The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-08
EVENING STORY
In Tidy Lane.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

of small cottages neatly lining the |
street. Isn't It good to get sniff
sGlorious! We both need a change |
from city dust. I get so sick OF the
office every day and u coopea-in flat |
every night. hope the cottage is pos |
sible-it will be SO disappointing after !
coming way out here in Long Island"
Helen Randolf absorbed deeply the
freshness of the avenue of shady trees. |
She was tired. frightfully tired of the !
strain of her editorial duties on ono
of the big magazines.
Eyes, hope SO. but the cottage it
self doesn't amount to much. / can
make anything in the way OF a shack
comfortable for US two so long as
there are a few walls and a roof"
10th girls were eagerly scanning
the small houses in search of No. 8.
Number nine must be the black
sheep that has wandered from the
fold" laughed Alice. 1.-THE tidiest part
OF Tidy lane doesn't seem to have any
number nine. Oh! could that darling
one over there possibly be it?"
The advertisement for the small
cottage in Tidy lane had read "Seclud-
ed but not isolated"
Number nine certainly was isolated.
It had rambled off the other houses
in the lane and found for itself a
seclusion that made the hearts of
the two tired lily girls jump with
sheer joy. Number nine lay in the
heart of a small grove of pine tr. es
and had settled itself down there for
all the world like a bit of the land
scape that had been created, not built.
TITS too good to be true Helen
said as they made their way back to
the city to pack up and take the
first train they could manage back to
Tidy lane. ST love the way it's gone
off by itself and nestled in those
smelly. healthy pine trees"
"And I shall have a few chickens
in that little coop. and you will come
home tired every evening from the
office and I will be waiting for you
with good things to eat" Alice was
delighted to the extent of a child over
a big blue-eyed doll.
day, dear. You know it will be a
change for you from seeing so many
people in the city"
81 couldn't be lonesome if tried in
that cute little cottage and Tidy lane
villagers to study"
So it was that the two fast friends
found themselves happily ensconced
In number nine out in.sunny, fragrant
Long Island. --.
Daily Helen Randolf took the train
to the city and the editorial chair she
was filling while the editor was away
fighting for Uncle Sam. And each day
Alice Winter fitted more joyfully into
the small cottage with its quaint sur
roundings. The furnishings had been
bit cold, but they were SO no longer.
The garden had been a trifle lacking
in color, but a few geraniums and
sweet peas cheered it all up.
The owner of the small cottage had
gone with the American eXpeditionary
force to France. Alice realized that
he could not object to the few shrubs
with which she had ornamented the
garden.
81 hope he will come back to his
cory nest" she said by way of a little
prayer for the soldiers safety.
you mustn't hurt your back dig
ging So much" admonished Helen
often when some new shrub greeted
her upon hAr return from the city.
You are not accustomed to that kind
OF work.
my digging" she cried excitedly
the next evening when her pal re-
turned, has unearthed a mystery.
Look here!" She held up substan-
tial tin box Il started to put in that
hydrangea this afternoon and was
probing around for a soft spot to dig
in and finding one I came upon this
box"
Buried treasure: I suppose IT is
bury them as children" Nevertheless
the girls were both Interested IS
{"Child nothing" exclaimed Alice.
ITS full to the gaff of manuscripts
Short stories. And look at the note
that was on top!"
note and read it's contents. Farewell
to fame. Mother raised her boy to be
a soldier-not a genius" The note
was signed Philip Cheyne" and con-
tanned no more information. The
many rejection slips from all tho. New
York magazines. however. told all the
tale that was necessary.
Poor kid, y laughed Helen, her edi-
torial brain busy with the contents of
the stories. She was Swimming them
swiftly with the trained mind of
reader. 'Goosey," she said lovingly
to Alice, at suppose you hadn't even
looked at these stories"
II wouldn't know 4 good story from
a bad one If I got your whole big
salary for it," laughed Alice. Are
they all 50 bad as that?" she inquired,
sadly gazing at the number of retec-
ton slips.
They're pretty bad" commented
Helen, except the plots. and they are
rather unusual But Philip Cheyne
knows no more about the feminine
nature than YOU do about stories. His
women are appalling. They never
lived and never could i've" Her voice
trafled of in the maze of critical
know, she said finally when Alice
called her into the small, f1owery, din
Ing room and set her down at the
dainty table. at could make a lot of
those stories into strong fiction by a
Few touches. The magazine is sadly
In need of new brains Just now. rye
q mind to whip them in shape nd
bring out Philip Cheyae as a writer"
oh, Helen. Wouldn't that be
great? I Just wish weren't SO stu
pia and could, help you"
You can help by being Just your
sweet. lovable feminine little self,
can put you right into those stories.
You are the type that's needed here.
So you see, dearie, you will be the
means of many big checks going into
that tin box for Philip Cheyne when
he returns from the war"
A little silence fell on the two en-
thusiastic girls.
Each felt the sinister chill of those