The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-30
E0ening Story
Out of the Rut.
BY r. RAY BAKER.

ing had been delivered this particular
stretch of undesirable highway, and
by the additional facts that he realized
he must do something in the way of
Improvement and that he wondered
how he was going to find the men to
do it.
His crew of highway workers was
kept busy overtime patching various
parts of the county's turnpike system
and the funds allotted for the purpose
would be totally inadequate to pay out
additional wages. So Hawley scowled
at himself.
AS he approached the Parker home,
marking the beginning OF Oak Dale,
Hawley found his ma chine caught in
pair of deep ruts. He tried to steer
the wheels out of the depressions, but
the latter were TOO deep, so he sat
back with n sigh and allowed the
chariot to find it's own way. This re-
taxation was responsible for the acct
dent that occurred. There must have
been a break in the ruts that held the
wheels, for the car suddenly fiounced
out of the road and headed with a
rush for u mammoth oak tree on the
Parker lawn. Before Hawley could
retard the gas throttle the machine
era shed into the tree, and the con-
cussion hurled the road commissioner
to the ground.
Somebody appeared at the front
door of the residence, and Ha@ley's
blue.
Are you hurt ?" inquired a gentle
voice-oh. such gentle voice!
He sat up, dazed, and found himself
staring into the eyes of a bewitching
miss. The expression of her exquisite
face-that's the way Hawley described
her countenance - contained some
thing of solicitude and something of
mirth. Evidently she wanted to laugh,
but was undecided about it.
Are you hurt?'' she repeated, while
her red lips twitched.
IIawley caressed his head with a
hand. The head had not come in con-
tact with the ground, but somehow he
wanted to he hurt.
mo, not much" he answered, rub
bling his head again.
You are. too; L just know you are"
the vision in blue insisted. Come on
into the house and let me brew some
tea for you"
Hawley scrambled to his feet and
followed her. He limped, not because
a foot was injured, but he wanted to
Justify acceptance of the invitation.
Where had this girl come from? he
wondered. He had been in the Parker
home many times, for Mr.. Parker was
county treasurer, but never had he
glimpsed this girl before.
She placed him at a table, while
she went to prepare the tea. While it
W
the girl returned and seated herself
opposite Hawley, having first placed
two cups and saucers on the spOtless
covering.
There is nothing like good strong
tea to rengthen a person after such
a shock" the girl observed.
That's right" Hawley agreed, while
he rubbed his head again.
Presently the tea was ready and she
poured it into the cups. Then they
both slipped. If there was one con-
coction IN the world that Hawley de-
spised it was tea, but he managed to
consume a cupful.
Some more?" she inquired. and he
nodded. He would have eaten mud
and asked for more under such cir
cumstances.
That's a very poor road" the host
ess observed, as they slipped tea again.
Something out to be done about it.
It's a disgrace to the county. 1 don't
see what the road commissioner can
be thinking about. He must be lazy;
don't you think sop
Hawley swallowed some tea the
wrong way and nearly choked. Yes
1 guess he isl he gulped.
I'll have uncle get otter him the
girl promised. You might have
broken some bones. Do you suppose
your car is damaged?"
He hoped it was, for that would
necessitate prolonging his impromptu
visit.
mo, you couldn't hurt that old bus
he told her.
So she was Parker's niece.
"You needn't have your uncle speak
to the road commissioner he said as
he prepared to go. at happens that L
know the gentleman myself, quite init
mately. In fact, I am the road com
missioner"
"
sion akin to horror.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed
''Forgive me I didn't mean to hurt
your feelings. didn't know"
ITS all right" he assured her.
''It's all right" he assured her. And
you're right when you say it's rotten
road and something ought to be done.
I've been road commissioner five years
but I've never found a chance to re-
pair this stretch. III see that it's done
somehow, tho"
AS he took his departure he could
not help being grateful because of the
ruts. Without them he might never
have met this beWitching niece CT the
county treasurer. However he GER
tainIy would have to fix the road, for
over it a great deal, because he was
going to have a lot of business deal
| ings with Mr.. Parker.
Within q. week a gang Of road work
! ers began operations on the highway
| in front of the Parker home. 1t was
I necessary for the road commissioner
to be there a great deal OF the time.
and so it happened that he and the
! treasurer's niece became very frie ndly.
He learned that her home was ir Chi
| cago. but on account of her health she
| had been sent to lie in the country.
Before long the friedship developed
into something else, and one night the
road commissioner made proposals
| of marriage. They were seated in a
swing on the Parker porch.
| She took one of his hands
"Hawley," she said softly, Il do love
you, but you must do big things before
! can marry you. You must make a
name for youself; you must get out
of the rut you're in here. Go to the
| CITY and make coed. Then ask me
again. But get out of the rut. just as
! your car left it one day recently
So Hawley resigned his road joh
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