Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1895-06-25

VIII you pfOAniScf
"No!"
What cannot understand you
rightly" Elsie's big eyes looked won
deringly as though she could not have
caught the meaningsof the emphatic
monosyllable.
Nov, Elsie, may ask you ques-
tionq" Mrs. Wilders gravely asked.
ssWhy certainly--of course.
| "You were great friends with Mr..
Gregg"
'Ah, yes, indeed, but those happy
days are'passed."
''You thought great deal of himp"
"How could help it? So good, so
generous, so self-denying. Millie, 1
owe him more than words can tell He
found me crude, ignorant girl, with
no appreciation of the good and beauti.
full, no taste for books, no care for self
improvement, no ambition. He left
me-"
Head over heels in love with him, :"
laughed Mile. That's the worst OF
handsome young men with a taste for
literature"
Elsie's head dropped and crimson
blush suffuse2 her cheeks.
81 think did love him." she sighed.
"Didr
"Well, then, I do love him-to me he
is king, prince, demigod."
my gracious goodnessl What piece
OF infaElmable tow the child is"
And what is your question, Milliep"
us very simple one. Have you
heard from Mr.. Grey since he left Ore
town."
II heard from him! No, indeed, he
has long ago forgotten me- What
could such a man as he see in a girl
like me to keep me in his memory,
much less to trouble himself to write
If he were not as stupid as an owl
he would have seen one of the sweet
est girls that mans eyes ever rested on
So you have never heard from him?"
mot word"
"Then, dearest Elsie, the clouds are
cleared away, and can keep your Sc
cret, that is, If / may share it with
Jack"
THAT is of course. Do you think,
you stupid, that l ever fancied you could
keep secret from Jack?"
well, now for the mystery-I do
like mysteries"
"Do you remember, Mile. the two
ladies who stayed week at our house
year ago-the strangers from New
York, who owned SO many shares in the
Buffalo mine?"
"Oh, yes; they captivated. Jack, and
he gave them lot of mineral speci-
mems"
well, they took quite fancy to
me, and, If mother had not made so
strong an objection, would have taken
me back to New York with them then"
''Ah, and you have been correspond
ing with them-I see it ALL"
II have. l have asked them to offer
me temporary home"
Elsie Whitfordl"
"What else could / do? Misunder-
stood by father and mother, prosecuted
by a scoundrel with whom they are in
fatuated, what resource have l left?"
This is very serious, Elsie. Have
you the means to go-but that is Sec
ondarv consideration, for, of course,
Jack" r-H
Thanks, dear friend, but have no
designs on Jacks generosity. To-day
received from Mrs. Baxter draft for
the expense of the journey and loving
renewal of her offers"
Surely, Elsie, this great New York
lady cannot be conniving at your leay-
ing your home surreptitiously?"
There's the trouble. You see said
in my letter that was suddenly de-
prived of the care of my natural pro-
tectors, and / sadly fear she labors I'M
der the delusion that they are dead"
Naturally"
"What must do? will not remain
at home"
There was stern resolution in the
young voice.
"Why, stay with us, of course"
"No, Mile, it cannot be. A yearn-
ing for a change Il life and scene
burns in me like fever. l have long
ings, aspirations-ah, you cannot I'M
well, you'll at least consult Jack"
81 will"
And Jack promptly decided that
whatever Elsie said or did was right,
and that the Whitfords, who had made
her miserable for that lop-eared seal
awag, Dodd," deserved no considera-
ton from sensible people; however,
Elsie was spared the humiliation of sur
reptitious fight, for she CHANGED to
meet her bette notr in the street and said
TO him, boldly and abruptly:
"Mrs. Baxter, of New York-my
mother will know who l mean--has
Invited me to pay her long visit and
has sent me bank draft for my ex-
penses. ] look to you to get me per-
mission to 60" taJ
And the coveted home-sanction came,
and Elsie Whitford set out for New
York, exultant at freeing herself from
The wretchedness of her surroundings,
and with her young heart beating with
hope for the future.