The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-19
The Love Affair Of Ellen Putnam.

Teddy Ratchford went to the war for "a
change. He was tired of his boarding
house, tired of debting Jones and crediting
Smith, tired of the incessant monotony of
mercantile life in the city, and above all,
tired of himself. He had a room at the Lex
ington, hackney at Tattertals and mem
bership in the Gull Club, with $4,000 a year
to keep them going. He had kept them going
at goodiy pace, and when the call for VOL
unteers came last spring he had nothing to
show for his four years of business slavery
but closet full of good clothes, a box full
of pink and pale blue letters a bad complex
ion and a great disgust.
He wasn't even engaged He had had in
Vulnerable AFFAIRS but nothing serious. He
had no time for real courtship because it
took all disclosure and dexterity to keep two
or three furious f1irtations like so many shut
tlecocks, dancing in the air all the time. Then
ne mad no desire for a sure-enough love af-
falr, Tor he was neither marrying man not
yet villain. So he sat down in his uxuriant
room one night, and with few scratches of
ms fountain pen, babe adieu to his grown-up
playm ties, threw his battledore behind him.
and let fall without even weIl-defined re-
gfet the gay hearts he had been juggling.
1t won't take Catherine long to get into
the game again." thought Teddy, as he sailed
one or her pink notes into the CRATE III
bet she marries some rich old idiot inside of a
year; and she'll lead him a dogs life for she
rails IN love every time the moon changes!"
This is from Elsie" he murmured opening
the odorous missive and smiling vaguely as
he read it. She's the cleverest of them ALL
She fooled me that night at FORESTS,
thought she meant every word, and 1 was
proud OF myself even while l a little
AFRAID OF her. What vanity But she is rare
and radiant creature. Shell never sigh in
vain for cavaier!"
When the CRATE was half full of scrubbed
folly, he set fire to it, and his heart was very
light as he tossed letter after letter into the
blaze and watched them Writhe and blacken
until the mingled messages of a score of
pretty women had wreathed themselves into
wavering jets of smoke, vanishing up the
chimney like the vapors of an idle dream.
flames OF that sort don't last long," he
smiled, poklng the crumblng ashes Of all
this budget he had saved but two letters.
One was from his mother, written from the
Old home in Cattaraugus County:
Dear Teddy-Your old playmate, Ellen
Putnam, is coming to New York. You used to
call her sweetheart L hope you haven't
forgotten her, for she is a sweet child and has
suffered more than her share already Their
nome was sold at auction last week. and
now there's none of them left but Ellen and
Wine. She thinks she can make living
keep Willie at school.
| know, Teddy, that you will do your best
to make them feel at home, for I'm afraid
Ellen will be greatly confused and fright
ened. She has never been in New York and
it's dreadful place for lone girl. They'll
be there Tuesday on the o'clock train and
nope you'l do what you can to find them
nice lodgings. Do all you can for Ellen
together, and she always liked you Write
to me as soon as they arrive, for We'll all be
anxious about them. Your loving mother,
SUSAN RATCHFORD.
p. S.-Do take time for rest and serious
thought, Teddy and don't forget the warm
water in the morning. It's so good and heal
ing"
THAT was her last letter. Teddy was &C.
rious now She wrote that in June, and she
died July 18th She was always thinking of
others BY the way, 1 wonder how Ellen is
getting on with her music lessons,"
Then he read the other letter.
Dear Mr.. Ratchford-I don't know how 1
shall ever thank you. L would never have
been able to get settled so soon but for YOU
Willie started to school this morning. 1 like
my landlady, Mrs. Ryan, very much. She is
so motherly and generous to Willie l have
two pupils already, and I feel much encour-
agement. l hope you will come to see us
sometimes. Willie thinks you are the great
est man in the world. He's always talking
about YOU I'm not great hand for letter
writing, and I'd rather talk to Won than
write. With many thanks for your kindness
and hoping to see you soon. am sincerely,
ELLEN PUTNAM
Now, Teddy had done as his mother asked
him. He had found a neat and respectable
home for Ellen and had got good bit of
pleasure in the performance. But he hadn't
been near Miss Putnam since his mother died
That was over a year ago. He had simpIv
overlooked her in the excitement of the life
he had been leading. Now that he was going
to war, he realized, suddenly that he had
neglected the little Sweetheart of his how
hood. And, as he read again her little IN
aHected statement of gratitude, his thoughts
flew backward twenty years.
A barefoot hero eight wears old was resc,,
ing his lady love from an angry humble hoe
Right calamity he piled his sword of lathe
until the monster was laid low and then