The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-18

dent you must tell me how you nave got
| ten along so far"
| 'Wen, I told father last night and he
| simply said: I'm disappointed in you. my
son. but as you are so headstrong l must
| let you go your own way. You must not
| expect me TO help you. Then told him
| of our engagement and he sneered right
| out and said: Why don't you elope with
| her and take her along since your hopes
| are so high?'' -
| Herbert stood looking down dejectediy.
Finally Elsie said shylly, why don't you,
Bert?'
He came close to her and read her eyes
| in silence and the temptation became
too strong and he yielded. 81 believe you
mean il and if you do I'm going to take
| you with me, though l won't cope, I
won't steal you away as though we were
| ashamed. How can l though. unless Bangs
brings more than l think he wil2'
Dixie is my own. too" Elsie ventured
| timidly why not sell her? And as for
| stealing away with me, no one cares
where I go or would bother to come and
see us married except my. chum, Nellie
| Grant. I'll fix it all right at home. know
| 1t isn't the right or usual thing for me to
urge you to take me, but have only
/ you, Bert" -----..-.-
She hung her pretty head and cried
little, so Bert agreed to take both horses
| to town, make all arrangements and meet
| Elsie and Nellie at o'clock. '.---+-.
Then they rode back to Elsle's home
! and she told the groom who came out
| to meet her that Mr.. Drew was going to
| take Dixie over to Nellie Grants for
her to ride in the afternoon. Miss Grants
| horse is lame she finished glibly.
| Bert looked at her in some astonish-
ment. He could have told the necessary
lie but the unnecessary establishment
was beyond him. He did not know women
very well. Elsie ran up stairs with care
less goodbye" and Bert rode away lead
ing Dixie {.
Elsie changed her riding habit for
tailor made gown, filled small hand bag
with small necessities, and rang for
maid. -
Il don't want to go down to luncheon
Bring me up something light and ask
Porter if father or his wife say anything
about my absence at the table. When
the girl came up for the dishes she
BROUGHT the report that master had said,
us Elsie out to lunch?' and mistress had
said, Il suppose she is at Nelies'
Much they care where l am" muttered
the girl. Marie, bring me my writing
tablet" she said aloud. Then she PEN
ned the following bitter little note:
Dear Father: ] was not al Nellie's az
lunch time but as you seem to care so little
where I lunch, I think I will lunch to-
morrow on the Chicago Limited In fact
l am going to be married tonight TO
Herbert Drew. / am not clipping with
him. as his father knows we are to be
married. We have sold our ponies and
Herbert has good position in Denver
so you need not trouble yourself even to
provide an allowance for me hereafter. I
know it will be a relief to you to have
me out of the way and provided for.
elsie"
Having written this cold little note, Elsie
cried bitterly and would very likely have
tIo Nf v1rhn
drawn her attention to the window. There
was her handsome father calamity hand
ing his young wife into the carriage He
even kissed her hand as he sat down be
side her and loving look passed between
them. That settled 1t and she placed the
note in a conspicuous place on her desk"
Then new thought struck her. why
should she go without her clothes? SO
she dragged out a small steamer trunk
| and hastily packed il with clothing. Then
| she summoned John, the gardener, and
| said she had a trunk Of clothes she want
ed TO send West and would be trundle it
down to the station for her and she would
go later ana ttend to the express. John
was stupid and willing. so she had no
| trouble, and she soon followed him out
of the house and made her way 10 her
| friend, Nellie Grant.
Nellie was younger and more indiscreet
| than Elsie, and she entered very readily
/
! met Bert at the appointed time and place.
Bert was radiauty happy he had obtained
! an advance of $3.50 on the two ponies, he
| had his license and already felt sure sue
| cess and happiness was all the future had
| for them.
They were married by a justice Of the
peace, whose wife and daughter with Mel
| lie Grant made plenty of witnesses and
| the two young people started away with
| care-free hearts, sure that love and pluck
| were to make them the happiest of young
| couples.
I'VE may get more money from the po-
| MES. dear; you see had to leave them, as
| there is no auction till tomorrow, bur MIR.
Buckley is an Old friend of fathers and
he gave me the advance willingly He
looked a little sharply at Dixie, but /
could not tell whether he recognized her
| or not. She was bought there, you know.
| Wen. never mind dear Here we are to-
| gether for all time, and free to go where
| we like and make our own life"
| week later when they were comfort
| ably settled in a modest but home-like
| boarding house in Denver, two letters
/ came for Elsie over which she cried her
| first tears since she became Mrs, Drew.
| But the tears washed away all the Sitter
! ness OF her heart and left her quite happy.
! These were the letters:
! "My Dear Daughter-You have quite
| misunders God my wife and myself in re-
gard to our feelings towards you. We
| thought you resented our marriage and
! that the best course to pursue was to let
| you entirely alone We see now our mis-
! take and that we appeared to you en-
tirely selfish. We hope the new life will
/ hiring you great happiness and that you
will write and tell us how YOU are getting
! on. l will do as you wish about not send
! ing your allowance, but VIII place 1t in
| the bank at your account and il it should
ever be that you need it you can call on
! it, l attended Buekley's auction last
| Wednesday and bought two ponies that
answer to the names Of Bangs and Dixie.
| Mrs Evans has convinced me that l am
not too old to ride and we propose to
use them Till their former owners come
east again. They are rubbing noses now
| down in the small pasture and no doubt
wondering where you and Bert are. Tell
| your husband, my DEAR to write and ask
inc to forgive him for stealing you.
will do IT, though ! would rather have
made it a gift. Your loving father"
Dear Elsie-I have cried over your note
| ~.