The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-24
The Evening Story

(By Clarissa Mackie.)

(By Clarissa Mackie.)
The next day after Miss Lumpktn's
Select School for Girls opened for the
fall term. Robina Judd, the newest girl
of ALL walked about the spacious
grounds with her roommate.
Let us go through this cunning
gate and see what is on the other
side!" suggested Robina, when they
had come to the end OF tn evergreen
path.
Grace Barney glanced up at tho for
bidding stone wall and shook her sum
ny head.
"Out of bounds. Robina," she said
property perfect ogre of an old
man lives there all alone. I asked
Miss Lumpkin about him and she
sighed and called him poor lonely Mr..
Hodse'-only you see. Robina. he
happens to be rich.'
''He must be very disagreeable."
commented Robina, turning away. II
| he were rich and agreeable he would
have heaps of friends"
| Perhaps he prefers to be alone"
remarked Grace.
I'm! Perhaps I'll go in and see
him some day-and ask him." Ro-
bina was Of an investigating turn of
mind and was also fond Of adventures.
| Dare you to-" cried Grace.
| Just wait!" defied Robina. Here
comes Miss Gerald-isn't she dear ?"
MY favorite teacher! She has only
been here three days and yet love
her better than any of the others.
Sweet and sad and lovely-she-she
looks as though she might have SUI
fered, Robina!'
"a tragedy in her 1ife." sighed Ro-
bina, but her round rosy face was
dimpled with smiles as the slender
form of the drawing instructress came
around the rose bushes.
The thought Of lonely Mr.. Hodge
1 \ oil
grounds haunted the careless mo-
ments of Robina Judd. Some day
shall go in." she threatened to her
roommate.
You will have to prove it by bring
ing me one of those weirdly coiored
Japanese chrysanthemums from his
garden" Grace replied.
| 'sWait and sect" retorted Robina.
and that very afternoon came oppor-
tunity.
long walk in the woods. but Robina.
who had slightly twisted her ankle In
the gymnasium that morning, pre-
I ferred to hobble around the garden
paths.
Finally she came to the door in the
wall-the high wall beyond which
lived lonely Mr.. Hodge.
1.-The time and the place-and
hope the mani" giggled Robina, as she
turned the knob of the little green
door. 1t creaked dismally. but the
door was stuck fast. RObina put q
muscular arm against the door and
threw the weight of her strong little
| body after it.
"Oh!" she screamed as the door
opened and precipitated her upon for
hidden property. The door swung back
and the rusty latch clicked.
Robina lay where she had fallen, a
| faint sick feeling taking possession OF
her. Her ankle was painful and throo-
bling. >.
she thought, miserably.
| Then q dog barked somewhere and
she was galvanized into action. She
was afraid of strange dogs. she
scrambled to her feet and leaped
across the turf under the trees. In the
distance she could see the mellowed
walls Of a red brick house bathed in
afternoon sunshine.
| A gardener was working somewhere
there was the clinking sound OF q
hoe against stones.
Its jolly here" commented Ro-
bina and she rounded q little sum-
Imer house and came upon the gar
dener, who was vigorously stirring up
the soil in the bed Of gorgeous chrys-
anthemums.
/ He turned a pair Of surprised blue
eyes upon DISCRIMINATING oiue eyes
set in q sunburned face, clean snavon
and sQuare-jawed. Robina rather
liked to talk to gardeners. especially
when they wore such snowy shirts
and white tennis shoes and had
twinkly eyes.
'sWell!" gasped Robina, for she had
nothing else to say. Then. with sud
den inspiration. she added, The
chrysanthemums are lovely!
Think so? Then you a, must have snd
taking a knife from his pocket. ne
proceeded to cut a huge bunch OF
white and yellow and crimson chrys-
anthemums.
"You-you wouldn't mind giving me
Just one of the variegated ones?" hes
litated Robina, and afterward she told
Grace that she loved him from the
moment he smiled at her over Ms
shoulder as he gave her the only BIOS
som left on tho bush.
.sYou are SO kind-you are sure Mr..
Hodee won't mind?" suffered Ro-
bina, as she took the great bunch OF
Iflowera.
"sure!'' he smiled down at her.
IT hope he doesn't mind my coming
in here" went ON Robina, with q
glance at the house. You zee, be-
long at the school next door, ana we
girlh know about Mr. Hodge: and We
lonely. and said that was coming
} in some day to see him. and Grace
dared me to come. I'm afraid I must
90 now. -.
laughted the gardener Why!
Because he Hives here alone-and
because some Of the girls says that he
had been disappointed-oh. I should
mot talk to you so." Robina suddenly
Remembered the proprietteA She
thought the gardeners blue eye
clouded, but he was still smiling.
:.