The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-12-16
EVENING STORY
Record Breaking Love.

Jack Tracy was fishing, Keeling for
bass. He was an expert at this which
was his 6avorite sport, barring only
flirting with comely ladies. 1t was
late in the afternoon of an early
spring day that had been crowned by
a cloudless sky. AS the evening came
on the breezy air was stilled, and the
comforta Bile heat of MONDAY was tenn
pered to a pleasant. coothing warm
ness. Many bass had risen to his
tempting green frog and had been
struck by a skilful jerk of his wrist
TIL oSe that showed fight were expertly
played and all finally landed. Some
of you may doubt that bass will bite in
the evening, especially when the water
Is still. You are mistaken. Just try
it by padding your boat along the
shore, cast carefully and as noiselessly
as possible and you will find that they
generally rise splenGidly to the boat.
When the velvety star-lit darkness
superseded the gaudy twilight Tracy
put away his fishing tackle, lit a cigar
and started to paddle slowly home
ward. The night was of the superb
kind that has a tendency to make a
person retrospective, dreaming and
amorous- The mellow, musical tink-
ling of cowbells floated in from the
nearby pastures; the melodious bay
ing of hounds was heard at times and
broke the quiet continually.
Presently womans voice was
! heard singing on the other side of the
lake. 1t was changed and subdued by
the distance into charming quality
/ as it vibrated on the soft, tranquil air.
The voice possessed a range, carrying
power and sweetness that caused
| Tracy to stop rowing and to listen
intently to the magical outpouring. For
several minutes he listened, SPELL
I hon
| stopped as suddenly as it had started.
Tracy waited patiently for some time,
expecting that the songstress would
again sing, but she did not as soon as
| he desired
'I wonder who she is?" Tracy
asked himself. 81 didn't think that
this little dot upon the map har-
bored such an exceptionally good
singer. Possibly, she is just a visitor
like me and won't stay here long It's
too bad that 1 shall have to leave for
the city early in the morning or l
could, possibly. contrive to meet her
| and find out who she is. The owner
of such voice must be very charm
ing"
Tracy wasn't even sure whether she
was out in boat or not. But he de-
cided to take chances on it and soon
started rowing across the lake in the
direction from which the song had
come. Not until he had nearly
reached the opposite shore did he
stop rowing. What is more, he saw
no boat and he heard no more of the
songstress. He had about decided
that he had come on a wild goose
chase, when his attentive ear caught
the rattle of ali oarloca some distance
away.
so she is out in boat and. 1 be-
lieve, alone, since there is no CONVEX
sation."
Tracy unconsciously Strengthened
his tie and smothed his hair, compli-
menting his good luck. While he was
planning some way to get acquainted.
she started singing again. Tracy for
got everything in listening to the won
derful, appealing charm of that voice.
He thought that it was the most en-
trancing vocal music he had ever
heard; in short, he had fallen deeply
in love with the voice and longed to
meet it's owner When the song was
finished, Tracy blessed his stars for
such a glorious opportunity and de-
cided positively, that he would meet
and see the supreme songstress that
very evening.
/ To row up and accost her on the
lake was, of course, entirely out of the
question. so he began racking his
brain for another method 1t came
like an inspiration. Immediately he
set out for the boathou landing
near the hotel. which was marked by
a green light. The small lake he was
on was Joined to another lake by
means of a channel about six feet
wide and twenty-five feet long. The
boathouse was on the other side of
the channel, and taking boat thru
the channel without mishap and de-
lay required some skill. 1t was best
! done by starting the boat straight and
with sufficient initial velocity to carry
! it well along.
Tracy did not go thru the channel.
| but landed his boat on the beach. out
of sight from the entrance. In going
ashore he took with him a very strong
silk fish line. and walked carefully
4 tho quickly to where a foot-bridge
crossed the channel. Fortunately for
Tracy. there were no people about to
] disturb him while he was stringing
the fish line across the channel so that
II would intercept a boat in gong
| thru. When this was done he went
over to a bench under a nearby will
low, lit a cigar and listened to the
| enchanting singing which had again
started. He felt flattered at his sagac-
ity which had so quickly evolved the
scheme to capture the captivating
songstress whose voice had indeed
captivated him The method was sim
pie enough; but how glorious might
not be its results?
Tracy pondered deeply the best