The Dickinson press., 1895-07-20
STOOD THE ORDEAL.

u%nfeeling daughter-go with the man
of your choice! What is it to you that
l have an organic affection which rem
ders excitement fatal; that may"
ooh. paps::' cried Leslie, making a
rush in that direction.
But loftily he waved her back.
".)epart!" he resumed. "1Abide by
your choice. You are no longer a child
of mine. Away with the centlcss one
who has won you from my arms. Do
not speak to me. Do not address me.
Leave me to perish alone with this
fatal organic"
Earl Palmer, the "centless one' re-
ferred to, seized Leslie's hand at this
juncture and drew her toward the
door. .
"Oh, hasten. Oh, let us not linger.
oh, dy-let us fiy-for we must" he
quoted in seeming terror.
Before the old gentleman could fin
ish his Interrupted sentence they were
both outside, and Leslie was clinging
to her lovers arms in tears, half in
laughing.
"Come, darling, he has given his con
sent, n we may as we'll be married
at once" said Earl. His eccentrici-
ties will strike in and kill him some
day instead Of that organic affection
on which he harps. Was he ever ILL"
"Never," answered Leslie solemnly.
His health is perfect. 1 hoped he
would receive the news of Jul engage
ment differently, Earl. He likes you,
but he likes to show his authority. He
does not dream l would ever take him
at his word. I have q notion to clope
with you since he has ordered me to
depart, just to teach him a lesson"
Needless to say the plan met with
Earl's uEIEai.:;-d approval, and in
less than an hours time the elopement
was an accomplished fact. A brief
note to Mr. Delmaine, apprising him
Of the affair, q dropped into a post
box, and then Mr.. and Mrs. Palmer
took possession of a wee coy cottage
in the suburbs OF Omaha far from the
madding crowd.
Earl had a studio down town. AL
though he had as yet attained no
startling degree of success in his cho-
sen profession, he was an artist Of
rare talent and had his patrons. 1t
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
rage, Earl came home to find his lit
tie wife in a state of high excitement.
"Oh, Earl" she said eagerly, "such a
queer old organ grinder stopped in
front of the house to-day and played
that little Italian air you always liked
SO we'll. I threw him a quarter, and
what do you think? He let it lie in
the road and asked me in the queerest
choked voice for q glass of water. I
went to the kitchen to get it, and when
I came back he was standing in the
parlor looking at papa's picture over
there. l tell you l was frightened"
"What did you dol" asked her hus-
band, looking startled.
II told him to go at once, and he
stepped outside and played Byron's
Farewell then waved his dirty hand
and went away. Why, Earl, what is
ttY' She broke OF rs the young man
picked up a scrap Of green paper from
the floor and eyed it incredulously.
FcO OAAA, nc 6dSpcu uoIuAHS IL
up to view. "Your organ grinder is q
rascally counterfeiter, Leslie, dear.
and is trying to get us into trouble.
I'll give this to an expert tomorrow"
He did SO, and to his establishment
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 a small stone.
1t was for 800 this time, and Earl
nearly tainted with surprise.
IAN old italian throwing money
round after that fashion," he etacu-
lated. sinking into a 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, and now that u
father has forsaken u.s., 10! an organ
grinder takes us up. But organ grind
ers who so round dropping 500 notes
are dangerous customers. l shall stay
at home with you tomorrow and in
terview the mysterious old fellow II
he comes again."
He was as good as his word, but the
day wore On without q sign of the
musical ~itinerant. They had given up
seeing him at last, and stood together
at the parlor window watching the
fires of sunset in the west. An odd.
choked cough startled them and both
turned to find the identical organ
grinder. who had, ~unperceived, en-
tered the open door Of the parlor and
stood grinning at them
'Out with you" was all that Earl
could say in q voice of fierce indigna.
ton.
The venerable offender answered by
dropping his organ, selling the aston
tshed Leslie In his arms and kissing
her In q most insane manner.
Fol- an instant Earl stood as IL in y
horrible nightmare. Then he mai..
Wild rush at the Italian. grasping him
by the collar and dragged him toward
the door. He grasped Mt the Intel
and, resisting the young mans united
strength, threw his arms around hin
frantioally, burying his patriarcha.
head in his bosom.
Fearing contagion, Earl extricatet
himself with difficulty, while the seem
ingly demented visitor kicked over the
organ, and thrusting his hands into
his pockets withdrew notes, silver ant
gold, and flung them OH the carpet Ii
wild %profusion.
"You moonstruck Vanderbilt! De
sist instantly or l must give you il
charge" cried Earl in strong excite
ment: "How did you get so man!
wheels In your head, venerable Roths
child?'
No answer again save acts. OF
came the apostolic beard with its en-
vironment Of dirt. Down went til,
greasy rabbit skin cap. One jerk, and
10, the m%oustache had departed. IIik,
q full moon beamed upon the sur
prised young people the smiling fac,