The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-02
EVENING STORY
Never Again.
BY r. RAY BAKER.

en- structure that served as his desk
and took from it a packet of letters
bound with piece of string. He ran
them over casually, somewhat despon-
IDENTIFY, with a thumb, and gazed alb
stcactedly thru a small space in the
window pane that had thru some
neglect, escaped the coat of grease
with which the remainder of<the glass
was burdened. =
A forest of white met his eyes-a
pretty picture from a purel. scenic
standpoint, but not inspiring to one
who had been living in the midst of it
for two months and faced three more
before seeing civilization again.
Happy New Year." said AL Stuart.
looking up from his drawing board,
square and compass, and scratching
his ear with right-triangle.
Hubert favored him with a sglare,
rose to his feet and administered two
Kicks, one of which closed the desk
drawer, while the other sent the chair
beneath the desk.
A few steps took him to a box stove
that was glowing and cracking. He
changed open the door, balanced the
letters in his hand as tho weighing
the justice of his deed, and hurled the
packet into the blaze that reached for
"Never again." he reiterated, as he
directed one more kick and closed the
stove. Fa -,
Lovely evening"" observed AL. as he
laI1 aside the tools and nghto a pipe
Whats all this 'never-againing' 1
hear? Are you making New Years
resolution"
you've hit it,, was Hubert's re-
Spouse, as he borrowed some tobacco
and match from his friend and pro-
ceeded to cooperate in the progress
of smudging the room.
Pipes make men closer friends and
$tN<a L. 1t
the secrets of their hearts, especially
when there is a sorrow connected with
the secret and the troubled one feels
the need of consolation. Moreover,
the Two months spent in each others
society mad welded a chain OF friend
ship between these two men that was
firm, and already they had exchanged
some condolences.
Its an alluring future" said HUI
bert. believe me, when we get this
old railroad mapped out-which prob
ably will take about three months
more-you can see me shaking the
dust-l mean the snow-of the Wash.
ington woods from my feet and beat
ing it for-weI, 1 dunno, but I guess
I'll make it Hongkong.'
so she turned you down." was AIS
comment as he watched a ring Of
smoke soar ceilingward. After all
these months she has gone back on
you. And how loyal you have been
to her! Never once have you looked
at another woman. tOf course there
haven't been any around here to look
az, but just the same. you haven't.
Wen, unbosom yourself
There isn't much to it." Hubert
told him.. II wrote her asking her if
she'd marry me when I got out of
here. / told her if she couldn't ac-
cept me she needn't answer at ALL
Well it's been a month, and haven't
heard, SO that's my answer. And she's
had my letter three weeks 1t only
Paul.
Sure you mailed it?'' inquired Al.
| mo question about it. I remem-
per distinctly reading her address on
| the letter when I dropped it in the
box, at the Sheffield postoffice after
walking the necessary two miles for
the express purpose of satisfying my
self there was no hitch in the pro-
ceeding Of proposing by mail had
| two letters to mail. the other one be-
1 ing that poem I wrote for the Forest
Trail Magazine forgot the letter
| containing the poem and gave it to you
to mail the next day. Remember"
al gave a slight start at this, opened
| his mouth to speak. bit his lip and re-
NAMED silent for q moment
And SO you swore Off" he finally
SAID why can't you wait until mid
| night tomorrow when we usher in the
i new year? And what did you swear
| of, If may ask %
| Hubert borrowed another match
| and relighted his pipe. on which he
had neglected to draw.
| y swore off on ever associating
| with or writing to any girl any more
| in my whole life-and I'm going to
stick to it, he said firmly.
| al burst out laughing.
1T can't be DONE" he asserted. 81
have IS in my pocket that says you'll
| break that resolution within a week"
I'll take you. I'm against gam
| bling, but this is a sure thing I tell
you never again"
| Hubert retired early and was tossing
| and tumbling among the blankets
when Al stole softly from the shack
1 and made his way to a shed where the
engineers supplies and surveying i'm
! plementS were stored
Lighting a lantern he seated himself
on box of groceries, and then grim
ming somewhat ruefully produced a
| letter from pocket of his coat.
Can you beat it 20 he mused at
clean forgot to mail that poem, and
l never would have thought of it again
| If he hadn't mentioned it. Wonder if
the Forest Trail Magazine suffered
| for want of it? I guess not, tho, for
Hub is always sending out such stuff
| and getting it back. But 1 wonder-I
He looked curiously at the address
on the envelope.
Editorial Department, Forest Trail
| Magazine New York" he read.
| That's the address all right, but this
| is rather bulky for a poem"
He brought a claspknife from his
| trousers and opened it.
Maybe this isn't just right he
said, "but something tells me all is not
| as it, should be-"
He hesitated only a moment then
| slit the envelope, disclosing several
| closely ION Of of
which started out with Dear Jean"
Without further investigation Al
| folded the letter and placed it in the
same pocket from which he had
1 taken it.
That's enough" he said, as he
blew out the light and left the shed.
! I'm not reading my pals love letters
It's A had hlunder--hilf NV fnroet full