The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-08-06
Elsie Evans
Stepmother.
) The Story of an Elopement
and Misunderstanding.
BY SUSAN BROWN ROBBINS.
Copyright, 1901,
3v Susan Brown Robbins.

Elsie Evans and Herbert Drew were
riding along the Mystic boulevard one
bright July morning. This was an al
most daily occurrence with them, but to-
day, instead of cantering gayly along, the
ponies Bangs and Dixie were allowed to
take their own gait.
They trotted along slowly, coming down
at last to a walk in which they edged
closer and finally stopped altogether un-
der the Lone Pine tree. This seemed to
suit their riders, so Bangs moved up to
where he got the benefit of Dixie's tail
swishings and tapped his own little
brush impotently on the other side. Both
waited for orders.
as there nothing that will alter your
decision, Bert?" the girl was saying.
"No, my dear, nothing" he answered.
s'You see, father is SO opposed to the
newspaper business. He believes all
that cheap talk about prying reporters,
and he thinks l can't be a gentleman in
that life If he would speak a word for
me, l might get good Job in Boston,
but he won't, and, in fact, think he kept
me out of the last thing l tried for.
"Weil, Jack Leonard has found this
berth for me on a Denver paper, and /
have accepted and shall CO. 1t will be
long row to hoe, for the pay Is small,
but shall succeed at that and at nothing
else. I'm good reporter, and the train
ing / shall get on a newspaper ! can get
nowhere else. l shall write a book some
time, but 1t will be after have lived long
enough, so that it's all reporting-all
about real people and things"
Elsie only sighed at his enthusiasm.
HERBERT" she went on, II simply can't
let you go. Life is so uninteresting since
father married again. They are not &C.
tually unkind, but they don't care where
l 20 or what do. Pm number three at
home. It's tiresome, Bert, and l do love
you SO. Oh. take me with you, If you
must go!"
my darling, l wish could, and shall
come back for you just as soon as / can.
But l actually must sell Bangs to get
money to buy my ticket"
Bangs ears went up at the sound of
his name, and Bert leaned over and
scratched the delicate organs.
"Heard me, did you, old fellow? It's
a crying shame to sell him at auction as
/ must do. don't suppose I'll get half
he's worth. He's all I've got that's my
very own except my watch, and l can't
very well get on without that"
"When do you go?" asked Elsie. There
was a weary tone in her voice. She had
given up arguing with him and was try
ing to learn the first page of woman's
lesson, that decisions were not her part.
She must stand by and wait
81 suppose | shall go tomorrow night.
Tomorrow morning / must arrange about
Bangs-get him sold, If possible. This
evening l must have a final interview
with father. Pm not going to run away.
and / don't mean to quarrel with him.
Tomorrow will be more than full with
packing and last little things that must
be done. Pm afraid this must be good
by for us, dearest. Don't grieve, little
girl I'm going to succeed and come
back for you"
'I'n do my best, Bert. but, oh, dear, SO
many things can happen, and I've moth
ing to do but wait"
They rode in silence along the boule
yard and then took the road leading to
Elsie's home. In a secluded spot they
stopped and said 'goodby."
1LlSle was tOO DtOuo " LAdhC q cNCAC
and she waved quite bravely to Bert as
he rode away, but as soon as he was out
of sight her head went down on the
pony's neck and she sobbed till Dixie be-
came restless and, taking the law into
her own hands. walked out into the road
As her young mistress Strengthened up
and arranged her habit Dixie ventured to
single foot few rods, and as Elsie fur
II. I n ell l.
against her shoulder she loped along
easily till they reached home.
The next morning Bangs was surprised
to find his head turned toward Boston in
stead of toward the pleasant country
roads. He resented this change of pro-
gramme heartily and in moment of abb
straction Herbert found himself going in
the opposite direction from what he in
tended.
"You want one more canter through the
boulevard, old fellow?' he said. "Well,
all right, only you must not get too heat
ed or you won't look well when | get you
in town" So they ambled slowly along
till they came once more to the Lone Pine
tree. There they stopped and Bert dis
mounted and began to caress the pony
and examine his points critically.
"There isn't a pimple on him." he said
at length. tits a shame to let him go
for less than two hundred"
Bangs took the petting Bert lavished on
him absently. His bright eyes were fixed
on the road ahead, and at last he gave
little snort of delight.
Elsie had started out to take her usual
morning exercise with a heavy heart and
hardly noticed where Dixie was taking
her till they clattered over the bridge at
the Winchester end of the Mystic boule-
ward.
"Oh, Dixie" she cried. mot here to-
day." And she refined her in sharply and
turned her around. But Dixie had
mind of her own and she wheeled again
and started off down the boulevard. Elsie
did not check her again, and she soon saw
Bert under the tree and blessed the little
mare for her instinct.
The ponies and their riders greeted each
other warmly. Il never supposed you
would be here today" said Elsie, with
rising color, "but, as we have met by ac-
cident, you must tell me how you have
got along so far"
"Well, / 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 l told him
of our engagement, and he sneered right
out and snid, why don't you elope with
her and take her along since your hopes
are so highT"
Herbert stood looking down dejectedly.
Finally Elsie said shyly, why don't you.
Bert?'
M e,,,,, <Io.o a., tar aud rood har auaa
In silence. and the temptation became too