The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-24
AN UNNECESSARY EL0PEMENT
BY Helen Tyson.

BY Helen Tyson.
Allan Burns, clerk, sat in the little back
office of the big brown stone building
of the Second National Bank. Banking
hours were over and all except himself,
from the President down to the messen-
ger, had gone home; but he, Burns, had
plans on foot which he felt he could
best perfect here in the quiet of the
back Office. He sat leaning forward with
his head resting on his hands and his
feet on the little round hassack which
the President kept for the comfort of his
game leg" He stared hard at the chair
which sat facing him and counted the
number of rounds that supported Its
back, its arms, and its legs. There were
twenty in all. he counted them again 10
make sure, yes, twenty was right. But
what good did that do him? What did
ne care how many rounds the chair had
to support 1t, or whether IL had any 10
support IL ait all. What concerned him
had nothing to do with the chair, he was
concerned in a different sort OF support
ing. He was wasting time, and he
Strengthened up and tod himself that the
time had come for something desperate
o be done.
He was in love, and he had been In
love for over a year. At first he just
knew that he loved her, and that was
sufficient, but after things had gone or
that way for some months he knew thai
he wanted Helen Adams for his wife
When this knowledge came to him he
began to save money. He had never done
this before and each months salary had
always gone before the next was due.
Now it was different, for every month a
snug little sum was laid by, which he
meant to go toward a little home in a
nice part of the city. Before a year was
up Burns fe.t that enough had been
saved to start a home, and with the
aid of his salary coming in each month
they might now begin life together. II
was SO planned between them and II
only remained to obtain the consent of
her father.
Neither of them thought this difficult
thing, for Mr.. Adams, since the death
of his wife, had taken II tie or no inter
est in the welfare of his daughter. Ever
since Burns had first known her she
had been here in the city earning r
own living by typewrit'ng 1t was only
for forms sake that Burns wrote Mr..
Adams asking for the hand of his diugh-
ter In marriage. Accordingly he was
much surprised when several weeks pass
ed and 70 answer came to h. letter He
wrote again asking for an explanation,
but received no answer.
When he had waited sufficiently long
and still DID not hear from Mr.. Adams
his mind was made up. He went that
night to plan with his sweetheart for a
wedding in the near future without the
consent of her father. He found her
much puzzled over a letter which she
had just received from her father in
which he made no mention of her mar
age, but instead wrote her that he in
tended making a hurri d trip to Colorado
and the West. She was to pack her
trunk as best she could on such short
notice and be ready, as he had decided to
take her tn him. Toe rest and change
would do her good and perhaps he had
neglected her too much of late. He wou d
come for her Monday morning and they
would leave on the Western bound ex-
press that afternoon.
Burns and Miss Adams read the letter
over together ard thought that they saw
what her father meant. He must be o -
posed to her marrying and the Western
trip would be a step toward preventing
1t. According they plann to leave
the ty Sunday night, but as the b NIB.
shell had burst so sudde ly tn y could
make no definite ARA gements then.
BUTTS prom SeQ THAT ub WOulu COIN
again Saturday night and wou then
know just what they could do and
where to CO. In the mean time she was
TO make ready. Saturday nig1t they
would be married and the following day
they would leave the city with no
tracks behind them.
II was wi matters in this unsettled
state that we found Allan Burns count
ing the rounds in the chair before him.
1t was late Friday afternoon and as yet
he had been unable TO form any plan
which he thought could be successfully
carried out. He felt quite desperate.
They could not be married and stay IN
the ciiy for her father would come Mon
day and there would be a row right at
the beginning Of their honeymoon. lie,
the father. might even try to arrange
a separation on the ground that his
daughter was not yet of age and might
not marry without his consent.
An idea came to Burns There was
place, an island. away down the harbor
where he had gone with a crowd OF the
boys for a camping trip. AS he remem-
bered II there was quite farm on the
island and a number Of cottages. Per-
haps he and Helen could hire one OF
chose rough board cottages. that they
let to car- pers, until the storm blew over
Her father would never look for them
there. He rose quickly from his chair
and walked rapidly up and down tho lit
the Office. II was by far tho best plan
yet. When matters had cooled down
with her papa. they would return 10 the
city
II was 4 o'clock now, and he left the
building hurriedly and caught q shore
lire train 10 West Beach. which was just
opposite the island. The island lay a
sonnt two miles out TO sea from the
beach, from the boat landing 10 the city
Il was over hyo miles. lie hired . dory
and ro@cd over 10 the island. There he
was fortunate enough 10 make satisfac.
tory arrangements with the farmer. When
10 returned be had the key ~ a ilttie