Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-12
ELSIE'S DREADFUL DAY

1t was in fact o'clock In the day before
anything out Of the usual way happened
Elsie heard the rain FLASHING all night, but
there was the sun in the morning, and the
drops quivering in the light, and the yellow
leaves Of the beeches falling like golden
shower
"It is diamond day." thought Elsie as she
went to school
She was on her way home when cry of
distress stopped her. 1t came from one OF
the little girls.
"Well, Nan Stebbins, said scornful
voice, eff you will get in the way, you
needn't complain. Gracious! you're noisier
than fog horn!'
Elsie turned and saw little Nan covered
with mud, having fallen in puddle in the
wild skirrnish as to who should get out of
the gate first
Regina Moore was the bully Of the school,
but Elsie said fearlessly:
''You ought to be ashamed of YOURSELF"
pooh! what's muddy dress to wash
wonan's daughtera Her mothers got the
tubs handy all the timer
AT this Mans bowls grew louder. There
were some cries of ''For shamel" that reused
NAdSu
You needn't be settin' yourself up, Elsie
Ford" she cried, in shriu voice; you're
nobody's daughteri"
Elsie stared at the speaker in speeches.
RmaZenent There was a dead hush, and she
could hear her heart beat
"Oh, know cried Regina, with toss Of
the head. "You were fished up out of the
water, where your wicked father was trying
to drown you"
Elsie could not quite accept this startling
statement.
ats not SO; you are telling heI" she
cried, with sob In her throat.
Am /, girlsg" exclaimed Regina, in quick
appeal "Say, didn't some Of you know she
wasn't Mrs Ford's childf'
Elsie cast a frightened glance at the reluc-
tant faces 1t could not be truel She would
have heard of it before No one spoke.
Bertha" gasped Elsie, TO a special friend,
''you will tell ME. Is it true"
The little German girl spoke unwillingly.
81 believe SO; did hear SO alretty."
Elsie's heart seemed to die within her. 1t
stopped beating moment, then it began to
hammer away fast and hard!
YES" went on Regina, in temper; "they
fshed you out and put him in prison, and
there he is to this day. So you'd better be
humble in future, Miss Elsie Nobody"
Elsie stayed to hear no more. Her misery
was too great to bear the gaze of all those
curious eyes. Fast as her feet would carry
her she sped along the pretty country road
She did not notice as she went a gaunt and
unkempt creature, with the soil Of the road
on his clothes, and hungry fire in his
sunken eyes, who rose from the other side of
the school house fence and followed her.
The tramp had been reused from his sleep
by the shrill voices of the girls, and as he
gathered his stiff limbs together and looked
after Elsie's little figure in the crimson
nerino, she seemed like flying fame to
vanish from his sight.
But he did not let her vanish. With his
long and ungainly strides ne kept her in
sight, while a queer smile played about his
ugly mouth.
When Elsie gained her own gate she stood
there for time, painting and trembling.
She felt as If she could not speak, as if the
flood of misery that had swept into her
heart had quite drowned out all thought and
speech.
Was it not her own dear mamma who had
kissed her good-by this very morningi How
would she meet herr What would she call
herr How could she speak to her at alla 1t
seemed strange if this dreadful thing were
true, that all things looked serene and just
the same as when she left her home Her
world had been overturned as by an earth
quake, and yet she saw no sign of change.
She could not speak yet, she decided She
would wait till the dear time when mamma
(ohl she must still call her sol would sit by
her bedside, and talk with her so gently and
sweetly as usual over all the doings of the
day. Yes, she would wait. But she went
in slowly, with heavy step and slow. How
pleasant and bright the familiar room
looked 1t was full of wood odors, too, and
tinted leaves. Mamma and Aunt Cicely
were busy with their pretty work
"Ah, here You are, Elsie, cried Mrs. Ford
1See how lovely our souvenir for grandma
win be. She will know what our autumn
woods are like now. She never sees such
in the sober English forests"
Elsie took the pretty book, and looked at
the leaf bouquet in a stunned way, but
could not speak. Mrs. Ford was too busy to
notice it, however, for the next moment she /
cried:
1--WE are waiting for you, Elsie, to get US
some more scarlet leaves. There are beau I
ties on that tree at the corner Of the barn"
'rll set some," gasped Elsie, glad 10 get |
out in the air once more.
She emerged Just as the quaint figure of /
the tramp drew near the house. He waited |
"Ha, there's the little famingo again. he |
said, as the slender figure in the red gown |
Elsie walked slowly. her blue eyes cast on
The ground
1t was rather startling for her to hear q
grufY voice near her utter these strange
words:
''Hunol goin' TO give yer dad the go byfn
She could not believe her ears. She stared
With frightened eyes at the creature who
seemed to have sprung out Of the ground
ike the3 fairies and enomes she had read
about Only this was moro Ike an ogre,
with his fiery eyes, and with his croaking
goice, and long black beard and hair.
'What--what did you say, SIR faltered
Elsie, thinking it best to be very polite.
II said are YOU going TO give yer dad the
go byF' repeated the man- "Wel, you have
srowed a pretty little creatura Don't know
ne, do youi No more you coulda'tT
Eisie's heart beat very fast She thought
The man must hear it, but she managed to
'ay:
"Who are youa Why should know
vour
"Who am I! Amt been tellin' you all
Ilong I'm your father"
Oh. it seemed as if the solid ground was