St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-15
She WAS PUT TO The TEST.

II Frederick Elson had not been a
successful lawyer he might have mis-
trusted his own judgment of human
nature. But lie had broken down so
many witnesses by the skillful applica-
! ton of his psychological theories that
he had come to regard his own idea OF
any character as something to be re-
.ceived with awe and entertained with
reverence.
That was why he shook his head as he
leaned back in the big wicker-work
chair on Mr.. Breece's veranda. He was
smoking his cigar and contemplating
through half-closed eyes the spectacle
of Ellen Breece-commOnlv called Mel
lie-playing tennis with three young
things in knee breeches. Frederick
? Elson regarded them with the amused
contempt of thirty-five years Of life and
fiye2years of brilliant success.
He did not bestow any of the con.
tempt on the girl. No man could dc
that. She MAS altogether too beautiful,
and while Elson shook his head he could
not help admiring her.
Come. Mir. Els0n?" she called, way
ing her racket at him: come down here
and keep score for us. You look too
law and useless for anything, sitting
up there half-asleer."
Eson rose and walked slowly down
the steps. He was two good 'natured to
resent the girls easy impotence, and
too conscious of his own personal force
to notice the smiles of the young things
with down on their lips.
Miss Nellie" he said. IL know very
little about tennis. and your father eX'
poets me in the library in half an hour
10 talk over the case"
We'll. the case will keep. It's been
keeping long enough. goodness knows,
and it can wait till our game is over.
Now. then, Mr.. Dennis, it's your serve"
'Oh. really, though, is it?'' asked the
young thing.
yes. really. though, it. is" answered
the girl, mockingly, at the same time
sending miscellaneous and bewitching
glance at him from her deep gray eyes.
The young man fairly gasped with
delight. as he stood mOtiOnleSS gazing
at the girl's face. She stamped heI
little foot and cried:
PLAY, you ninny! Don't stand there
like Il wax figure"
The youth served the ball rather
feebly, and the girl was at once trans
ferred into bounding young goddess
That's out! Oh, you goose"' she
exclaimed to her partner, Frank Hark-
ness, pale. Notwithstanding youth.
The poor fellow had caught her eye
Just as he was about to strike the ball
and she had given him a look which
made him pommel the helpless little
sphere with undue force and send it fal
out of bounds.
Pm very sorry" began Hardness.
"Oh, what's the use of being sorry?''
she cried. with bewitchingly trans
parent pretense of Anger.
"Well, what else can do?" asked the
young man. "Shall kneel and ask fol
fOrgivenessW
Without waiting for all answer he
hand, raised it toward his lips.
But she snatched it away and gave
him resounding box Oh the ear. Then,
before the other two youths could en-
jov his discontinue, and before he could
quite IealiZe what had happened, she
bent over him with great gentlenesS
and said:
'Oh, Pm SO sorry hit you so hard"
Don't mention it, | beg of YOU ex-
claimed the enraptured youth. Il didn't
mind it; indeed rather liked it, you
know"
At that she mcrciiessly boxed his
other ear, and went caperlng over the
grass.
Elson watched all this with curious
eyes, and, as the girl went WALKING over
the grass. said to himself:
''She'S witch"
At that moment Mr.. Breeze appeared
lon-the veranda and beckoned 10 the
young lawyer. t..
Come, Eson,p he said. 81 don't like
to break in on your pleasure. but | have
to 20 to the city tomorrow, aud then you
can play tennis with Nellie and the
boys all day"
"Play tennisr cried Nellie. "Mr
Elson play tennis! He was playihg the
Judge: that's what he was playing"
There was little note of genuine
veXaIion in the girls voice which made
ElSon stop and look at her inquiringly.
Then, as he turned TO go into the house,
he SAID to himself:
'She wishes to bring me to her feet,
too. If she only knew that | am half
down already; but it won't DO, Fred; it
won't do"
Elson had been visiting at Mr..
Breece's country house for nearly a
week. On arriving Elson had seen
Nellie for the first time. Her beauty
had attracted him, and at first her yola-
tile ways had simply beWitched him.
He was sufficiently skilled in self-eXam-
ination to discover in about forty eight
hours after his arrival that he was rap
IDLY falling in love with this etferves
cent girl of tWenty-one. Then he pulled
himself together and INDUCED in some
wholesome reflection.
This will never do. That girl is a
shallow, careless, thoughtless doll. She
is very beautiful, there is no denying
that. But she is all surface. The old
saying is: The shadows murmur, but
the deeps are dumb That's the thing
that applies to her. She is murmur-
ing shallow. Why, the fellow who mar
ries a girl like that would go hungry
for deep sympathy of real Womanly
nature all his life"
1.-The next morning Mr.. Breeze went
to the city. Mrs. Breeze, who was an
invalid and seldom left her apartments,
sent for EIson and said:
"Fm afraid you'll fluid it dull today.
| have told Nellie to take you for a
walk up to the top of Cormorant hill.
The view is worth the trouble. And
this afternoon l think you may feel in
ciined to drive"
"My dear Mrs. Breece." said Elson. IL
trust you will not burden your mind
with me for moment. L can amuse
myself capitally."
When he had reached the lower floor
again lie found Nellie waiting for him.
Mamma says am to take you to the
top of Cormorant hill. Doyou think you
can do it?''
II don't know. Pm willing 10 try if
you are going with me-"
Come Oh, them" she said.
She patted the dogs head, caught up
her-hat, and the next Instant was dane
ing down the lawn, while Elson fol
lowed more Sedately.
Elson smiled as he came up with her,
and said:
"Are you always so effervescent?"
"Pretty much always. Don't you
like it?''
Il should think you would get tired
of it sometimes"
= Sand | should think you would get
tired of being so solemn and stupid"
.Fm not always stupid, Miss Nellie"
Unanswered smiling.
/. .Oh, no. suppose in court, before
i