The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-09
Eoening Story
In the Carrot.
BY FREDERICK HART

The garnet was very old ana very
dusty. Thru the little dormer win
dows the sun streamed in long. slant
ing lines in which danced millions of
tiny golden notes. In the shadowy re-
i cesses were queer, dim objects; a
spinning wheel; a collection of old
trunks; some broken furniture. Sure
ly there was no more desolate part of
the house than this!
Yet on this, particular Saturday
afternoon there were signs of life in
the garnet. First the trapdoor at the
head of the stairs had been raised,
and with great caution head had
been inserted into the room-the head
of a young man, and a very handsome
young man, too; but as there was no
one to see except few ancient spiders.
his good looks went unappreciated.
The young man had entered the room
quietly and gone to an old trunk in
one of the dormers; there he had re-
manned for q long time, sitting quite
still and looking out thru the dusty
panes.
At last the young man rose and
stretched himself Then he spoke. in
a voice that was defiant. Apparently
he was addressing the spiders.
II don't care" he announced. Let
her go riding with Peter Westbrook II
| oAAO waits u. 4 QO4l I Nc1AO q NOAS-
mental whoops-my-dear."
| This defiance seemed to make him
more cheerful, and he began to rum
mage about the dusty place; In
few minutes he had unearthed num-
Der of ancient habiliments and was
clothing himself in them. From a
dusty recess came a 1ong-skirted coat;
from another a cooked hat; and in a
long box low down near the rafters
he discovered an old dress rapier
When he was clad he turned about ad-
rniringly, trying to see himself.
''Ill bet I'd Have knocked them dizzy
in George Washington's time" he
i and bowling low to an imaginary COM
panion. Then he whipped out the
! rapier and exclaimed: "Ods bodkins,
sir! And do you dare to insult the
fairest of the a slight sound made
him pause. He listened intently. It
was repeated-some one was certainly
coming up the garnet stairsi In
sudden panic. lest the unknown find
him in this ridiculous masquerade. he
looked wildly about for a place to hide,
and just as the door swung open he
dropped out of sight behind the larg-
est of the trunks, where he could
see without being seen.
The newcomer was a girl; any COM
petent judge of girls would tell you
| that she was a very lovely girl. But
her loneliness alone was hardly suffi-
Gent for the gasp which the man be-
hind the trunk gave on seeing her.
She went to the same dormer which
he had occupied and stood looking out
of the window for some time. Then,
as he had done, she spoke:
81 don't care!' she announced aloud.
IF he wants to go off and sulk all
day, let him! Just because he thinks
I'm going riding with Peter West
brook! II DIDN'T care!"
There was suspicious CULVER in her
voice that belied the brave words and
the man behind the trunk was within
an ace OF stepping out to comfort her.
But before he could follow his i'm
pulse she had risen and was moving
restlessly about the dim room. She
| peeped into trunks, made the spinning
wheel whir a few times and came SO
close to the hidden watcher that he
was in mortal terror lest she find him:
but he went undiscovered. At last, as
she was looking into trunk in a far
corner Of the garnet. she uttered a cry
of delight and drew forth som ething
billowy and lovely-a creation in pur-
pie silk, with huge PAINTERS and q
number of rafting hoops. She cast a
quick, apprehensive glance around the
garnet, and then there was a swishing
and a rustling and a great reaching
for hooks which concealed themselves
III OUu pldC6SS anu TO- I1STe SIOOQ Ine
daintiest and demurest colonial dame
that ever graced the minuet with
George Washington or any other hero
of bygone days. AS the man before
her had done, she tried to see herself
by dint of twisting. but unlike him she
was not satisfied with the result.
In a far corner stood a mirror,
which he had overlooked; and to this
friend. of all women she directed her
steps unhesitatingly.
Trust girl to find a mirror!"
thought the concealed watcher.
Up and down the floor she pirou-
cited. At last she fell into some steps
OF the minuet. curtseying to an i'm
aginary partner; and then, with great
suddenness, she sat down on a trunk
and burst into tears.
This was more than the man behind
the trunk could bear. With great eau
ton he stepped out, and when he had