The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-14
The Evening Story

(By Henry D. Morehouse.)

isn't any use of talking any more
about it. The shape the work is in
now, I don't suppose you would mind
if I left tonight. would your"
why. no, Joe; If you wish to quit
tonight, it's all right. You can ar
range TO go any time you like But
I'm sorry. I'm sorry to lose you and
I'm sorry I can't pay you more mon
ey, but I've told you how things stand.
Have you made any plans?"
mo; none whatever"
well. if you ever want to come
back to work for me I'd be glad to
have you. You're good man and I
think you are worth more than !
would be able to pay you here.
wish you luck"
Thanks said Joe. I'll not for
get what you've said"
The men shook hands and Joe left
the office.
He bought an evening paper and
climbed the stairs of the elevated.
Seated in the train, he began to look
through the Help Wanted" columns.
then turned back a page or two and
listlessly began to read a short story.
1t was the story of a man of As. tired
of the city and broke, who had left
town one day, and after travelling
many miles had hired out as farm
hand. and in short time rented a
farm. married. made money and
learned to dispise the city and all its
ment of the life he was living.
Joe folded the paper and looked
about him in the train.
What a weary looking throns sur
rounded him, packed as closely as
they could sit or stand, 1t was the
same sort of crowd he had Travelled
with always, but he looked at 1t with
a new interest, and what he saw gave
him an idea, hay, indefinite, but the
more he thought of it the more it grew
to have substance in his mind.
The bell rang and Marion ran to the
door, fastening a cuff button in a
fresh waist as she went. Marion was
a stenographer downtown, working
for a boss who suited his convenience
about debating his letters, so quite
often, as happened tonight, she was
late reaching home and had barely
time to finish a cold dinner after the
rest of the family and hastily change
her dress
Joe had telephoned her a few days
before that he wanted to see her tEat
evef1ipg This was nothing unusual,
for he had been coming TO see her
once or twice a week for long ume'
but this time he had said he had some
thing important to tell her.
Although he never had said SO,
Marion thought she had pretty
clear idea of what his feelings were
toward her. Any woman can tell thai
about man.
expected, she met a messenger BOY,
who handed her a note. Opening II
in the hall she read:
Dear Marion: l decided rev mo.
ments ago not to come to see you, ou'
thought would rather write. L am
going to chuck it-leaving town to-
night at eleven. haven't any clear
| notion of where I am going OF Whdt
am going o.do. I only know Tor Ger
tain that 1 must get away, nave na -.
homes for many months-hopes OF
which I dare not teli-but it isn't any
nse. rye worked three years on TINS
lob and I'm not getting anywhere.
| hardly make enough to support my
self and when I asked the boss Tor q
raise he wanted to know why ne
sbould nav me more when he could get
anv number of men to work Tor "nd'
T set Resides, he said the business
wouldn't warrant it several weehs
ago. a distant relative died ana 1ouno
had been left an income of just one
daI1ar day. resigned my position
Yesterday and am taking train for
some Mace in the woods up north !
Wanted to say goodbye to you, but !
will let this be my goodbye. JOE
Marion sat a long time with the lel,
ter in her lap beneath her foioeo
bands Injured to disappointment as
She was through the many that mao
come into her life, she felt TINS 10 De
the hardest she had ever known Sne
! had not known until now now Inuch
she cared or what hopes anu urea Iis
had heen hers for many months Joe
a11;dentIv considered himself a failure
"a ouitter-and was willing to &C
knowledge it even to her. HIS gooo-
/ hive he seemed to mean snoolo De
finaI-expressing no wish to see or
/
| weary from her day in the office
and from it's disappointing ending, she
sought her bed
Toe pushed up the shade in his
berth in the early morning nsht aIio
Forests lined the track and the trees
| sneeding by were covered with wei
snow that gave them the appea rance
/ of great white umbrellas. AS ne lay
! in his berth watching the MOVING
landscape. he heard the porter say
throngh the curtain: Your station
ne1t sab. Due in forty minutes
When Joe had purchased his ticket
! tho night before he lad told the agent
he wished to go to some small place
IN in the woods, he did not care
| where. He got into his clothes ana
prepared to leave the train
After a breakfast in the one hotel in
the place ne learned from the Iano-
! lord of a cabin in the woods ABOUT
seven miles from the town that could
be bought or rented The owner Ivea
! in the town and Joe rented the place
WITHOUT bothering TO look at it and
hired a man to drive him out to It;
| He found a good house on the shore
of a small lake and surrounded oy
great trees, the same big trees stha'
seemed to be everywhere in this beau
/ tiful country. The house was partly
! furnished and he had stocked himself
with necessary supplies before leayinc
/ the village. He spent the rest or the
lday making himself comfortable, and
did not leave the cabin. as a. cold sleet