The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-31
The Eue,,i,ag Story

(BY John Trent)

Frank Wendell came back toe'his
home town after a years absence IN
the Test, with the face Of Mary Long
still enshrined in his heart He rather
resented this steadfastness In himself
for IL ever a girl deserved to be, for
gotten 1t was Mary.
When a young man pours out his
heart in q love letter to the op1ecu OF
his alteration. asks her to marry him
and to give him an answer at once.
he is deserving Of some reply, some ac-
knowledRment Of that letter, II only
a regretful refusal-and in the past
Mary had not led him to expect that.
At last his work on that great west
ern bridge was completed and he was
free to return home. The thought OF
Mary Long made his return bitter
one.
He chose to walk home from the sta
ton and turned into a narrow back
where Mary liveo. To his chagrin he
found that the back path was COM
pletely blocked by the building OF a
new house, and the privacy Of the way
was further protected by mo Tres
passing signs posted everywhere
about.
So there was no escape from pass
ing Mary's house. He laughed at his
supersensitiveness and turning around
swung into the main street
Long before he reached the iron fence
that surrounded the Long property he
saw that something unusual was taking
place. The grounds were crowded with
carriages and automobiles and people
were crowding into the great house.
Two red auction flags fluttering from
the gate posts told the story. but a
lounger on the sidewalk supplied the
details.
"Old man Long died six weeks ago
and when they read the will and ap-
praised the property they found he'd
specialized e7ery hanged penny away!
1t leaves the gal without a cent and
she's gone over to her Aunt Lucy
Peck's, near the mill. They're going
to sell everything off and maybe
there'n be i little something left for
Mary when the debts are paid. Going
imp
Frank nodded and entered the gate
which he had not passed for twelve
unhappy months.
The twanging sound Of an auction
GERS voice came from the library and
Frank stepped to the door: A small
group of people were quietly bidding
in the remains of the well-stocked
library. Frank felt an impulse to pos
sess some of those books-how many
of them had he read and discussed
with grave-eyed Mary in that wide
window seat!
He began to bid on whatever was
put up, and PRESENTLY he went away
the possessor of a copy of Kipling's
collected verse. a folio of Shakespeare
and a worn copy of "Alfce in Wonder
land" one of Kary's beloved childish
treasures. wy h by some oversight
had been included in the sale.
1t was not until he was up in his
own familiar room at home, with all
the dear home greetings still thrilling
his heart. that he sat down and looked
at the books.
For a long time he held the "Alice"
in his hands, while he pictured all the
charming. delightful things Mary had
| said to him while they had read that
childish classic. They had actually
read It together, laughing over the
predicaments of Alice and her friends
in Wonderland.
| At last he laid it aside and picked
up the Kipling. That had no senti-
| mental associations, but it had been
Judge Longs favored volume, and
that, too, must have slipped into the
| sale by mistake. He would keep it as
a memento Of the kind old man who
| had been fond Of him.
There remained the folio. 1t opened
of its own accord. where a letter was
tucked between the pages.
For a long time he stared at the
letter, for it bore his own. name and
the address Of that western town
where he had gone to build the
bridge. There was a stamp on it, but
no postmark. The handwriting was
Mary's and the red seal on the back
bore her monogram.
| A letter addressed to him which
had never been mailed! His fingers
tingled to open it at once. 1t might
be the letter he had been waiting for.
If so.' Mary had forgotten to mail it.
Again, she might have written 1t and
/ cha nPSpd hnr m ind a ccndinO
But why not destroy it? Why
place 1t between the leaves OF that
particular book? He had not known
that Mary cared for Shakespeare
His fingers on the seal hesitated. II
Mary had changed her mind about the
contents of that letter. he could moi
read 1t without her permission. To
gain her permission he must go al
ono to her Aunt Lucy's. To escape
from the house without being way
laid by one of his family required
craft.
Frank resorted to trick Of his
boyhood days. He stepped out of his
bedroom window to the roof of the
Kitchen, went along the top Of the
grape arbor and dropped unobserve6
to the ground. There was a woo6
road back of the house that woulc
take him directly to the old mill.
, The folio was in his pocket and the
letter was wedged between the leave.
as he had found it.
His heart lost some of its lightnes,
> as he neared Miss Peck's cottage. A
year was long time and MAXWELL
If he could only see Mary alone a
first he could tell by the look in hel
dear eyes.
AS II In answer to his hearts de
sire, he stared right into Mary's face
. She was standing beneath q bower O
, wild grape vines plucking the gree,
punches and dropping them into
basket on the ground.
. Aunt Lucy Peck's green grape jell,
! was famous. Mary had lost all he
3 wild rose color. and in her simpf
white frock with its touch of blacl
mourning ribbons. she looked older