The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-11

| The Euenine Story
From tho Clouds.
/ (By Clarissa Mackie.l
It had been q tiresome day with its
drudgery of homework. The sight of
the twenty summer boardere who were
scattered around tho farm in cool at
tire, only made the work more dis
tasteful to Amy Wilbur.
But when she expressed her dis
satisfaction to Cousin Emmelines who
had offered Amy . home In exchange
for her help. when her parents were
/ both killed In railroad accident,
Cousin Emmeline shrugged her fat
shoulders and laughed unpleasantly.
Then, you'll be glad to hear that
I'm going to sell tho house to Mt.
Peters and there won't be any more
boarders to wait on!" she announced.
i What shall you do. then?" asked
4 Amy, curfously.
! Annie and the children
THAT will be lovely for you,
cousin Emmeline," said Amy sincere
"; land it will be the best thing in
the world for me to set out and find
some other work to do"
Mrs. Broad bluntly.
Amy considered the question for
some time before she made answer.
There isn't a thing can do well ex-
lcept Homework" she admitted. 1T
can sew a little and make my own
tclothes. can play q little, but not
Ienough to teach music-I guess was
Educated for a homemal<er, after all.
If can find a homo without summer
lboarders!'
1T is a dogs Hfe.' conceded Mrs
Broad. as she gave parting directions
upstairs You can think it over and
I'll do what i can to start you in
something before I go. I'm going to
bed now and get a nap before it's
thine to get supper; but my dreams
are always of long rows of folks
"a row of foolish birds. I guess board
. ers have got my nerves.
I'm going out to the orchard and
Imagine that I'm a summer boarder,' -
tsaid Amy.
Half an hour later. in fresh white
lawn frock, Amy was stretched under
an ancient apple tree in tho middle OF
the big bayfield,. The branches
dropped down to the ground and al
most made q bower Of green leaves
for the weary girl. With hands
: clasped under her sunny head Amy
! stared up through the interlacing
} branches at a blue sky where funny
white clouds drffted laziIy.
q 'Of scourse shall miss this noun
tain country" thought Amy; e.but, ]
must do something for myself. Shall
. advertise in the newspapers and offer
to make pleasant home for some in
valid lady? It's an idea"
| She looked up at the floating clouds,
wondering whittier they were drifting
and what strange new scenes they
] o<x = H. - q
. crossed the mountain.
4 Still gazing up at the blue sky
spaces. Amy became suddenly aware
! Of an intruding element in the air.
. her from under q white cloud was not
hawk-it was too large. It was not
an eagle-it was not anything she had
! ever seen before.
It few, without visible movement of
its widespread wings, steadily on.
1T is an aeroplane!" cried Amy,
, jumping up and leaving her green
bower. Il have never seen one before.
wonder where it is going ?''
, 1t rapidly took form as it neared the
/ field. and Amy could hear the throb-
bling Of its motor. sounding strange
and uncanny coming from those un-
travelled sky areas.
There was an instant when It seemed
to pause. almost overhead; then II
pushed on and something tiny and
dark dropped like shot.
1t struck somewhere in the field, but
: the aeropiane passed over and out OF
, sight before Amy gathered her witt
sufficiently to search for the fallen OBJ
ject.
r ''It might be a bit of the machinery
and il he didn't miss 1t, the aero
} plane might fall all to pieces and kill
) him" unused Amy, whose ideas Of ma.
3 chinery were extremely vague.
At last she found the fallen. q fine
t gold watch with q broken end Of chair
t dangling fro1-i it. But the watch wal
{ sadly damaged. The crystal wal
( broken and the case dented from 1t,
\ contact with q sharp stone.
Amy opened the case ana looked
!, at tho picture of q lovely white haired
= old lady within.
; Isn't she SWEET" murmured Am,
: wistfully.
. "The dearest mother in the world. /.
said voice at her elbow, and Amy
looked up into the smiling face of {
. young man; a stranger garbed In queer
: costume A snug-fitting leather suit
!, was blttoned from chin to leatherr
!, legging. He was pulling on an odd
t leather helmet from his tumblet
brown hair and smiling down at the
little girl in white with q pair o1
. friendly brown eyes,
Not far away the aeroplane rested
. like weary white winged bird on the
: green grass Of the field.
81 "Oh, you have come hack for it!'
: cried Amy IT was afraid you would
t never get it again. and she 10 30 dear:'
II He took the watch from her hand
v and looked tenderly down at the pic
tured face. Her memory IL the dearest
possession I have" he said gravely
The only thing there il left to me
When she went away-she took home
ana everything elses''
II am sorry." said Amy softly.
He smiled understandinRly ssYou