The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-11
TIE OVERLAND EAsrsouNp.

THE OVERLAND EASTeouND.
Her name was Eulalie but everyone in Elkton called
her -DoItie- .Old Le5run father
EIkton- Heeame down hunter and trapper in the
old days when the territory prneyal his
Canadian frontier, but when the wild petty
well hunted white ernigrants and the SOL
ders commenced freighter. and later
when the copper camp started Al Goese Creek he bzed
thither founded the traffic that made
him rich-for frontieTsnan. When Mrs. Lebrun died
Dottie a chubby. big-eyed Elf OF and the
who few. ard the who had more
than tender side in their makeups those harsh
days, petted the child and made life very sweet and
diant she grew Now she % with the eyes o.
doe, iustrious and wondering; brown skin peeling
little from her oval face whipping, sand-paJ
tered winds of the plains the form Of stately
and the heart Of yearnng child. She had been
through school," taught for a term
esteemed the learned nhabitant of EIkton.
next Parson Davies svinton and Squire Beeno,f
and. perhaps Professor SwiEton. who however.
newcomer and therefore yet on probation
Professor Swinton stopped Lebrun's. He
New Yorker, frank boyish and generous He laughed
deprecatingly the professor idea. for he only
principal & three-goom school, he had that
admirable desire to be called by his given that
is in all Ingenious natures His coming
had made quite a difference" with Eualie, and they
had along well in their acquaintance that she
called him Mister Maurice and ne said Miss
Euelie.' He had told her wondrous things
about New York and the world that lies beyond and
apart the sand grt senees OF her home. of the
spendor and the folly. of the pageantry and the mock
OF the cannonSe streets the gories the squalor
10 up. he said, with the free West. Some
times he told her love stories of which she forgot
ask him How do you know and silent and eager
eyed ike the child in the nursery at night she only
listened and hoped that his legions might
end
If she nad been a wise Girl she might have asked
questions, pertinent personal. intimate probes
TO himself and then. being franz he might have
told her all and tnan she could have wished
know about himself But she was content 10 know him
as he now was in Elkton. and, so knowing him. she
said he good know and and hear. Some
times when the gone. they rode their ponies
away into grass. endless pateaus, that
dip above the walls OF the little town. some
they galloped through the trails Of the
remOter hills but always she listened. smiling half
sadly half ra9tly and always he told his quaint jokes,
his tales Of real fairies and his OF
Babylons she might never see.
one day he got rat letter from the East and when
lie and laughed held zap the check
which it brought he into the hallway and called for
Miss Eulae She had ridden into town. her father
sad ito trade Maurice went 10 the corral and sad
his pony. II Saturday his holiday lie gal
Hoped gayly down the dusty road shifting the hot wind
and twirilng his quirt like with good Flo
Eulalie in the main just mounted upon her
old white pony, and waved his letter at her
Aunt VOnWerdon is dead Miss Eualie." ne said.
stopping looking at her merriy.
THAT that the party the and
kittens? But you're sorry. amt you, Mr.. Maurioe?'
she asked. wondering his Ievity.
''Yes-and You she had only two reasons
for lvingcats and She preferred eats. and-then
she was beyond cOmputatlOn-Dut 1 VIII say that she
did better by than had right expect See? She
has left $500. shall have money 10 burn" And
his looked wistully the heat-scourged street.
with reeking barrooms, its empty wooden sidewalks
and its dreaFy saneness of frame shanty stores.
wait till cash this check Miss Eulaie? ne added.
I'D like 10 ride home with YOU"
She rode into the shade OF the town her
pony drink while he went 10 the bank. But when he
came back she said: Its train time Mr.. Maurice
with pouting grimace The overland s!de-tracils
here and I would like look the people Then
you might see somebody YOU know"
He laughed again at her childish curiosity and they
paced down the street toward the station. The over
land whistled they into space Dy depot
and down by the track where the red water tank
steamed in the burning sunlight He thought she looked
very beautiful they waited there for he
toned 10 the rough buckskn gloves she always wore
and he knew that the which made her home-spun
gown seemed picturesque and appropriate OF
the dressmakers art. The choking sand swept down
from the red and busted her ebon hair it fut
iered abroad in the bsteriug wind The little drops
Of perspraton that started and trced down her brown
cheeks made muddy streaks upon her handkerchief
she wiped them away.
The train. grooming and trembling # slowed Gown
past them, brought with It tornado OF dust and paper
that hid from him the sweet mouth OF the girl beside
him. but when he looked up he that IFS face
near the window OF private Within be could see
the white and silver spendor Of the travelling palace.
IN the Of the walls flowers and lush
trailing about the windows. the hiss 81 the
steam ceased he heard within the music Of serenade
that he lad not heard since ne left New YORK
Lets ride UP 70 ;he forward window, Miss Eulaie.'
he said. Somebody is playing the piano"
When they opposite the window they could see
woman the instrument but their shadows
fell tho light she and came facing them.
as 10 draw shades. Euiaie the lis white
her face the great blue the yellow hair
the lgh hand that reste- IN instant me win
dow Sill She must have dreamed the smile. Sc was 20
beautiful. end the voice he-like and tender. the
lady raised tho sash and beauing IKE the morning, SAID
"Oh Maurice, Maurice that Is you. ISN'T IT,
Euiae had turned her to him before swin'oa
vas down. flushed eager ana trembius- He held out
~ his bride EuiaHe and she took t uechan-
icaly. her lips wondering she aiwsys Won
Cered Tire angelic face had vanished from the window
had into the but Euale sat there
the breath ~ The and held his PONY she
did rot hear the locomotive bell the voice from the
platform shouting "au aboard She VAS set dreaH-
ine the windows slipped sily past her. ape FTts-
entig staring afte- Tie rushlag get
detsrg y Maurice would tcll her stories asaat
ths fairy she had from thst weHieT
land % bis though she watted for ca hosr 81 90
rot come she asked the sfation1astsr = be- aa
ef1 the trsn. NOBODY had seen ham si1ea he ard sae
lad been sitting on their ponies together
The next stop east Brlssels." ssld tne azrnt.
eIf he gets az thcrs hen b. back she lersf@
30 ssa 81 pony the derrt. rode siosHg bone
through ,ls Gust and taek TIE niEht oeaf He
did not come reVfr Efktgu slare. AID