The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-07-19


Old. lilac tree. fall, sturdy tree.
Where fondest meaEpry waves a.
A mesh Of yeatnint tel sfnesAi w
Amid the fragrant sheaves.
.~--., -Harper,s Baxar.
STOOD / THE ORDEAL,
Il really must be in bad dream
said Mr.. Delmaine, staring at his
pretty daughter Leslie - Il: she were
some startling freak Of the entomolog.
heal kingdom. "Base child. do under
stand you Alright? Have you actually
promised to wed this penniless artist
you, the sole heiress Of halfa millionT
II actually have" confessed Leslie,
with eyes adroop. &
'sThen 60" he said, striking an attl-
tude which would have disgraced Sal
vini himself. "Go, ,narble- hearted and
unfeeling daughter-go with the man
Of your choice! What ID 1t to you that
I have IN organic affection which rem.
ders excitement fatal; that may"
,"Oh, papaw cried Leslie, making a
rush In that direction.
But loftily he waved her back.
".lepart" he resumed. abide, BY
four choice. Youare NO longer child
Of mine. Away with the centless one
who has won you from my arms. Do
not speak to me. Do not address me.
Leave mo to perish alone with this
Earl Palmer. the "centless one'' re.
ferred to, seized Leslie's hand 1t this
5uncture and drew her toward the
door.
''Oh, hasten. oh, let ~ not finger.
Oh, hy-let US dy-for we must" he
quoted IN seeming terror. VI
Before the old gentleman could I'M,
ish his interrupted sentence they were
both outside, and Leslie was clingine
to her lovers arms in tears, half Lin
laughing.
Come, darling, he has given his con-
cent, and we may 40 well be married
at once" said Earl. His eccentrici-
ties will strike In and kin him some
iay instead Of that~organic affection
on which he harps. Was he ever ill?'
Never" answered Leslie solemnly.
His health is perfect. hoped he
would receive the news Of our engage
lnent differently, Earl. He likes you,
but he likes to show his authority. He
does not dream would ever take him
at his word. have q notion to elope
with you since he has ordered me to
depart, just to teach him a lesson"
Needless to say the plan met with
Earl's unqualified approval, and in
less than an hours time the el0pement
was an accomplished fact. A brief
note to Mr.. Delmaine, apprising him
OF the AFFAIR, was dropped into post
box. and then Mr.. and Mrs. Palmer
took possession Of wee coy cottage
in the suburbs OF Omaha far from the
Madding crowd.
Earl had studio down town. Al
though he had as yet attained no
startling degree of success in his cho-
sen profession, he was I'm artist Of
rare talent and had his patrons. It
was somewhat lonely for Leslie, left
to her own devices all day, but she
busted herself with household affairs
and was very happy. No word came
from her father in his great lonely
house up town. He had apparently
forgotten her very existence.
One evening, a month after their mar.
rtage, Earl came home to find his lit
tie wife in state Of high excitement.
"Oh, Earl" she said eagerly, ''such
queer old organ grinder stopped In
front Of the house to-day and played
that little Italian mir you always liked
80 well. I threw him q quarter, and
what do you think? He let 1t lie In
the road and asked me In the Quearest
choked voice for glass of water. 1
went to the kitchen to get 1t, and when
came back he was standing In the
parlor looking at papa's picture over
there: tell you I was frightened"
band, looking startled.
Il told him to go at once. and he
stepped outside and played Byron's
Farewell then waved his di.ty hand
and went away. Why, Earl, what is
itY she broke on as the young man
picked up scrap Of green paper from
the floor and eyed 1t incredulously.
"a $50 BILL" he gaspel, holding II
up to view. "Your organ grinde. Ia a
rascally counterfeiter, Leslie. dear.
and Is trying to get us into trouble.
Ill give this to an expert tomorrow"
He did 30, and to his astonishment
found the note genuine. On his re.
turn that night Leslie met him with
an account Of 4 second visit from the |
organ grinder and showed him q sec.
ond note she had found on the door.
step, held In place by small stone.
1t was for 500 this time, and Earl
nearly tainted with surprise,
IAN old Italian throwing Aoney
round after that fashion," he eiacu-
lated, sinking into chair and draw.
ing Leslie down on his knee. "He
must be a prince In disguise. See how
true goodness Is rewarded, darling.
We obeyed the dictates of our hearts
and got married, aud now that our
father has f0rsaken US, 10! nm orpan
grinder takes us up. But organ Grind.
ers who go round dropping 500 notes
are dangerous customers. shall stny
Mt home with you Tomorrow and In
terview the mysterious old fellow II
he comes again"
He was as good as his word, but tho
day wore on without a sign Of the
itinerant. They had given uD |.
seeing him at last, and stood together
1T the parlor window, watching the
flres OF sunset In the west. An cdd.
choked cough startled them and both
turned to find tic identical organ
grinder. who had. unperceived, ell
LcISN luc OVeu us;OF OF Tue p0ilOr and
stood srinning at them
"Out with you" was all tint Earl
.ould say In voice of fierce indisna.
lion.
The venerable offender answered by
lropping his organ, SEEKING the aston.
shed Leslie In his arms and kissing
ler In most insane manner.
For an instant Earl stood US il in u
horrible nightmare. Then he made O
Wild rush Mt the italian, grasp.ny hin
y the collar and dragged him towarl
he door. He grasped ut the Intel,
Ind. resisting the young mans united
strength, threw his arms around him
burying his patriarchal
read In his bosom.
Fearing c0ntagton, Earl extricated
himself with difficulty. while the seem.
ngly demented visitor kicked over the
ryan. and thrusting his hands into
lis pockets withdrew notes. silver and Z
,olt. and flung them on the carpe. IN I
vll4 profusion.
{ou moonstruck Vanderbilt. De
!sd instantly or must give YOU {, {
hal M %. 80
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