Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-02-03
A STORY OF TODAY.

"A OIUK1 OF TODAY.
When Elliott Raymond bought q farm
In Flint valley, 1t was not because he in
tended going into agriculture, or because
he wanted to be quoted as gentleman
farmer"-it was because he had money he
didn't know what to do with.
Hurrying down to the station one morn
ing to catch the train in order to join the
first meet Of the Flint Valley Hunt club
he ran against his broker, who stopped
him long enough to say:
Great Northeastern went up any nun.
bef OF points yesterday. We sold. I'll
send you a check for %, 900 today"
On the train Elliott had time to think
over several business matters, among them
the rise In Northeastern. Four thousand
was o small sum to Elliott Raymond, but
still no didn't know what to do with it.
Banks We're paying only three. General
Metallic was away down. Real estate was
low, and 1t was still II problem when the
train stopped and he climbed OIL to Tom
Harvey's coach beside Miss Carruth. In
her society he forgot all about Northeast
ern, General Metallic and banks that nav
only three.
1.-THE hunt starts at l." she said, smil-
Ing at him with frank, level eyes. "We
have luncheon at The Birches, and so the
conversation drifted, followed by a swift
u across country after tho hounds, a
dash through Patchin' g woods and gully
and the meadows beyond, where Miss
Carruth came in first and won the brush.
"Shal we go home by the Willow roads"
she said to Elliott. st is the longest
way and he said, "Of course" for Ell
lott always agreed with Miss Carruth.
1t was riding home by the Willow road
that Elliott CHANGED to see a sign tackled
to a tree near a farm gate, "This Farm
For Sale at a Sacrifice" Suddenly he re-
membered the "a 1000. The house was
away back from the road, there were a
neat hedge on IL side and a grape arbor
n u few giant ~olms-quite a handsome
country place. Why shouldn't he put his
money In this farm? lie would If it was
u good Investment. He would notify
Brooks.
That wa how Elliott Raymond came to
buy a farm. A distant cousin was brought
from the west somewhere and installed
thereon, while the former owners-well,
Elliott didn't know what became Of the
former owners. Cousin John wrote Ell,
lott that the farm was In an excellent
state of cultivation. He was going to SOW
such and such fields with wheat and re-
serve Others for white oats, and would Ell
lott kindly have the florist send a lot of
bulbs for fall planting. Elliott carefully
attended to every request, and he used to
fall Misc CAppItfh n1l ohp,V% H. ~, 41,o.,
drove out to the football game on his drag.
Brooks has sent enough plants and
things for Cousin Margaret to plant the
entire farm" he said laughingly. Miss
Carruth was such a sensible girl. She
liked to hear about his farm, he knew, and
always seemed so interested.
Truth to tell, Gertrude Carruth had
hoped-she acknowledged it to herself bold
ly-that Elliott Raymond would some day
ask her to share his fortunes, his interests,
wherever they might be. She did not care
about tho fortune in itself. She looked
straight in her mirror one night and told
herself SO. ~ wouldn't care If he hadn't
a penny" she said. "He is the best man
! know"
At Mrs. Westerleigh's dinner Miss Car
ruth was sure Elliott had something in
particular to say to her. They were in
the conservatory-she sitting on a rustic
seat and he leaning on the edge Of a mar
BILE basin watching the goldfishes swim
ming about. Neither had spoken for some
time. and she felt when he did speak 1t
would be something she would wish to
hear. She pulled a red rose from a branch
near her.
sit is beautiful, isn't itS" he said TAX
ing 1t from her fingers. cit is a crimson
rambler. I am going to have a lot of them
sent down to the farm In the spring. He
threw away the fragrant white flower from
his b%uttonhole and put the rose in its
place. Tho spell was broken-the farm
had done 1t, Miss Carruth thought bitter
ly-and they walked back to tho drawing
roOm.
Spring came, summer passed and the
Flint valley hunts were once more calcn-
dared. Elliott sent Black Bess down to
the farm and he followed by train one o.
tober night when it vas just chilly enough
for a small blaze in the big fireplace. 1t
was his visit to his own farm.
The hunt was at 8 o'clock, with the
hunt breakfast four miles away, and as
Elliott rode Black Bess through the lane
he noticed how beautifully the lawns were
kept. A few chrysanthemums were begin
ming to show their colors and a bed of
pink and white cosmos, that flower that
never blooms until touched by frost,
Haunted fairy faces at him in the sharp
wind.
II will come down here and stay all
next summer, " Elliott said to himself a
Black Boss took the front gate and dashed
away toward The Laurels.
Again Miss Carruth was the leader of |
the chase and again Elliott rode by her
aide on the slow return.
"You are coming to luncheon with us.''
she said as they paced along the willow
road.
Eyes. And he looked at hts watch. "Ws
are carly. VIII you stop at the farm and
meet Cousin Margaret? I'd like you to
SEQ the place"
The girl was pleased that he wanted t.
shorr her his farm. They entered the
house u-nannounced, and as they passed
through The wide old hall they heard some
one singing a low. quaint old air to tho
music OF the nisno. They paused at The
= "