Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-15
'LIJE HALFORD's COURTING DAYS.
A Terrible Experience While Calling on
His Much. Beloved.

Indianapolis Correspondence New York World
The sudden prominence Of Elijah Halford,
the President-elect's private secretary, recalls
a story of his youthful days. 1t occurred when
he first started out into society. Even private
secretaries of Presidents sometimes have disa-
greeable adventures at this early but interest
ing period of their lives. 1t is of no little mo-
ment to get fellows courage up to the point
Of calling upon girl for the first time. 1t takes
brave heart when everything goes smoothly,
and when there are breakers ahead in the way
of opposition by the parents it takes the grit of
a soldier to be successful. If there is anything
inclined to ruffle the tender sensibilities of
young man it is to have thoughtless parent
| insinuate that he is too young to call upon his
daughter and that she is too young to receive
his attentions. 1t was thus that they sought to
crush the youthful Halford. He wasn't crushed
however At every attempt he bobbed up big
About this time the family went to the neigh
boring town OF Bloomington to spend O week.
The young lady remained at home. During
their absence Major j. B. MILKY, an old friend
of the family from that place. was called to
Indianapolis on business, and the parents of the
girl told him to be sure to go around and spend
the evening with their daughter. ''She would
be so lonely" they said They were mistaken,
however She was not lonely. Neither was
n JULIET couple COulU not nave Deen
found when the bell rang at about $50 that
evening; but the cold chills chased up and down
his spine when she said: ''Oh, what if that
should be pa and MAJ" They wouldn't stop in
the parlor long if it was, SO after few mo-
ments' consultation Halford was securely hid
den behind little high-backed divan which
stood across the corner of the room.
The door was opened, but it wasn't pa and
ma. 1t was Mulky. He ambled in and en-
sconced himself upon the COSY divan and in
formed adj hot ba had 70
fulfill his promise to her parents to help her
pass away the long evening. The thermometer
was in the nineties, and the major often re-
ferred to the fact as he mopped his manly
brow. If it was hot for Mulky, what was the
state Of the temperature for Halford? He was
hotter than he was at the Gresham men in the
Chicago convention. Mr.. Halford was a devout
Methodist but was not accustomed to remain
upon his knees for hours continuously. Hence
1t was fortunate that Mulky occupied the diyan
for the prisoner could occasionally rise and get
breath of air and the benefit of q fan with
which the thoughtful young lady had provided
her caller.
After one glimpse of Halford's face she
opened all the doors and windows and gave
MILKY larger fan than ever He waved it I'M
ceaslngly and was probably thus instrumental
III preserving Halfords life. for which service
he Will doubtless expect an appointment. To
resume-the major carried ON the principal
part of the conversation unaided He talked
over the political situation and of his own as
plrations in that direction. He then took up
The subject of chess-at which game he is an
expert-and told her of his various victories
entering into the details and intricacies of this
sprightly and fascinating game.
Meanwhile, in order to keep his blood circu-
lating and obtain air, Halford moved carefully
and noiselessly about like a Gagged lion and
arose and fell like Roman empire in his eff
forts.
At $50 the visitor arose and said that he re-
GREETED he could not remain longer The
young lady joined him in regret, but the one
who regretted most of all was Halford. He
regretted that he could not get from behind
that divan then and there and wipe I'D the
earth with him. The major bowed himself out
and Halford was released and revived. After
ward, when he informed some intimate friends
OF the incident and observed that those were
the longest two hours he had ever passed upon
this terrestrial globe, they believed him