The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-04
The EUening Story
Mandy All Over.
(By lola Forester. }


Its the loneliness that gets you
\ after awhile. And the neighbors,'
| Taylor added as an afterthought. He
stared from the hilltop at the valley.
| He had been a dweller in lula for
| three weeks. and the silence of the
mountains almost hurt So far he had
seen just four human beings-old Jed
| Morse and his daughter, Mandy; the
traveler-preacher, Harley Robertson,
| and young Gabe Williams, who ran
the cider mill.
Gabe and he were friends at least.
1t was Gabe who found out he was
! interested in geology.
Thought you was perfesser or
something of the sort when 1 saw you
snoopin' round like. Mandy said you
was an artist count of the way you
look, and the old man suspicioned you
was from the government. We don't
notice him. He used ter get into all
kinds of trouble with the government
back in the old days, but that's done
away with now, since the railroad
came through. Mandy went to school
three winters"
Like her, don't you, Gabe?" Taylor
had asked, by way of conversation.
But Gabe's face had darkened. He
threw a stick at an unoffending hound
pup that wandered within range
Yes, I like her, but 1 don't stand
no sort of show. Ought ter see the
look in her eyes when the preacher
comes around"
mountain the next week and stopped
to speak to Taylor, working along a
ledge of rock.
Wont find any gold or silver
there, young man. he called up gem
tally. Taylor turned and saw youth
full prophet type, hair that hung short
cropped below his ears, eyes wide and
dark, face thin and fine featured, the
face of the enthusiast and dreamer.
Later on the preacher would drop
in at his cabin if it was late and talk
awhile with him over the fire. He
was a university man from Tennes-
see. eager to hear of the North and of
life in the great centers.
I'm going there some day." he
said. staring into the open fire.
Fishers of men. 1t is a promise. L
am going some day. Here the seed
falls on stony SOIL
Taylor Wen to one of his meetings
at night down in the valley. Mandy
stood on soap box and sang in a
timid high mezzo, slip of girlhood,
with the torchlight Pickering on her
pretty face and blue eyes that sought
the face of the young preacher. while
Gabe hung around the shadows and
glowered
Then came the last week in. Tula.
Taylor never forgot it all his life, the
place where he had complained of
ennui and loneliness. With Gabes
help he struck a lead and followed it
up through the ledge. Gabe told of
caves farther up in the mountains,
caves that glistened inside, and not
with stalactites either. Taylor went
mica that lay in great unbroken
sheets, and he knew a fortune lay
close to Gabe's door. When he told
the big mountaineer, he put back his
head and laughed.
Guess thatll get her, won't it?
Women folks like money and pretty
things, don't they? You go ahead and
fix up the deal and get yours out of
it. I'm going courtin'.
And the next night Harley stopped
on the way down toward Jed's, and
said he was going away. God had
heard his prayers and listened to the
cry of his soul. He was going north
to preach the Word in the great cit
ties. While he talked, Mandy came
up with Taylor's milk and bread and
stood listening with wide eyes that
held fear and a womans secret in
their depths. But Harley ram bled
to grip him and make him turn and
see the gift that lay for him in the
girls tender eyes.
Gabe came back along the road late
that night and he pounded on the cab
in door.
Has the preacher gone up by here
yet?" he called. Taylor said no, he
had not seen him.
I'm going ter get him. said Gabe
grimly, and passed on.
Taylor rose and opened the door.
A full moon rode high above the dark
mountains. He dressed and went out
side, listening. And nearly an hour
later he heard Harley coming up the
road, singing in his full baritone one
of the hymns he loved. He had meant
to warn him, but the singing stopped;
and, after a while, he judged he had
taken the other road around the lower
bend. But he could not sleep, and
went down to meet Mandy at on her
way up with the milk and fresh eggs
for his breakfast. She looked radiant
and shy. Standing in her little pink
cotton dress. barefooted and tanned,
she looked like some wild flower of
her own mountain land. he thought.
Pops awful mad" she said softly.
Hes going to turn me away. Count
of Gabe. Gabe asked him for me and
pop gave me to him. but 1 promised
the preacher, and he's coming for me
today. We're going down to Tula and
get married. If Gabe or pop don't
shoot him.
She said it simply, Realistically. It
was quite possible, she knew. Taylor
told her he would come down and go
with them, to be sure of fair play. |
But the day wore on without any sign |
of Harley. Pop had found the answer |
to his special problem in a large jug |
of cider and had retired from the |
scene of action. Mandy, with her few |
belongings and her mothers Bible and |
sunbonnet beside her, sat out on the |
water bench in the shade waiting pa |
tiently the coming of the preacher |
But the shadows heightened and it be- |
gan to grow dark down in the valley |
Then came the sound of hoofs on the |
road, and she laughed.
Il knew he'd come she said. Tay |
Tor was silent. 1t was Gabe Williams !
who drew rein at the door, and grim
ned nonchalantly down at them both /
Waiting for me, Mandy he asked |
mildly. Cause I'm ready
Cut it out, Gabe," advised Taylor,
man fashion. Where is Robertson,
do you know" He stepped up beside /
the horse and stroked its steaming 4
neck gently.
~sPreachin1 in hell hone said I