The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-08-02
EVENING STORY
The Man From Tuscdte.
(By Louise Oliver.)

One day the postman left letter at
the front door addressed to the Misses
F'airleigh and having for its postmark
Tuscite, Ariz. The upper left corner
Of the envelope indicated that the
communication had come from the Of
flee of Franklin K. Powers, secretary
and treasurer of the Grand Canyon
Development company.
Aurelia stopped her sewing ma
chine, and the hem of Miss Lawns
berry's new yellow net was kept wait
ing while Alicia ran a scissor-blade
under the flap and pulled out the con-
tents.
For goodness sake, hurry up!"
urged Aurelia, unable to bear the sus-
pense any longer, while Alicia wo-
manlike, was running her eye over the
whole thing at once and trying to
grasp the meaning.
I'm hurrying." AHcia's voice was
an almost inaudible whisper, and the
letter shook SO she could scarcely hold
it. ITS about a mine. Reelie, and 1t
seems we are to get some money!
Here. you take it; I'm shaking all
over!"
my goodness, from the way you act
you'd think somebody was dead and
you had to pay the funeral expenses.
1 hope somebody has left US a gold
mine or sonnet hing substantial. I'm
about all in this hot weather fixing up
buds for other people to go away TO
the seashore, and won't have to think
twice how to spend it if it's real mon
ey. But we'll see! Here's what it
says:
Dear Mesdames: AZ representa-
tive of the G. c. D. company or Tus-
cite, in which your late uncle, Moses
B. Wright, was a director and stock
holder 1 have the pleasure to inform
you that the Marian Turquoise mine
recently redeveioped has yielded rich
matrix deposits and, as beneficiaries
of Mr.. Wright's estate, you are en-
titled to twelve per cent Of the net
profits. 1 enclose a check for your
share of the dividend and will report
quarterly unless receiving contrary di-
rections from you
81 am yours most faithfully,
FRANKLIN K. POWERS"
'Reelie!''
yes, really! But, joking aside.
here's check for eleven hundred and
thirty-six dollars that's real enough
and I'll show you how I'm going to
spend part of it right now" sess
: She pushed back her chair from the
| machine and went to the phone. call
| ing Minnie Sweet: Minnie, I've got
| ruffles. I can't do them and you'll
| have to. Send Tommy over for it and
| get it done by tonight and I'll give you
| ten dollars a ruffle. I'm all in and
am going away. All right-good for
She hung up the receiver with de-
cided emphasis.
That's settled" she said, turning
to Alicia, who sat petrified with sur
prise.
"Oh, Reelie!''
For goodness sake, Is that all you
can say?" dropping the cover on the
sewing machine none too gently and
pushing it noisily into it's corner. Now
take off that thimble and pincushion
and run the sweeper over these bast-
ings on the floor while 1 telephone to
| people to send for their stuff. Then
you and 1 are going up town and buy
some buds and were going to the sea-
shore on the first train in the morn
| ing. And, look here, 'Licia, while
you're getting ready I'm going to give
are both forty plus and not so bad
looking. Everyone deserves a hus-
| band-why not we? I don't know of
a better investment for eleven hum
bred dollars, do you? Now, for heav-
ems sake don't say .Reeliei' again or
I'll scream. Think it over"
The Traymeer hotel, housing a
whole cityful of people, might have
| had their own brother for a guest and
they not know 1t, SO it was not sur
prising that they had been enjoying
sea air and sunshine and had time to
| before they discovered that Franklin
K. Powers, the genius of their fortune,
was their neighbor. They met him
quite by accident in the shooting gall
| lery, where Aurelia was practicing
with rifle.
Rough, bluff, a man of forty five
or SO, he had the broad geniality of the
/ west and was decidedly good looking
besides. Their friendship ripened
rapidly.
he explained, land the climate put me
| to bed. Talk about Arizona being
hot! The thermometer may go high,
but the barometer goes with it 1 had
to get away from New York, so the
doctor sent me herei I'm glad-very
glad he did, with a meaning glance
| at Aurefia.
And gradually it grew to be quite
the thing for Alicia to go with Mrs.
Brown to a Chinese auction or crab
bling with the Smith children at the
Inlet, while Alicia and her westerner
tried all the breakneck contraptions
that were ever invented to catch the
nimble sixpence. They looped the
loop, dipped the dips. took a catboat
out in face of a storm and defied the
breakers at high tide when no one
else would go in.
You are person after my own
heart, Alicia" he said one day, the
best sport I've ever known. I'd like
to see you on a COW pony in riding
toys and sombrero. You're made for
it It's a wonderful ride to the mine
and the presence of a few bad Mexi-
cans in the vicinity only adds excite
ment Here comes your sister. / was
going to ask you something important,
but it will keep until tomorrow"
But Alicia's dream of happiness
| came to sudden end when page
| brought a note to her next morning
| Have been suddenly called nome.
VIII write later,"
/ "'Licia, do you suppose he's gone
for good? I'm not just looking for a
husband, you know 1t isn't that, and
i / wish you'd forget what I said about
! marrying. But 1 think he's the best
H and finest man 1 ever knew, and IL
thought I'd never see him again I be-
i Ifeve would die
4 mind h will