The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1920-06-04

often, and OF the w0nderiul thlhgs
YOU told me. You cannot conceive OF
the way your remarks influenced my
life. The ideas you implanted IN my
mind. have made for me no new
friends and perhaps a few enemies.
But when | review the work L have
been able to do in this little town,
| I know that life is worth living, and
l am really proud of the enemies
have made. wish you would come
back to Anamoose, so we could talk,
but if you cannot do that write and
tell me all the news about yourself.
Sincerely yours,
OLIVE ANDERSON.
She sealed the letter and addressed
| it to the post office Collins had in
dicated and alternately prayed that
| it would, and would not reach him.
The train for Minot was nearly due;
| If her letter went out on it, Jack
would have it in two days. She there
| fore resolved to loose no time in get
ting this letter on its way.
While she was on this errand her
mother entered her room and spied
the several sheets of paper on which
her daughter had started her unsuccess-
full letters. This made her curious, and
caused her to investigate further, but
there was nothing further to be found
than the letters addressed to Thurston
J Jack g notes were securely hid about
the person of her daughter. Mrs. An
derson was indeed puzzled who this
man Thurston might be, to whom her
daughter was trying to write.
As was her custom when in any
kind of doubt or trouble, real or ina
ginary Mrs Anderson Immediately call
ed up Mrs Nellie Cartwright, her life
long friend, and Frank Cartwright's
mother and asked her if she knew any
one by the name of Thurston. And
when Mrs. Cartwright answered in the
negative, Mrs. Anderson informed her
that he was a man to whom Olive was
writing or trying to write. This last
remark made the proposition clear to
Mrs. Cartwright. Her son had told her
of Olives attitude the night before,
Glow to the mystery. "Oh, yes Mrs.
Anderson, coming to think of it / do
know who that man is. Frank told me
last night. He is that hobo they had
in Jail last fall. Frank says, he is all
she thinks about"
Of course this was more than Mrs.
Anderson would believe In fact, she
told Mrs. Cartwright, that il could not
be true. But Mrs. Cartwright insisted,
| tnnt Sta I'm - La nj
vised olives mother to be careful
"That fellow was a bad one.' I hope
you have not forgotten the trouble he
stirred up when he was here.'
Mrs. Anderson answered with the old
bromide, that it was hard to raise
children decently these days, and after
few more irrevelant remarks she
hung up the receiver. After which
Jack and Olive were under fire on
both ends of the line.
The 500 Overland had stopped but a
moment at Anamoose and Olive, had
deposited the letter in the mail 49,
thus the die was cast.
AS she walked toward home she sud-
denly remembered the waste paper she
had left on the table and fearing lest
her mother should enter her room and
find it, she walked as rapidly as she
could. Frank passed her and tipped his
hat. She nodded but did not stop. He
groaned and inwardly cursed the name
less tramp whom he considered the
cause of his misery. But his emotions
were little deeper than his brain. In
fact less than ten minutes later he met
Tillie Duffy and the two went to a
vaudeville show which happened to be
| in town that night. When Olive reached
TIE house Mrs. Anderson confronted
her, as if she were guilty of some
beinous crime. "Who is that young
man you are writing to-" she asked
lpremptorialy.
"Mr. Thurston," Olive replied with
a saucy toss of her head.
"Who is he's asked" the mother
snapped.
:" He is man." Olvie retorted.
How long have you been cores
ponding with him2 II never cor
responded with him. A friend of his sent
me some notes, he had written while
out in the woods and I wrote him
letter of thanks. That is ALL"
"Why did you make so many begin.
nings before you finally wrotes
Perhaps, it is my high school edu.
cation does not teach me how to write
to u man without making hypocrite
of myself. / wanted to write just the
way felt and I did,"
"Olive!" The mother fairly shouted.
You don't mean that you care for
hims Who is hes"
81 did not say that 7 cared for
him." Olive answered guilty "And
when you ask me who he is, can only
say that I don't know. All that 1 do
know is that he is the boy, who was in
Jail here last fall" {"
"Do you still think of that hobo ?"
gasped the mother trying to feign sur.
prise.
eff | were homeless and penniless,
IN strange town, what would I be7o
Olive snapped. "I would be worse in
the eyes of the civilized savages you
call decent people, than was he."
But Olive, think of who we arei
Think of your fathers standing in
TIE community. Think of what the
neighbors would say if they knew that
you were writing to tramp. Why
Mrs. Cartwright knows about it al.
ready"
"Knows WHAT" asked the girl as
she gathered the attempted letters and
tore them up and threw them in the
waste basket.
"Why che knows that you care for
him. She thinks that you are crazy.
Think Of Frank Cartwright He Is a
good boy and his father has valuable
property. You we gone with him almost
year. Why Olive dear just think