Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1898-11-25
AFTER YEARS.

OA kAANg ObnCA N0tAOhg Nnat JOa 40
about oil enough to leave Oft playing
with dolls"
"Playing with dollssindeodi" echoed
Estelle, drawing herself up, with inf
mite scorn expressed in the graceful
curves of her lissomo shape. II playing
with dollsr'
"well, what are you doing, thenH'
"Why, / am dressing Is Of them for
the church fairr' and Estelle held up
one completed fairy, gorgeous in pink
Grape and spangles, with a floating sash
and ends Of gauze ribbon.
1.-THE church fair l' said Major Essex,
curling his lip. "Of all absurd non
sense, devised to stir Up quarrels among
the ~womankind and rob tho men by
wholesale, that is the most r~idiculousl''
''But you are going, Major Essex"
"Goingl No, l should rather think
not"
"Why?''
Haven't 1 just told you? Because 1
disapprove Ct the whole thing"
major Essex" said Estelle, her
voice quivcring with indignation and
two vivid scarlet spots starting out upon
her checks. 81 60 believe it is just as
Aunt Marion saysi'
"And what docs Aunt Marion say?''
demanded Essex, rather amused.
''She says that you are getting to be
a selfish, narrow minded old bacholorl'
IL can't be so very old. ] AIN not 30
until the New Ycarr' pleaded Essex.
IL call that very old indeed" said
Estelle haughtily. Ard she says you
are settling down into a set groove Of
thought and feeling, and unless''-
''Stop, stop" said the major, whim-
sically arching his eyebrows. Don't
give too heavy doses Of bitter medicine,
Estelle. I've heard quito enough for
tho present"
II don't suppose Aunt Marion meant
that it should be repeated to you, said
Estelle, sewing vigorously away at a
dolls skirt and pricking her taper fin
gers mcrcilessly, but / believe it's ev-
cry word of It true"
"You believe it?"
Eyes, l do, " nodded Estclle emphat-
ically.
That's hard on mo, " said Major Es-
sex, with an attempt at pathos which
was coptrndictcd by tho sparkle of his
mischievous brown eyes. "Do you sup
pose i could retrieve my character if /
were to 60 to the church fair and buy
the biggest doll you have been dress
ing?"
Estello was silent, but the compressed
lips and crimsoning cheeks bet 0kened
her inward indignation.
Come, I" persisted Major Essex, half
lifting himself from the sofa to get a
better view of the young face In the
corner. You know I'm going away
next week, and / shall want some kind
OF n souvenir to remind me Of you
when I'm nway on tho other side of the
habitable globe. Shall we say 50 for
that doll?"
~ couldn't sell it to you for $500, f"
broke ont Estello, with flashing eyes
and coioring temples. Its just as
Aunt Marion says-you are q disagree
able, cross, tormenting old b~achelorl'
"Why. Stella, l thought we used to
be such good friendsl"
$50 we used, /" said Estelle. ''but not
since you have begun to tease and tor.
ment me-"
The major watched her with languid,
half closed eyes.
"Estelle. l believe you are crying"
81 am not cryingl" flashed EstelIe,
and to hide the bright. gathering drops
she caught up all the pile of dolls,
satin, tarlatan and glittering ribbon
into her frock and darted out of the
room like an arrow.
Tho little freely" laughed Major
Essex. "But I'll make 1t up with her
yet Stella and / mustn't part unrecon-
oiled. AS for Aunt Marion, who has
such a very derogatory opinion Of me,
it's hardly worth my while to attemps
to undeceive her.
And Major Essex dragged the chintz
cushions into q heap directly under
meath his head and composed himself
for \ comfortable nap before dinner.
When the next week came, no packed
his valise as nonchalantly as II he were
going to Baltimore or Philadelphia and
started for Calcutta. and when be re-
turned the south had passed through
the terrible pangs Of He went to
the old Dayton place. The velvet lawn
was plowed mp and planted In rice. The
orange grove, where the hooking birds
used TO sing their merry roundelays,
lay leveled to the ground. and only a
ruinous stone chi nney, half oyergrown
with q rank poison vine, remained of
the h~ospitable old mansion.
For a moment Essex gave way to
natural emotions. He sat down on the
ruined doorstep and wept
And then he went back to Baltimore.
whUre his home wal 20 be for the future,
all efforts 20 discover any trace of the
Dayton family having proved futile and
vain.
by Jove / wish / had Staid In Cal.
cutta, " be said TO himself. Home is
nos home with all these changes around
IA"
Mrs. Colonel Changhley had returned
FROM India in the same vessel with him
"a plump handsome widow, who had
lost her lamented colonel in a sepoy
mutiny among the jungIes and was on
the qui yivo for a successor to him