The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-02
EDening Story
Holding the Claim.
BY FREDERICK HART.

1--WE never eaten such delicious
waffles." exclaimed Stephen Hart
ridge as he gazed lregretfuily at a
-clean-swdpt plate. DO tell me, Mrs.
Ward. how you manage to get them
so light and crispl"
Mrs. Ward beamed on her prize
boarder. Stephen Hartridge was a
young mining engineer who had been
back country to investigate the min
>eral resources of the region; he was
young and good looking. and there
had been some competition among the
keepers of boarding houses for the
honor and profit - of his trade.
Stephen had tried them all, and after
one trial at Mrs. Wards had remained
as permanent guest. He lived down
at his little shack, where he spent his
time making out reports and testing
soils and unpromising looking rocks;
port to Mrs. Ward promptly on the
dot His remark about the waffles
was but one of many admiring COM
ments which he had given.
Bless you, Mr.. Hartridge, I don't
make them waffles- I'm no hand to
cook. 1 just run the place and see
that everything gets served. It's my
daughter Mary that's the cook. She
can take little flour and some milk
and an egg or so and make you think
you're sittin' right at your mothers
own tablet
Really? Why haven't I met this
paragon of the kitchen? You are
selfish. Mrs. Wardn
From another man the implied re-
quest might have made Mrs. Ward
angry, but her favorite boarder could
do no wrong.
You just set where you are. sir,
and I'll ask her to come in" she re-
Piled genially. Then, calling to the
back of the house:
Mary! oh. Mary! Come here a
Yes, mother" replied a voice. In
a moment the door swung open and
Mary entered. Stephen rose from his
seat and waited expectantly.
Mary. this is Mr.. Hartridge. the
engineer down at the river shack
daughter, Mr.. Hartridge-the one thai
makes them waffles you like sc
much.''
Mary olushed and laughed delight
fully Stephen Hartridge looked al
her more closely Above the shroud-
shoulders to ankles he saw a roguisf
face, lighted by her smile, with two
merry blue eyes and curling light hail
that even the handkerchief knottec
about 1t could not entirely keep in or
der. And she, as she looked at hi:
sun-browned countenance and saw hi.
six feet of strength and poise, fell
that for the first time in her life sh,
had met real man. But the thought.
on both their minds were not ex
pressed. Stephen said:
| Il liked your waffles so much tina
1 couldn't resist the temptation t.
cry, Author! Authorl'
Just so you don't ask me to max,
a curtain speech" she laughed I'm
sure don't mind appearing and bow.
! ms" And she suited the action t.
the word.
Stephen was delighted. He had moi
expected her to understand his the
atrical allusion, but she not only I'M
derstood IT but capped it as well. He
would have said more, but that she
fled to the kitchen to attend to the
wants of something or other that was
sigh.
Mrs. Ward he said, you must
let me come to call some evening"
I'D love to have you" replied the
motherly old soul. And come right
along any time you feel like it."
That was the beginning of their
acquaintance-an acquaintance that
quickly ripened into warm friendship
Stephen found Mary delightful in
every way. and she in turn learned to
| think often of the bronzed young en-
gineer who spoke SO quietly and
moved so gracefully and comported
| himself in such manner as she had
always imagined a gentleman would.
Then one day Stephen failed to APP
pear at meaitime. The day passed
and another, and still no Stephen
Mrs. Ward, anxious, made inquiry and
discovered from some grizzled miners
that Stephen was holding a claim he
had located for his company job
that necessitated his staying on the