The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-27
The Euenine Story
His F6liy.

HI ~ ASOOseSse8 0BV18
His Folly.
/ (Ry Grace Kerrigan.3
It was Dan Archer.s mother who
gave away the secret OF. the. bungalow
on the hill where Dan worked early
! and late.
Dan going to get married." re.
peated Mrs Archer in response to an
inquisitive neighbor. mo, indeed,
Mrs. Blake! Dams never kept COM
pany with a girl in his life-not but
| what want him to get married if he
can find the right girl; but certainly
| would know, If any one did,"
or course you would" agreed Mrs.
Blake. but it seems 10 queer for him
TO be building q bungalow up there on
his lot. spending every spare minute
OF his time on 1t, and doing every
stitch OF work himself he was
going to live in 1t. Perhaps he will
rent it," with happy inspiration.
Mrs. Archer shook her head. He
breathe q word, Mrs. Blake
''Of course / won'ti" interrupted
Mrs. Blake excitedly. =
''Well-he says he's going to have
the home ready. and when the right
girl comes along, then he'll get mar
ried! It's q foolish thing to do, but Dan
is a good boy, and if he enjoys build
ing nest before he finds a mate, why,
l can't complaint Mr.. Archer laugh
ed comfortably.
and then Fastening her departure she
transmitted far and wide the intelli-
gence of Dan Archer's purpose in
building the little brown bungalow on
the hill west of his fathers house.
And before another day had dawned
t1a< a - .kn1
chuckling over Dan Archer's folly
as they called his undertaking.
Many Crystal Brook girl would
have gladly occupied the brown bun
galow on the hill, although Dan Arch
er was such q quiet. reserved man that
his neighbors called him dull and
stupid. In spite of the fact that Dan
was something of a dreamer, 1t was
admitted that he was practical far
mer and had made his fathers acres
yield more than they ever had before
! Dan went away to agricultural col
So Archers Folly became rather, a
joke in the village. but Dan Archer
knew nothing of it. Few would have
dared to hint the words to the steady
eyed young giant who went about his
nest building so earnestly without q
thought as to the absurdity of his en-
deavor
When the Lrown bungalow was
tie living room and pondered the Ques-
ton Of furnishings.
I'll furnish the little study for
| myself, he decided. but She must
have . hand in selecting the other
things
Vhereupon he fell to dreaming
about the mysterious unknown bride
whom he would some day bring to
the bungalow.
I'm meet her somewhere-some
| a. mil h. "
said Dan contented1y.
| But the summer waned ana autumn
came and went and snow lay on the
ground. People cav the light burn
ing In Dams cozy study on the hilltop,
and they shrugged their shoulders and
ly made at night.
| There came q night when the wind
howled around the bungalow and the
snow beat against the walls until they
were covered with a thick white man.
tie. Mrs. Archer, locking up the doors
of the farmhouse below, looked up al
the bungalow and decided that Dan
would probably spend the night up
there. At that instant she saw MS
customary signal in the window SO
lamp and bolted the last door.
There was fireplace in Dams study
and a great pile of hickory logs "a
well as a comfortable couch. 20 on GER
tain nights when he had been study
ing closely Dan would decide to sleep
there.
/ On this stormy night Dan turned
awav from the window and replen-
ished the fire. Then he prepared Tor
4 bed, leaving q lighted lantern In the
1 window of the living room.
ITS a bad night outside, he MUIR
While the little village slept under
the drifting mantle of snow, a horse
and sleigh moved slowly through tine
road that led from the next village.
Occasionally the horse stopped and
i breathed heavily and once 1t almost
fell in it's tracks.
"Uncle Nathan. I'm afraid that Sor-
rel can't go much farther" Quavered a
girls sweet voice.
Are you very near the doctor
Fol1y?" The old mans voice sounded
muffled from its thick wrapptngs OF
wooden comfor- err.
I'm afraid don't know!" and this
time the girls voice held q note OF
despair. I'VE are on the main road
and 1 can't see q thing-ah, there Il
must be q house. II we can reach it.
perhaps we can send for a doctor
from there"
/ The wind tore her words into frag-
ments, but the old man understood,
so he crouched dovh among the fur
greater Efforts At last Sorrel toiled
up q steep hill and finally dropped ex-
hausted between the shafts with the
guiding light only . few feet distant
ITS q house on q HILL" explained
Felicia. rs she helped her uncle from
the sleigh.
At that moment the front door
opened and a lantern was thrust forth
followed by the much t0usled head OF
sleepy young man.
4 1t was q half hour later. from the