The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-21
The EDening Story
After Forty Years.
(By Barbara Rhodes.

After Forty Years.
(By Barbara Rhodes)
Love and romance be hanged!'
snorted Uncle Zeb, pounding the floor
with his cane. There isn't much ro-
nance in cottages and crust. Marry
Lue Farday and I change my will to-
day.
Shall I telephone Mr.. Dodd to
come down, Uncle Zeb?" asked Ted
lazily.
Uncle Zeb could take a dare.
If that is your answer to my ulti-
matum-yeS. Tell him I wish to
make important changes in my WILL"
he said significantly.
Ted moved over to the telephone,
picked up the receiver and held it to
his ear, calling for long-distance con-
nection.
Uncle Zeb watched him from under
beetling brows.
1t irritated Ted Borland's uncle to
see that young man SO deliberately
| throwing away a fortune, but, of
course, he couldn't see his only
nephew marry into the Farday family
without making a vigorous protest.
The Fardays and the Borlands had
wrangled over boundary lines and sun
dry other matters for a decade, and
now that the younger generation
showed disposition to be friendly the
old mans wrath was stimulated to
frenzy.
He could see through the whole
matter, he told himself a dozen times
a day. The Fardays had lost much
now there was only Miss Henrietta
and her niece, Lue Farday, left on the
place. No wonder Lue F'arday was
angling to marry Ted Borland!
II won't have it!' growled Uncle
| Zeb.
Ted was talking to Mr.. Dodd, the
lawyer His pleasant, drawing voice
exasperated Uncle Zeb beyond con-
troll.
..Ah, Mr.. Dodd"' Ted was saying,
Uncle Zeb wants you to come down
to Borlands this arternoon-oh, you
can easily make the zoo train. Some
thing about changing his will, 1 be-
Heve! 1 suppose so-thanks-good-
by
Think you're mighty clever to have
him down here, don't you?" quavered
Uncle Zeb.
81 thought you wanted him down,
Uncle Zeb,' returned Ted with a
straight look from his brown eyes.
II didn't believe you were such a
fool" grumbled the old man. How
are you going to support that Farday
girl p"
.'I.ue," corrected Ted quietly. why
we thought we'd live on the old place
with Miss Henrietta, and I'm going
to raise chickens. You know I've had
considerable luck experimenting on
the farm here
"Chickens!" yelled Uncle Zeb,
pounding his equity toe by mistake and
almost fainting with agony. You go
ing to disgrace me by starving to
death next door,?
couldn't support myself and a wife,
to say nothing of a thistledown crea-
ture like Miss Henrietta" retorted
Ted "Of course, 1 shall keep my
position in the office until the business
is started. So long as l don't ask any
favors of you, Uncle Zeb, you should
MT complain. Leave your money
where you like It's yours to DO with
as YOU please. l shant com plain
Fool" groaned Uncle Zeb, tear
fully.
Answer it, Ted
Ted's handsome head inclined to the
instrument.
"Yes?-Oh, you. darling? I'm COM
ing over presently: something I'M I'M
Lue, but that's a blow. Would you
very much mind crowding into a tiny
flat in the city? 1 might make good
after a while-Oh, of course, your
talk her around to our way of think
ing. I'm coming over right now
Goodby, sweetheart. Don't grieve, it
will come out all right-o.'
He hung up the receiver and crossed
the room to look down at the little
dried-up old man with quizzical eyes
81 suppose Henrietta Farday OBJ
jects to having anything as practical
as chicken farm on her estate"
sneered Uncle Zeb-
Ted shook his head.
1T isn't that, Uncle Zeb- Miss
Henrietta objects out and out to my
marrying Lue-says she'll be hanged
if her nices marries bullying Bor-
land. So there you are!
And your girl won't chance mar
rying on your salary
Yes said Ted proudly; only she
thinks it's her duty to Miss Henrietta
to remain with her. Henrietta is not
very well, and there is no other rela-
tive
..Pooh." shifted Uncle Zeb. GO
away, Go. l am sick of your mawk-
ish romancing. / want to take a nap"
AS soon as he was alone Uncle Zeb
peered from the window until he saw
that Ted's figure had disappeared
through the gate. Then the old man
hobbled across the room to the tele-
phone and called for local number.
The deeply masculine voice of Miss
Henrietta Farday came in answer.
This is Zeb Borland,'' began Uncle
Zeb. doubtfully.
Hump. Bullying Borland," COM
mented Aunt Henrietta in her most
forbidding accents.
You never gave me an opportunity
to disprove that title, Henrietta pro-
tested the old man.
'.Glad 1 didn't, If I'd married you,
would have been more miserable
than 1 am now. Glad my father put
his foot down-just as I've put my