon you don't do no
fancy work. she remarked innocently.
Mr.. Flake blushed and shook, his
head. n5s
Seeing that you carry embroidery
silks around with you" she went on,
ct thought maybe you did. I have
heard Of gentlemen doing fancy work.
and them as has seen 1t say they take
to it real handily. OF course. you not
being q married man. 1t did seem run
ny to see that silk
Mr.. Flake looked annoyed for an in
slant. But he carefully crushed the
silks into his pocket and explained that
he had found it in the street.
81 want to know!" marveled Mrs.
Petty, whose curiosity was Unsuitable:
f~wA NJ
silk? can ind out from Melissa
Smith. who keeps the store. She could
tell by the color. suppose whoever
lost it is looking for 1t this very min
ute"
IT hope not" said the minister. ris-
ing to take his departure However.
I think your advice IL good, Mrs.
Petty; 1 will leave 1t with Miss Smith
at the shop: she can return 1t to the
owner. I am very glad to hear that
your rheumatism Is better"
Thereupon Mr.. Flake forgot all
about the silk threads.
1t CHANGED to rain the following
wore under his macintosh his second
best black coat.
Before he began his sermon that
morning he drew forth a hAndker-
chief. and with the handkerchief came
q rosy tangle OF silk threads
He looked helplessly down upon
them and his embarrassed face seemed
to reflect the rosy glow.
Somebody Uttered and looked
around at Della Leslie 1t was Me-
lissa Smiths little clerk.
Delia's face was scarlet and her
long curling black lashes swept her
cheek as she stared at the tips of her
little shoes.
when Della lifted her eyes the
minister had carefully whipped the
silks in his handkerchief and re-
turned them to his pocket All his
embarrassment had fed. and he waA
cool and collected. He delivered his
text with fine unconsciousnAs4 that
It subtly applied TO his adventure OF
the day before.
Again the little clerk giggled and