The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-07-28
EVENING STORY
On the Sand.
(By Louise Oliver.)

(By Louise Oliver.)
The swim out to the sand bar and
back six times repeated had made Ted
tired. Add to that scorching July
sun, the inviting shade of a beach chair
and a natural propensity for sleep at
any time and under all conditions. ara
you can readily understand why MOI
pheus found him an easy victim lnat
eventful morning
Suddenly something hit him with
sickening force in the solar piexus'
and he sat up before he was awake
with the dim idea that the largest pro-
jectiie of foreign bombardment nao
selected him for target
Then something said softly, "Goo!
and, with a few delighted gurgies.
Cool" again. A baby looked up at
him with placid blue eyes and twisted
the corners of its little rosebud mouth
into a thousand smiles, beating the air
at the same time with two pink fists
that fairly vibrated with excitement.
Where did you come from, BABY.
dear? Out of the everywhere into the
herer came into Ted's head.
Hello. there, mister or miss OF
whatever you arel" he exclaimed.
where did you come from?"
Baby gurgled an answer.
You don't say sol Well, IL you had
only sent word 1 might have been bet
ter prepared to receive YOU But II
seems to be the thing nowadays to
drop in informally. / suppose"
who appeared to have lost a baby re-
Gently, or who might in any way be
associated with one. II suppose" he
said, that you fell out of the chair.
seeing that you had such a nice soft
thing to land on!
'Here-that won't do" as baby
tried to stuff a moist, sand-covered
nd int nrrfH hot VOL r
a boyl" brushing 1t off and grabbing
the other Just in time to prevent a
like accident. Boys are always think
ing of their stomachs! But when you
smile at me SO sweetly l think you're
a girl, The girls all like me to
pieces; Honor bright" The wide
open blue eyes searched him inquir-
ingly. "All except one. and she doesn't
think I'm worth two for a cent. But
it's all because she doesn't know me.
We have never been introduced. By
Jove. here she comes now!"
A variety of reasons caused him to
pick the baby up just then-either to
hide the confusion which he always
felt when the girl came near, or be-
cause it looked heartless to let a
beautiful. embroidered, she'll pink
baby lie unprotected on the sand. But,
anyway, he picked it up and laid it
over his shoulder in the way babies
love, as though he had been head
nurse in founding asylum all his
life.
The girl passed, but not before she
had taken in the stage setting and the
chief performers of the little act.
To go back, Ted and the girl were
staying at the same hotel. He had
tried to meet her-as he had ex-
planned to the baby-but no mutual
friend had so far appeared. But he
mad managed to let her know he was
interested. She had fairly to fall over
him on her way to the dining room,
ne chose to battle at the place where
she took her daily dip, and at the
amusements she liked best On the
other hand, the girl continually
frowned her displeasufe at his pres
once, and it was evident that she was
just as keen to avoid meeting him as
he was anxious to meet her.
The girl walked along with her
companion, but turned back as she
saw something lying on the sand.
Ted's heart nearly stopped when he
saw her coming, and he almost
dropped the baby, but he clutched it
tightly, desperately, when she picked
up the toy and handed it to him, with,
Here is your baby's rattlei' and, half
stopping, added. Cute little thing
looks like your
She was gone with that, and Ted
Su,tOclly WISHED the SANDS would
swallow him and spare him any fur
ther torment of living. His baby.
Merciful heavensl
so you look like mel We ought
to be ohums, then. suppose, with a
common grievance like that; but 1
thlnk It's time we parted company.
Back you go where you came from.
babykin. Nurse or some one will be
back soon. I'll come along in five
minutes or so to see If you are all
right" He laid baby in its soft nest,
gave it the rattle and tried to collect
his scattered senses by another swim
to the bar.
Sure enough. when he returned
baby was gone. He breathed NOR :
freely then. He felt personally re-