The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-21
EVENING STORY
The Cabin.
BY NEWTON LAWRE NCE.
1918, by Mcclure Newspape
Syndicatel

ACoSC, Slic piS NO1Cc VI LIT. FTOSl
doomed from the hallway, and the
shook the frail New Hampshire farm
house.
Carroll Larue. wrapped in a patch
work quilt. in an arm chair by the
window. did not look up when he en-
tered, or answer his CHEEKY: "How's
the little patient, this cold morning? ''
His bit of gossip about old Wilder
cutting timber, had brought two dull
red patches into her pale cheeks, and
she feared to meet the doctors kindly,
piercing eyes. Gould it be-" she ask
ed herself, that he knew-that he
knew, how she and Jim had planned
to build their house among the pines
on that ledge, when i'm got his pat
ents-and sold them?''
So she stared at the glass of potash
and water. covered with saucer, on
the window sill, and her mother an
swered for her: She's just the
same, doctor Gargles her throat with
potash, and takes the tonic you left
for her. But she doesn't take any in
terest- Are you sure, doctor, that it's
not-that it isn't-?''
Consumption! Bah.' snorted the
doctor. There's just one thing more
than this influenza that's the matter
with her, and that's. Well, it's
psychological. Not case for a pathol-
ogist at all. and he pulled up chair
beside her.
From the corners of her eyes, Car
fur coat settle into the chair. The coat
and his beard were frosty, where his
breath had condensed and frozen.
Here you are, young lady," he an
nounced brusquely, and slipped a
thermometer between her lips.
Smoke that for a while, and listen to
me-"
You and Jim Langley were both
born on Christmas day twenty-five
years ago. And I've known you both
just that long. There isn't a likelier
girl than you in Claremont county;
but Jim, well he's a ne'er-do-well, a
dreamer. He lost his job at the7elec-
trio company for wasting the COM
pany's time on his fool inventions and
such. You know more about that than
l do, because you worked in Mr..
Thompson's office, and earned more
money, I'll bet than he did in the shop.
But, now, because Jim's gone off to
the city on a wild goose chase, most
likely. there's no use losing your grip
on yourself, little girl, and moping.
There's other men around here be-
sides Jim Langley-young Thompson,
for instance" And the doctor let his
eyes rest approvingly on the girls deli
cate features, dark eyes, and almost
transparent skin, and on the two thick
braids of straw-colored hair.
his fortune down there where nobody
knows him, do you, when he couldn't
get on here among his friends? You
don't expect him to turn up some fine
morning with his pockets full of dol
lars, do your" The doctor removed
the thermometer
The girl said nothing. but shook her
head slowly, and looked out across the
Snow-covered fields toward the dark
fringe of pines on Wilders ledge.
Now here's a new tonic" continued
the doctor, scribbling on his prescrip-
ton pad. .asomething nice tasting
that you'll like. Brace up now. and
get welli I'LL drive your mother to
town to get the medicine, and she can
come back with Tom Stores. He's
drawing ice from the lake. and passes
here on his way to dinner"
The girl watched the doctors cutter
disappear down the road, and heard
the, CHEEKY sound of his sleigh bells
grow faint in the distance. Then she
crossed the room to writing desk
and took out letter-Jim's last.
1t was written in New York. and
there was the picture of hotel on
the envelope. 1t began:
Dearest Carroll: won't
take any interest in my invention.
And I'm almost discouraged. I
can't manage to see anyone in the
big electric companies who has
authority to buy my direct current
converter, if they wanted it. They
all say. Wen investigate, and let
you know, Mr. Langley If my
patents would only come from
Washington, 1 might be able to ac-
complish something.
It's six weeks now, but I'1I stay
until the converter's marketed. IL
it's forever. What's the use COM
ing back before? 1 couldn't get a
job paying enough for us both to
live on-even if we didn't build the
cabin on Wilder's ledge by the lake.
And I simply won't have you work
| ing for that Thompson after we're
| married"
If Jim could only understand, she
| thought, looking up from the letter,
that it was he with his dreams and
fancies. his imagination that she
wanted. What If they did call him a
ne'er-do-well? What if he was? She
wanted him.
What if some of his dreams didn't
come true? They couldn't all come
| true. If he'd only understand that
| she'd rather marry him and live there
with her mother-who would be all
alone, and would have to live with
them anyway-on whatver they could
earn together. Much rather do that,
than have him off there in New York
| trying to make his fortune out of in
ventions that in her heart, she hadn' t
great confidence Uneven if they were
Jim's. But his pride, and his willing
ness would keep him there, she knew.
And SO with a, little sigh she turned
| back to the letter.
! by know" it went on that it's
! only the thought of you, and our
cabin on the rocks above the lake
with the little workshop behind, that
gives me any courage OF ALL Well, 1t
] surely does: and it's the only thing.
sometimes, when I come in feeling
6ownhearted and blue, that makes
me put out the gas in the usual way.
Il was almost ready to give up to-
night. when I was on my way back
! to the hotel, dog tired, after rotten
day. The Westinghouse people had
put me off again with let you know
by mail. Mr.. Langley'-but 1 went to
sleep in the subway. and dreamed:
/ We were in our cabin, you and I,
sitting on the settle in front of the