The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-26
EVENING STORY
Back to the Soil.
(By Susan E. Clagett.)

1T cannot be done"
The speaker was one of three young
men. and his tone was emphatic. The
girl in the group leaned forward, re-
garding him with earnest eyes.
why not?" she asked.
Lack of money and experience"
men, We know nothing of country
life The Office is our living. We can
not give up an assured income for the
promise of one, especially when the
promise requires expenditure. The
house is barely habitable. To make
it livable would require more money
than can be spared"
| The girls glance swept the tiny sit
ting room, rested for an instant upon
the figure leaning against the door
way, then came back to her elder
| brother.
Il think, Jack, that I could make it
home if the roof doesn't leak. The
place is ours. The rent of this apart
ment would help, and we could have
roses and Glove pinks> and violets.'
Hear her. Bob interrupted. Can
we eat roses and Glove pinks and vio-
lets? 1 confess to a desire for a more
material diet"
The girl laughed. They are only
the frills, Bob, but 1 am always
dreaming of them and of green grass
with white clover sprinkled thru it
and the blessed sunshine coming thru
the leaves of the trees. Grandfather
may not have made money there. but
he did make a comfortable living.
Why couldn't WEI"
Her brothers stared. That Jane
should say she dreamed of things
showed a condition of mind unsuspect-
ed by either. She was always happy.
She made them comfortable, made the
best of a limited income. and never
complained of its limitations; but both
shook their heads.
1T can't be DONE" Jack reiterated
Jane is right" came from a pleas
/ ant voice in the doorway, If you two
dunderheads would listen to her. You
! might not be able to make any
amount OF money, but do you do more
now? You just about meet expenses,
with little slowed away for emer-
gencies. Out there you would have no
/ house rent. You could have many
| things that are now luxuries. There
would be no Inconvenience, and COM
muting IS not pleasant, but try it for
James sake. She needs the sunshine
and grass and clover pinks and roses
| if the roses ever bloom in her cheeks
again She has never recovered her
strength since that attack of pneu-
MONA, altho she says nothing"
Jane had turned a smiling face to
him as he began to speak, but shook
her head as he finished.
Honest, Jane, don't you feel tired
out all of the timer
Sometimes she admitted reluct-
antly.
That should settle it," John Gray
said. However. if you still hesitate
should like to rent the land of you
and see what l can do with it. My
car is at the door. Pile in and we
will run out to the place and see if
| the plan isn't feasible
The two men scarcely heard. They
were looking at their sister thru the
eyes of their friend. To their dismay
they realized that he ha6 spoken the
truth and with grave faces they fol-
| lowed him to the car
An hour later they stood before the
story -a-half house viewing it crit
lcally as possible home. 1t had been
sadly neglected. Tall weeds grew IN
to the doorway, window blinds sagged
and Stats were gone from them; the
porch was in a tumbledown condition.
but to offset the general dilapidation
were great clumps of hlacs and snow
balls and mock orange just bursting
into bud that would be a mass of
beauty a few weeks later on. The
place had untold possibilities and John
Gray glanced down at the girl beside
MIN wondering if the thought in his
mind could be in hers, but the ewes
she raised to his were clear and he
turned away rather than let her read
what he felt written upon his face.
They entered the large living room
from the porch In it and the one on
the. opposite side Of the house were
huge fireplaces, and as John Gray
looked about he said:
! If you people will take mother and
me for the summer we will both APP
preclate it. Only this morning she
said she wished she lived within an
hours ride from town. She would be
| delighted with the place"
Weeds and alp" Bob asked with
! a slight laugh. Il think you could
find a more desirable place to spend
the summer months
of course 1t will require time to
make it look as il should" GRAY an
swered. but Jane will make it home
before then and you two will benefit
by such outdoor exercise as will put
the yard in order. 1 venture you will
not know the place by the end of
June. l grant it is not desirable for
you to give up your positions just
yet. and if you feel you cannot take
care of the land 1 shall be glad to
lease it of you
Jack was looking frowninglY thru
a back window at the evidence of an
oidfashioned garden. He turned now.
You can have the land of course, if
you wish Our living here is impos-
sible''
Before you decide look we'll at
Jane" the other said quietly. The
: girl is in desperate need of the yery'
things she can get on this old farm
; You can take no risk with her. Try
it this summer at least. Give her
: the chance to get strong
: The three were watching the girl
as she moved here and there among
: the old flower borders. She looked
t up and called to them delightedly.
ef he inc