The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-08
EVENING STORY
Jungle Fever.
BY r. RAY BAKER.

doctor; it was just those two initials.
Carrie Crothers wanted to put the
letters after her name. and Austin
Fredericks strongly opposed. OF
course, the right TO the initials would
involve a course at college; but Carrie
was prepared for that. Austin was not
prepared. He wanted Carrie to settle
down with him. and cook and sweep
and do sundry other household
duties.
But Carrie was willingSafter she
wrested a career from the world.
When she had proved to herself and
everybody else that she was capable
of making her own way she would be
content to give 1t all up and be plain
Mrs. Fredericks subtracting and dis
carding the IN. D."
But that isn't reasonable, Carrie,
he protested. II you're SO determined
to do something. why don't you be a
teacher? That won't take so long, and
besides-well. anything but a woman
doctor for me. It isn't their place
not by a long shot. Now, women
make fine teachers. and l rather ad-
nire them, and think what fine
thing they are doing in educating the
rising generation. OF course. you
know / want you to get married right,
away, but l know your disposition
enough to realize that you won't until
you learn some kind of profession
But make a little concession to me and
be a teacher. Give up this doctor
idea Women doctors are no good.
Carrie took umhrage at his attitude
Women doctors were Just as good as
the men variety, and a lot better in
many cases, she commended, stamping
her foot and growing red with anger.
Did he mean to intimate that she
could not he a good physician or any
t-A0 oil
IL that was all the faith he had in her
he might as we'll take his hat and
coat and go, and he needn't come back
unless II was on her terms. Sne'd
show him whether woman could be
a successful doctor. Maybe some time
he'd get down on his knees and beg
for the services of q feminine physi-
clan.
Austin was desperate. He realized
Carrie would not yield point. and
somehow he was bound to admire her
for her ambition.
by George" be pondered. ''I be-
lieve she will do it at that But who
wants a doctor for a wife? People
would pass me on the street and re-
mark to one another. There goes
DR.. Fredericks's husband" That's all
l would count for, because she'd
change her mind about giving up
practice, once she got her degree. /
can't do il, that's all. I'll wait few
DAYS and see II she won't change her
mind, altho I'm almost certain she'll
stick to it,"
He was hardly prepared for the
swiftness with which things de-
veloped. His morning paper two days
later made public the fact that Miss
Carrie Crothers, daughter of Mr.. and
Mrs. F. D. Crouthers, $50 Jefferson
avenue, left last night for Ann Arbor.
where she will take a six years course
lv ha fttdx Of
versity of Michigan"
Austin was so detected that he ate
only one of the two doughruts fur
nished him for breakfast at the arm
chair lunch and drank only half the
coffee. He went around in daZe for
three days, and was conSta ntly afraid
that, in his capacity as assistant teller
at the hank, he might cash cigar
coupon for a hundred dollar check or
commit some equally tragic error.
In desperation he wrote her a spe-
cial delivery letter, which came as
near being OF a pleading nature as his
rather proud spirit would permit
The answer came the next day on
a postcard:
AFTER six years. No sooner. Wait
or not. as you see fit"
The reply and the manner OF reply
ing aroused Austin's wrath.
She's going to show me, is she?
Very well. I'll show her. too" he whis-
pered vengefully to himself, after
drawing out his savings account.
He was determined TO go away. He
had no idea what his destination
would be. but It would be somewhere
out of the civilized world. where he
would try to forget and at the same
time give Miss Carrie Crothers a good
opportunity to think things over and
come to her senses. At the end of a
year, he decided. he would come back
and see IL things were different. 1t
was going to be hard for him, but II
would be harder to stay and take her
insults as he put 1t in conversation
with his aggrieved self.
By chance he picked up a newspa-
per which annoupced that Thomas
Stevenson. the explorer. was prepar-
ing to sail In a week for Africa on
new expedition.
Austins eyes frightened. Here was
his chance. He had accompanied
Stevenson on the latter's first explor-
ing journey INTO the African wilds,
and he would arrange to go with him
this time. Invoking the aid of the
telegraph. using as the address the
name of Stevenson's favorite hotel in
New York. Austin ascertained that he
would be a welcome addition to the
party.
The young man found the explorer
packing up in his room. There was a
hearty handshake and a brief ex-
change of words. and week later
Austin sailed with Stevenson and five
others for Durham, on the southeast
ern coast of the dark continent.
Arriving there they employed three
Zulus and two Hottentots to make up
the remainder Of the expedition and
do the work. Many weeks later found
the party north OF the Transvaai. thru
which they had passed, and shortly
afterward they began exploring in
earnest
Austin understood well before going
that il was a hazardous undertaking
on which he had embarked. for the
dangers from both disease and I'M
civilized natives. especially the BUSH
men. were many and serious. How
ever, he wanted excitement to occupy
his mind.
The expedition continued for
months. always heading northward.
elm bling over mountains and passing