The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-16
Eoenirg Story
The Wooden Man.
BY CLARIssA MACKIE.

I crest OF SIop1DS lawns ana surrounded
by noble trees. Harley Cakes lived
there alone. now that all of his people
had gone on before, and he was often
very lonely. Perhaps it was his rather
! awkward gait and his stern. taciturn
ways that gained for him the nick
name CT the Wooden Man"
The town jokers grinned when they
explained to strangers that the
| Wooden Nam was in the lumber
business and that his name was Cakes
| No breath of this gossip ever reached
Harley. as he went soberly about his
business and spending long, dull even
ings in the great house.
| Down in the office OF his big Ium-
Der mills he was very popular with all
| of his employees. even the new stenog-
rapher, a shy little mouse of a girl,
thought he was wonderful man.
The old mans a queer old bird"
said a smart young bookkeeper one
day as he lighted a cigaret in the
office
Marion Clews looked distressed
| please don't smoke in here. Mr.. Fin
ney' she pleaded, you know it is
against the rule-Mr. Cakes"
Finney laughed. What has the
| Wooden Man preached about now 3"
he scoffed
NO lights about the place-no
smoking" said the girl soberly. And
I don't like to hear you speak of Mr.
Cakes in that manner@when you have
] been here longer
"Hear-hear!" he laughed flip
PANTY. The mouse defends the lion!
There, I'll be good, Miss CIews--see,
I've thrown my cigaret awayl''
He tossed it from the window end
turned to her.
How about the movies tonight?
There's a good show at the STAR
No, thanks you've promised to
work tonight-Mr. Dreams is getting
out his balance and shall stay"
Foolish child-well, so long-don't
work yourself to death"
He wandered out of the office. mans
ing in the yard to light another Of ms
endless cigarets. The door of Mr.
Oakes's private office opened and he
emerged, tall, graveIy pleasant
he said. --1' .
| u have brought some supper with
me-Mr- Dreams asked me to help on
the balance" ga
Don't stop too late" he advised.
ana putting on his hat went away
with courteous good night
Marion looked after him with .s4aA-
Try gray eyes He would be SO fiaifd-
some II he smiled Sometimes" she
told herself and then blushed rosiiy
as she resumed her work. The setting
sun added glory to her pretty fair
mar ana made dimpling shadows in
ther. rounded cheeks
Sne was sweet and good and thoroly
| unspoiled. She lived with her faahers
ana mother IN pretty cottage not
Iar from the big house on the hill.
sometimes she was frightened. he
cause Of her dreaming about Harley
Oakes-ne was so strong, so quiet, so
sure OF himself and so grave. as If
all the gladness had been lost out of
his life.
The Wooden Man! What an IN
worthy name for her hero.
Harley Cakes returned to his lonely
mouse and his solitary meal After
wards ne read the evening paper and
wrote some personal letters At half
past eight he finished and went into
the garden for a last smoke before
going to bed.
The wind was blowing from the
south and with it came an acrid smell
OF smoke-his eyes hardened and he
raped out his pipe against the sun
oial- he looked keenly in the direc-
ton OF his lumber mill, near the
water, and tho he could see no sign
OF smoke, there suddenly burst upon
the evening calm the wild clamor of
| the lire bell and the fire whistle at
taehed to his own mills.
The mills were on fire
He dashed down the avenue bare
headed and flew down the village
street like man pursued. Forgotten
muscles came into play and he felt a
thrill of youth as the blood coursed
more rapidly in his veins
I have been petrifying," he thought
as ne ran I don't wonder the boys
laugh at me-"
Now the office building was send
ing up spirals of smoke while the fire
engine was extinguishing the flames
on a pile of lumber near by. Hastily
formed bucket brigades were saving
the other building yet untouched by
the conflagration.
The office building was a small
structure and-his thoughts over
leaped his feet-the bookkeeper there
and little Miss Clews--he thought of
her soft eyes, her sweet smile and his
heart contracted.
He thought of Finney and his end
! less cigarettes, and then forgot every
thing else save the human lives in the
building as he plunged into the burn
ing structure.
''Breams.' he called.
Here, sir" and the bookkeeper
| staggered out with his arms full of the
books he had been working on
| Miss Clews-where is she?" easped
Oakes. for the smoke was choking
! him.
of the new MILL told her not to GO
thought she had come down-don't
go. Mr. Cakes. you haven't a chance
hes gonei"
Dreams staggered out into the yard
| while a crowd gazed at the upper win
dows where John Cakes stood holding
| the limp body of Marion Clews
| A ladder was placed against the
wall and in a moment he was on the
| ground. His hands were burned and
his shoulder, for his coat was wrapped
about the unconscious girl.
| Il saved her. boys" he shouted joy-
fully. and people said it was the first
time they had even seen him look
really happy.
Months afterwards. when he was
married to Marion Clevs and the mill
had been rebuilt, some one who had
| been absent came back to the village
once more What became OF the
/ wooden Man," he asked
a.r1. -. -.