Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-14
AFTER MANY DAYS.
James Gardner Did Not Become
an Enoch Arden"

When L was young fellow l lived
on fathers farm down there in Con-
necticut You've seen the place. The
church was near the tavern, and be-
hind the church was the parsonage;
and there lived Dominic Wheeler and
his daughter Dolly. On Saturdays,
after | had my supper, | used to dress
myself and tell my mother that l
meant to call on Dominic Wheeler's
folks. Mother generally answered
that l couldn't do better, that the
dominie's conversation was sure to be
improving, and that Dolly was not
"hity-tlty, like some gals she could
mention"
Father would add: "And a pretty
little critter, too" And armed with
parental authority l would go to the
parsonage.
1t was good time to go, for the
sermon had to be finished, as gener-
al thing, on that evening, and Dolly
and had delightful long talks in those
solitary moments, and one evening |
proposed to Dolly and she accepted
me. The dominic gave us his bless
ing, father and mother said they could
not have chosen daughter-in-law to
suit them better, and all they asked
was that we should wait little while.
my daughter is not seventeen years
old yet" said the dominic ''You must
not be in hurry to take her from
me-"
"Wait two years and you will be
three and twenty, and I'll give you the
river farm and build you a house, !"
said father.
Our course of true love seemed to be
running very smooth indeed, and l
would have staked my life and soul, a
pretty heavy stake, on my constancy,
but somehow, | think Satan thought
we were too happy, and laid trap for
me. Doctor Robins widow, manag-
ing woman with big house, was in
the habit of taking summer boarders,
and every year lot of city strangers
wandered about the place from June
to September. When Dolly and had
been engaged about year and half
the widow had thirty boarders in hel
house, and Ike and Edwin and all the
male help slept in the barn.
There was one young lady there, s
Miss Sally Gray, so pretty that every
one who saw her was talking about it.
And was introduced to her. Some
women have way of making mar
act against his better judgment. She
was one of them. did not mean to
flirt with her, but | did. l did moi
mean to meet her in shady lanes, and
in the quiet wood paths, but we met
She knew q suppose Ike Robins had
told her) about my engagement and
she leased me about being afraid o.
my sweetheart.
such good, prim little thing
she would say. 'ls she dreadfully
shocked at meP Does she think an
flirt? Does she pray for me in meet
ing?"
l felt angry, but yet was piqueC
into proving myself free to do as
liked. At a little evening party, t.
which we were asked, l danced fiv,
dances with her, and when, at last
my conscience smote me, and | wen
to look for Dolly, found she had gon,
home.
''She said her pa wanted her." sal,
Mrs. Robins; "but l tell you plainly
James Gardner, don't believe it; ant
for my part l don't see what peopl
can find to admire in that impuden
New York girl. If my lilly behave,
like her, I'd shut her up on bread an,
water until she reformed"
| hurried away, but the parsonag
was shut up when l got there, and
spent an hour walking up and dow,
before the house, staring at the darl
windows. The time seemed very lon,
until the next evening, and wen
over to the parsonage very early; bu
Dolly not there.
she's gone to spend the eveninI
somewhere, " said the dominic, kindly
81 suppose she forgot to leave word TO
you to come for her. She isn't YER
well, either; cold, l suppose. know
/ generally caught cold at part
when was young and attended sue
entertainments. hope she'll be care
full Her poor mother died of con
sumption"
My heart gave great leap.
thought of Dolly i'll, dying, even dead
and | went out into the kitchen to as
the servant if Dolly left any mess>g
Tor me-
''She said she wouldn't be home tc
night" answered Nora; ''at least, thi
evening, mean, and she did not lesv
word where she was gone.