The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-11-18
Ny Sister EliZabeth'S Chance.
BY Eben e. Rexford.

she had been to meet the postman.
She had an open letter in her hand
HAS some one left you IA fortune?"
I asked.
"Oh-better than that" was the re-
ply. I'm going to have beau!
Listen" and she proceeded 10 read me
her letter:
Dear Elizabeth: I write to tell you that
a friend of mine has fallen in love with
your photograph. He is widower, and on
The lookout for another wife. He hap
pened to see your picture, and 1t won his
susceptible heart at once. He asked all
kinds of questions about you, and when he
found out that you were fancy free he
said he had good mind to come an see
YOU Mebbe there was the chance he'd
been lookin' for 1 advised him to come
You can tell by trying, l said. And-he's
coming! He ha got some business to trans
act in the city Thursday, and he will stop
off at Holmesville on Wednesday and visit
you. Be kind to the poor man, and--send
me an invitation to the wedding. Hastily.
AUNT MARIA.
That's just like Aunt Maria, isn't it|'
cried Elizabeth, half amused and half
indignant. "She's bound to have fun
at somebody's expense. can imagine
her laughing every time she thinks OF
the joke she considers she has played
on me. The idea of her sending an old
widower to see mel"
'She didn't exactly send him." re-
sponded. But l think she rather en-
couraged him to come. What's that she
says about Wednesday? To-day's
Wednesday. Elizabeth, and you can look
for your admirer by the next train.
The letter ought to have got here yes
terday, you see by its date. Go and
get ready to entertain him-there's no
| time to lose."
I'm thoroughly out of patience with
Aunt Maria," said Elizabeth. 1--WE
| notion to go away somewhere and stay
till he's gone"
But he'd come again if he's so des-
perately smitten with your photograph
or he'd stay till you came home. or he'd
fall in love with me and you'd lose your
chance" said: "No--stay and face
the music, Elizabeth"
"I know what I'll dol" cried my sister,
the mischief-loving trait common to her
and Aunt Maria coming to the surface.
"pll pretend,I'm deaf. and I'll have some
fun out of it, as well as Aunt Maria"
"You can't carry out such decep-
tion without getting caught at it," I
said.
Trust me for that!" cried Elizabeth,
with sparkling eyes. think she began
to be glad that Aunt Maria had en-
couraged' the widower to come. "Now,
remember! I'm totally unable to hear a
word of ordinary conversation. 1t will
be necessary for you to almost shout
at me if you want me to understand
what you're saying. And be sure to
keep from laughing. The fun all de-
pends on keeping up the deception
We must not let him discover it, for that
would make us ridiculous, you see
There! I hear the train. We can ex
pect him at any moment now. Oh
dear! l know 1 shall want to laugh
but shan't do it-you see if do! II
go and get ready to receive him. Wher
he comes you must meet him. and bring
ran my fun-loving sister to get ready
for her visitor.
Ten minutes later saw man coming
down the road from the station, and
knew as soon as l set my eyes on hin
that it was Elizabeth's admirer. He wa.
at least As years old, with very solemn
looking face, and an air of having hi
Sunday clothes on. But perhaps hi
errand made him look soberer thar
usual and feel i'll at ease. met him a
the door.
"Does Miss 'Lizabeth Jones live here :?
he asked.
"Yes, sir" answered. 81 think She
expecting you. You are the gentleman
our Aunt Maria Thorpe wrote us about
I suppose?"
"Yes, be-" was the reply. IN,
names Peters-Joshua Peters. Blu
mebbe she told you?"
mo, she did not tell us your name
she simply said you were coming t.
see Elizabeth. She's in the sitting
room. I'll take you in and introduce
you. You'll have to speak rather loud
for Elizabeth's just trifle hard of hear
ing"
"That's bad" said Mr. Peters, pullin,
out a big red handkerchief and wipin!
his perspiring face. awful warm. ain
it?"
quite warm, responded. by tina
time we were at the sitting-room door
Elizabeth sat by the window with he
back toward us.
, Elizabeth" said, raising my voice
No reply.
"Elzabeth!" this time in a loude
tone. Still no reply.
"She must be dretful deef to not hea
, that" said Mr.. Peters. 'IIow long
she been SOP"
did not dare trust myself to reply
Invent up to Elizabeth and put my ham
, on her shoulder. She turned and saw us
"Why didn't you speak when yo
came in?" she asked, rising.
"She did-she hollered," said MI
Peters in a sort of stage aside.
"EliZaheth this is Mr. Peters-fh