The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-08-18
AFTER YEARS.

al L LII i LAllO.
"It-seems-to-me,E Estelle," said
Ferdinand Essex after a moment or two
of grave observation, "that you're
about old enough to leave off playing
with dolls"
playing with dolls, indeedp' echoed
Estelle, drawing herself up. with inf
mite scorn expressed in the graceful
curves of her issome shape. 81 playing
with dollsp'
"Well, what are you doing, them"
"Why, I am dressing 15 of them for
the church fairp' and Estelle held up
one completed fairy, gorgeous in pink
Grape and spangles, with floating sash
and ends of gauze ribbon.
1.-THE church fair!" said Major Essex,
curling his lip. "Of all absurd nom
sense, devised to stir up quarrels among
the womankind and rob the men by
wholesale, that is the most ridiculous" I"
''But You are going, Major ESSEX"
"Goingl No, should rather think
not.
"Why?"
Haven't just told you? Because I
disapprove of the whole thing"
"Major Essex" said Estelle, her
voice quivering with indignation and
two vivid scarlet spots starting out upon
her cheeks. 'I do believe it is just as
Aunt Marion saysp'
"And what does Aunt Marion say?'
demanded Essex, rather amused.
''She says that you are getting to be
selfish, narrow minded old bachelorp'
81 can't be SO very old. I am not 80
until the New Yearl' pleaded Essex.
81 call that very old indeed" said
Estelle haughtily. "And she says you
are settling down into 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 quite enough for
the present.
| 81 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 mercilessly, "but believe it's ev-
cry word of it true.''
"You believe it?''
| Eyes, do" nodded Estelle emphat.
ically.
'That's hard on me" said Major Els.
sex, with an attempt at pathos which
was contradicted by the sparkle of his
mischievous brown eyes. "Do you sup
pose could retrieve my character if
were to 60 to the church fair and buy
the biggest doll you have been dress
ing?"
Estelle was silent, but the compressed
lips and crimsoning cheeks betokened
her inward Indignation.
"Come." persisted Major Essex, hall
lifting himself from the sofa to get &
better view of the young face in the
corner. "You know I'm going away
next week, and shall want some kint
of souvenir to remind me Of yor
when I'm away on the other side of tn,
habitable globe. Shall we say S. fol
that doll?'
81 couldn't sell it to you for $500, >
broke out Estelle, with flashing eye
and coloring temples. cts just a
Aunt Marion says-you are disagree
able, cross, tormenting old bachelorl"
"Why, Stella, I thought we used t.
be such good friends!''
$50 we used," said Estelle. "but no
since you have begun to tease and tor
ment me-"
The major watched her with languid
half closed eyes.
"Estelle, believe you are crying"
"I am not cryingr' flashed Estelle
and to hide the bright, gathering drop
she caught up all the pile of dolls
satin, tarlatan and glittering ribbol
into her frock and darted out of tn
room like an arrow.
"The little FREELY" laughed Majo
Essex. "But I'll make it up with he
yet. Stella and I mustn t part unrecon
ciled. As for Aunt Marion, who ha
such very derogatory opinion of me
it's hardly worth my while to attemr
to undeceive her."
And Major Essex dragged the chint
cushions into heap directly under
meath his head and composed himsel
for comfortable nap before dinner.
When the next week came, he packe
his valise as nonchalantly as if he wer
going to Baltimore or Philadelphia an
started for Calcutta, and when he re
turned the south had passed throug
the terrible pangs of war. He went
the old Dayton place, The velvet law
was plowed up and planted in rice. Th
, orange grove, where the mocking bird
, used to sing their merry roundelays
, lay leveled to the ground, and only
ruinous stone chimney, half overgrow
with rank poison vine, remained {
the hospitable old mansion.
Il For moment Essex gave way
, natural emotions. He sat down on til
ruined doorstep and wept.
, And then he went back to Baltimor'
, where his home was to be for the future
, all efforts to discover any trace of tt
Dayton family having proved futile an
vain.
, "By Jove I wish had staid in Ca
cutta," he said to himself. "Home
, not home with all these changes aroun
it."
{ Mrs. Colonel Changhley had returne
from India in the same vessel with hi
"a plump, handsome widow, who ha
! lost her lamented colonel in a sepc
: mutiny among the jungles and was c
the Qui vive for q successor to him
4