The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-25
Eoening Story
A Real Thanksgiving.
BY FREDERICK HART.

don't see why he didn't writer!
said Mrs. Halden, pettishly. "Of
course I'm glad he's coming home for
Thanksgiving, and all that, but he
might have given me longer notice.
But that's just like Bob-aiways drop
ping in like a tornado, with no more
than telegram the day before he
comes-and how I'm to get his room
ready, I simply don't see. 1 have the
dinner TO attend to. and goodness
knows it's hard to get things these
days without making preparations for
another guest. If he'd only writtenr
All he had to do was to sit down a
week ago and write
Now. mother. don't get all wor-
RED" Pretty Barbara Halden siipned
an arm around her mothers ample
waist. Il know you've a thousand
things to do, and Bob's coming makes
1t harder-but you just go ahead and
manage the dinner. I'll fix his room
and everything"
Bless your heart, dear, run along
and get II ready. I'm always glad TO
see Bob" Her speech was cut short
by the abrupt exit OF her daughter.
who danced off up the stairs, followed
by her mothers call, BE sure and
how Bob likes his pipei''
AN right. mother deaF-I wiiI!"
And Barbara sped to the little room
under the caves that had been sacred
to Bob Holiday since the time, two
years ago, when he had first come 10
their town to practice law and had
taken up his residence under Mrs.
Halden's hospitable roof.
since that summer. when he had
saved Mrs. Haiden's little savings and
her home from the clutches of a
Igrasping syndicate of real ESTATE
sharks, he had been like son to the
good woman. She had let him do
very much as he pleased around the
house. and had even limited at his
paying no board. but Bob had insisted
on giving her what he termed a ridic-
uiously inadequate sum each month.
When success brought him fame and
fortune he had refused to take up
other lodgings. claiming that he en-
Joyed the home cooking and the home
associations of the little brown house
near the edge of the town more than
ne could ever like the garish splendors
of hotel or the loneliness of bachelor
apartments.
For the past two months he had
been travelling in-the west on a big
railroad case. His sudden wire, re-
had been the first apprisai of his re-
turn that Mrs. Halden had had
| Now as she busily arranged her
kitchen in preparation for the manu-.
featuring of dinner that should sur
pass all her former efforts in that line
she blessed the chance that brought
| her boy" as she called Bob, home al
| the holiday season, while she outward
iy feigned great irritation at his un.
| ceremonious announcement of his re
turn.
Meanwhile. mp in Bob's room, Bar
bara was busily putting things straight
| spreading clean linen on the bed, ar
| ranging the cover on the dresser. see
ting that the smoking table was sup
/ piled with matches and trays for Bob:
ever-present pipe. and generally max
| ing things fresh and sweet for the re
ception of her hero. For. Barbara, Bot
was a good deal Of a hero. tho she
would hardly have confessed it even
| to herself.
| She attacked the dresser last of all
| intending to take out of the drawers
any odds and ends that might be in
them and leave space for shirts, collars
and other articles of masculine ap-
pare1.
| The big lower drawers We're empty
and beyond a quick glance in search
of truant dust she did nothing to them
but one of the small top drawers stuck
| obstinatefy in the manner of some
drawers. She gave a hard tug; the
teeth and pulled violently.
The next moment she was sitting on
the floor with the recalcitrant drawer
upside down in her lap and lot OF
odd looking papers scattered about.
With a little laugh and a shrug al
her awkwardness she rose and stopped
to gather up the papers. AS she pick
| ed up one scrap, larger than the 9TH
ers, she happened to glance at it. and
something that was written on the top
gripped her attention. With the blood
dyeing her cheeks. she read:
ITO Barbara"
Below were some lines of poetry.
She read them thru They were not
so good, as poems go; in fact. there
were spots where the meter halted and
staggered, and the rhymes were not
above criticism; but to the heart Of the
girl who read them they were more
beautiful than any words Of the great
est singers of all times. For there in
written words was expressed the love
of man for a maid-the love of Bob,