The Van Buren press., 1898-11-19

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at 90, saw Elizabeth Tracy, al is. he
loVed her. Yes, aristocrat, autocrat.
courted and wealthy as he was, some
thing about her touched a responsive
chord in his heart of hearts. hereto
fore unreached and he resolved Ia
win her. But her family! He groaned
IN spirit as he thought of allying the
proud name of Dillingham; with that
or lracy-but Elizabeth was so beau
tifuI, and as pure as she was lovely.
The second time he ever saw his
prospective father-in-law, the old
man wore e battered straw hat and
an Old pair of jeans; he was on the
street, retailing story with great
gusto to crowd of loungers, pune
tuated by peals of laughter Godfrey
Dillingham; passed by, holding his head
erect, and looking neither to the right
nor left. His clothes were well-ftting.
and in his immaculate shirt front a
splendid diamond scintillated in the
rays of the sun.
That the chap that's payin' 'tention
to your Lizzie?" asked old Elihu Stat.
ford
Ephraim's knife dropped noisily to
the ground; he stopped to pick it up
before he answered.
That's the chap" he answered,
somewhat mechanically.
Ephraim Tracy and his wife were
decidedly common people; shiftless,
the neighbors called him, for the old
man had a prediction for telling
stories, as l have said, and retailing
them from O goods box in Hobbs gro
cery, He always had an audience, for
he was as full of humor "as an egg is
of meat" and he had a quaint way of
expressing himself that was irresisti-
bly, funny He was little man, pretty
well advanced in years with a kindly.
wrinkled face, a back somewhat bent
and serene, benignant eyes. In sort
of desultory fashion he managed to
keep soul and body together, and that
was about all. He could turn his hand
at almost anything, however.
When a good wife of the neighbor-
hood wanted a screen door made or a
lock fixed, she always sent for Eph-
rain. He was not lazy, and the word
shiftlessness ought never to have been
applied to him. Perhaps it was be-
cause he was always working on in
ventions that were sure to make him
rich, but when it came to the test
the models always refused to work
But 50 far as throwing him into the
slough of despond, happily his failures
had 10 such effect; with .unabated
sweetness of nature, he would fall to
work on something else, and continue
TO retail his stories with as keen a
relish as ever.
If lie was lacking in pride for him
self, he had an abundance for his
daughter Elizabeth, or Lizzie, as he
| fond'y called her, which affection
Elizabeth fully reciprocated. In spite
of the fact that he was not a success
he was a general favorite with every.
one, and if he was not imbued with
any great ambition his family never
blamed him, not even his wife, who ac-
ccpted him as he was.
He had lived always in the same vii
lage, consequently his two sons, jim
and Andrew grew up there, and Jud-
son, too, whom nobody counted, be
cause he wasn't bright, but old
Ephraim Tracy never would ac-
knowledge it himself. "Jud's got a
heap more sense n people give him
credit for" he always would say, and
Jud would smile and nod his head well
pleased. Poor Jud, whose blue eyes
never lost their childish look.
In the little back yard, the children's
playhouse stood yet, where Jud, with
a mans body and a child's soul, played
happily by the hour.
Elizabeth came next, the youngest
of the family. Where she got her
beauty, no one could understand,
That she possessed it, everyone ac-
knowedged. All the family pinched
and saved to clothe and educate her
properly, and it was the proudest day
of Jim's and Andrews lives when they
could contribute something toward
Lizzic's schooling; and Elizabeth went
to school and studied hard. She meant
TO be a teacher, she said. But, the
summer she was Is, she met Godfrey
Dillingham;, the leading lawyer in Dex-
ter. thriving manufacturing city a
good hundred miles from Elizabeth's
home. After a brief, impetuous WOO
ing, they were married.
Godfrey Dillingham;, never, however,
recalled his wedding day without a
shudder. The plain little room with
its cane-seated chairs, crocheted tides
and cheap pictures, the tear-stained'
homely faces, the two awkward young
brothers, and loving Jud, whose gaudy
neclltie and ill-ftting best suit was to
his untutored mind the very acme OF
elegance. It should be the last time
he would be in their midst, he vowed
As TO his future course, that was al
ready marked out; Elizabeth would
soon understand. He gave great sign
Of relief when the little cottage faded
from his view and he was free to draw
his lovely young wife to his side. Eliz-
abeth threw her arms about her
fathers neck before the carriage
started.
"Gooy-by, father" she cried, press
;rc her fresh round cheek against his
vitbered one. you'll come and see
me. III write, and-you know l love
you, don't youP'
Her father loosened the cllnging
arms with a big sob in his throat
"Yes, yes, Lizzie, l know ne an
swered. tremulously. "Ihere, tnere,