The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-14
EVENING STORY
Alt Nuremburg.
(By Ellis Browne

chummy car 10 q StdnOStlil before the
door of the inn. Alt Nuremburg, with
its concrete block towers and spiked
iron-bound oaken gates, announced
Hospitality on board outside that it
served food and soft drinks. Another
placard pictured an amber brown
mug covered with a generous froth
that appealed more strongly to his
dusty palate, and, descending with
haste, he was soon inside the garden
waiting to be served at a little white
clothed iron table near vine-covered
wall.
1t was four o'clock and in the dis
tant kitchen could be heard heterogen-
eous sounds of busy preparation for
the evening, tinkling of glass, clash
ing of trays and the scraptng of heavy
kettles. In an occasional lul1, a deep,
steady roar told of the proximity of
the ocean, and the professor waited
impatiently, as he wished to finish his
! journey and have a cooling dip in the
surf before time to dress for dinner.
The thought of dinner and evening
brought a flush of happiness, for he
had kept his car seward for four
hundred miles because Betty PERISH
ing was at Ocean Point with her fam
| lily And an invitation from Mrs.
Pershing one day when summer out
ings were being discussed was not to
be overlooked.
You must come to Ocean Point
when we are there. professor che
had insisted. THE gols course there
is perfect and the sailing is fine.
Yes, indeed, Feldman," agreed
Tom Pershing. heartily, slapping the
other jovially on the back II can
| beat you all hollow there if you did
| trim me today Better run down.
And I've got a new launch" put in
Jack Pershing, eagerly. We can
have bully time, professor. I'll take
you grabbing, tool"
Thank you all" he had smiled
Inducements And you, Miss Betty?
Have your approval
Certainly, professor. 1 was lust
wondering how we could get along
thru the summer without your Bet
fy answered, brightly.
l4-o'Fhe die is cast. / CO." he an
.nounced gratefully. "What have 1
done to be SO fortunate? 1 assure you
| shall do my best to be useful. shall
stock up on fresh new jokes for rainy
days. and make proteges of all the old
ladies and he stopped. He had
caught Betty's eye and hers dropped
| in pretty confusion, for his eyes were
saying only too plainly that she was
the cause of his gratitude. Her faith
er's friend had never told her that he
| loved her, but she had guessed it,
So the Pershings had gone and the
professor had followed, and now the
sea roaring in his ears made him
realize that Betty was less than a mile
away and that he could see her in
three, two-perhaps one hour.
Two men came in, sat down and
| raped sharply on their table. A
waiter appeared, summoned another
and took the orders. The professor
changed his mind and ordered orange
ade. After all Alt Nuremburg wasn't
Heidelberg and he was no longer a
days, though. That was where he had
met Tom Pershing twenty years ago.
| Now he was nearly forty. Heidelberg.
i How far away-how long ago it SEEM
edi4s And pretty little Elsa, flaxen
| haired and demure. That had been
quite an affair. When he came to
| America he told her he would make
his fortune and return when he was
rich.
| A shadow crossed his face. That
/ had bothered him for years until he
had heard that she was married. But
he had never verified the rumor.
| He finished his sandwich and got up
/ to CO. More people had come in and
/ a little orchestra had come from some
| where and started to play. The tune
was familiar. an old German melody
| he had known well in the old days.
| Memories came crowding back, things
he had forgotten long ago-the little
old cottage in a village street, the
care-free school boy, the master with
the birch rod; then college days, roll
licking days of love and duels and
Elsa He sat down. Elsa again!
The curtain at the rear of the little
stage parted and four singers came
out dressed in native costume and
picked up the air of the players. The
! professor started to his feet, for the
faxen-haired soprano in her velvet
bodice was none other than the girl
he had been thinking about-Elsa.
He sat staring, confused, his
thoughts chaos. Had the heat. the
long ride and the music fuddled his
| brain? Was this women real or a
J creature of his imagination? She kept
her eyes on the sky, the ever-chang
| ing clouds above the sea, and she did
not see him. The song ended and the
/ singers sat down nstlessly.
The professor made his way to the
platform and Elsa lowered her eyes
/ from the top of the wall. '.Emme EFT.
Du Emmett" she cried.
Yes. Elsa. It's Emmett, Can you
come down."
YES" she answered, giving him her
hand and jumping to the ground.
Twenty years had made title change
! She looked older of course, but she
was still little Elsa to him.
Come over here" She indicated a
table half hidden by shrubs in an
angle of the wall. I'VE can talk bet
| ter by ourselves!"
They sat down and he scanned her
fac closely. How are you. Elsa %
/ '-All right And your"
THE same. It's odd to find YOU
here. How long have you been in
! American
sixteen years"
.'Heavens, And 1 not to know it,
| Where have you been2"
/ In New York most of the time
What -heayily-"what did you