The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-27
EDening Story
Sara's Oil Stock.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBoLD.


ed dirt road that led to the railroad
staten.
So intent was he on catching the
afternoon train to the city that he
failed to notice the slim girl coming
up just behind him, and she, at his
disregard, merely sighed without
ouickening her pace to overtake him.
She sighed because it was, in all
Pr ohab3lity, the last she would ever
see of John Chester.
Nor did she need the For Sale"
sign which John had just tackled up
to know what for days had been town
| gossip-namely, that the last of the
Chesters had rejected the manner of
living of his fathers and was going to
the city to seek his fortune. But, be-
cause of it, she sighed.
Not that there had ever been q love
affair between them. Oh, no. An in
| terchange of locks of hair in very
| early school days. numerous church
sociables and picnics shared together,
an occasional buggy ride or two
| trivial enough bonds. to be sure. And
| yet-well, there was an ache in Sara
Cary's heart which no casual farewell
handshake would have healed.
AS the days passed. the sight of the
suffered old Chester house, fast
showing signs of unoccupancy, grew
to trouble Sara. The farm, unsold
and untenanted, was running down.
This fact. coupled with reports which
drifted back from the city that John
Chester's fortune was proving elusive
and that he was shifting from one job
to another, tormented her with a sense
| of the waste of good material and of
i her own impotency in the matter.
What shame that John could not see
1 that his fortune waited for him at
| nome, lay hidden in the rich depths
of the soil! What could the city hold
for a man trained by inheritance and
INFRINGING to but one calling?
| came a sunny day in late March
when Sara cast bombshell at the
feet of the aunt with whom she lived
Aunt Julie" she gave out casu-
to spend next week end in the city,
startled. "of all things, sarai''
Yes, that's just what I'm going
to do" returned Sara unperturbed.
Der those oil stock certificates that
cousin Jenny left me? Well, I'm
Igoing to take them along Who
knows perhaps they're not as worth
less as I've thought them. Just sup
pose" and her blue eyes grew
| dreamy perhaps they will bring me
my fortune!"
Now it happened that several days
after this conversation there walked
into the office of whitby & Whitbv.
brokers, a shabby looking youth with
tired lines about his eyes and mouth.
A sound of voices from the inner Of
nee assured him that his employer was
occupied, and sitting down at a dingy
desk he rested his head on his hands
while his thoughts travelled backward
over the discouraging months. Where
was he headed? This all but cues
tfonable firm in whose employ he was
at present held out no future for him.
Little by little. taught by bitter ex-
periences, he was learning how I'M
fitted he was to compete with men
TRAINED for their jobs.
Into his Eaeditations crept mem
cries OF home, of green fields titled by
his father and his grandfather and
his grandfather's father, of substan-
tial barns. of the CHEEKY homely
dwellings. And with those visions
arose persistently the picture of a
certain slim, blue-eyed person, the
| playmate of his boyhood, whom, in his
IfeveTish pursuit of fortune, he had all
but forgotten. Had he been fool to
come away and leave it all-and her?
Well, it was too
John Chester sat suddenly upright
Who in thunder was in the inner Of
flee talking with old Whitby?
- yes 1 had hoped" went on a
plaintive voice that awolxe in him
sudden, tremendous response, Ito rea-
lie something's on this stock. You
see, have a chance to make a splen-
did investment. I can buy the old
Chester place back home. 1t is farm
harmed for generations by men who
knew how to husband the resources of
the soil. But if these certificates are
worthless, as you say
And then followed the suave tones
OF his-employer. lust SO much waste
paper, my dear young lady. Too bad"
A moment later the door opened
and John, risen to his feet, met the
level, blue-eye. gaze Of Sara Cary.
4 "I-why, why, Sara" was all he
managed. Then: 'Wait--let me walk
way with you.''
For several blocks, thru the stream
ing late afternoon traffic of which
neither was aware. they walked silent
~. Sara was the first to speak.
John" she said gently, 'the-the
duets are up in the swamp piece. And
Dutchmen's Brooches. Remember how
we used to go after them ?"
do l." exclaimed John fervently.
Then he turned impusively. "Sara!"
he cried, '1'n-I'm sick of it all-the
hurry, the noise. the crowds. rm-oh.
Sara. I'm going back home!"
But not until their very wedding
day did John learn the real secret of
Sara's trip to the city. Il can't bear
to think" he had CHANGED to say as
they stood for a moment side by side
on the clematis-draped porch of the
old homestead after simple ceremony
at Sara's home, ''of you, my darling.
travelling about the city trying to get
rid of worthless oil stock. You need
a husband to keep you> from such
things"
But Sara threw back her head with
a merry laugh. why, John Chester!"
she cried gayly, "of course knew they
were no good. Only-well, those GER
tifieates furnished me with a proper
excuse for going to the place I had
heard you were employed. You see,
IL once 1 saw you, thought, hoped
I-I-
You did" said her husband and
kissed her tenderly.