The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-15

MI everyone III ElhtOu Cdiieu hch
Dottie. "Old Man" Lebrun.
her father. had started Elk
ton. He came down as hunter and
trapper in the old days when the terri
tory was as primeval rs was his own
Canadian frontier. but when the wild
game was pretty well hunted out and
the white elnigrants and the soldiers
commenced to come he turned freight
er, and later. when the copper camp
started at Goose Creek. he blazed =
stage route thither and founded the
traffic that made him rich-for from
tiersman. When Mrs. Lebrun died
Dottie was a chubby. big-eyed elf OF
four. and so the women. who were few.
and the men. who had never more
than one tender side in their make-ups
In those harsh days. petted the child
and made life very sweet and radiant
as she grew. Now she was twenty.
with the eyes Of doe. so lustrous and
wondering: brown skin peeling little
from her oval face from the whipping.
sapd.spattered winds OF the plains. the
form of a stately woman and the heart
Of a yearnlng child. She had been
'through school," had taught 1t for n
term and was esteemed as the most
learned inhabitant of Elkton next to
Parson Davies and Squire Beeno." and.
perhaps, Professor Swinton. who was.
however. q newcomer. and therefore
Jet on probation.
Professor Swinton stopped" at Le-
bruins. He was New Yorker. frank.
boyish. unaffected. gentle and gener-
ous. He laughed deprecatingly ut the
professor" idea. for he was only
"principal'' Of the three room school.
and he had that admirable desire to be
called by his given name that Is strong
In all young, ingenious natures. His
coming had made quite difference"
with Eulalie. and they had come along
10 well in their acquaintance that she
now called him mister Maurice" and
he said Miss Eulalie." He had told
her many wondrous things about New
York and the world that lies beyond
and apart from the sand-girt silences
Of her home. Of the splendor and the
folly Of the pageantry and the mock
cry. Of the canon-like streets. the
slories. the squalor. the resonance and
the emptiness Of the life he had left
to grow up. as he said. with the free
West. Sometimes he told her love
stories. Of which she forgot to ask him
"How do you know" and silent and
eager.eyed. like the child In the nursery
ut night. she only listened and hoped
that his legends might never come to
an end.
II she had been wise girl she might
have asked more questions. pertinent.
personal. intimate probes as to him.
sc,f. and then. being so frank. he might
have told her all and more than she
could have wished to know about
himself. But she was content to know
him as he now was In Elkton. and. so
knowing him. she said he was good to
know and to see and to hear. Some
times. when the sun was gone. they
rode their ponies away into the short
grass. endless plateaus. that dip and
rise above the mesa walls Of the little
town. sometimes they galloped through
the narrow trails Of the remoter hills,
>but always she listened. smiling half
sadly. half raptly. and always he told
his quaint jokes. his true tales Of real
fairies and his romances Of the Baby.
ions she might never see.
One day he got fat letter from the
East. and when he had read 1t. and
laughed over 1t and held up the check
which 1t brought. he ran into the hall.
way and called for Miss Eulalie. She
had ridden into town. her father said.
"to trade" Maurice went to the cor.
raj and saddled his pony. 1t was Sat-
urday. his holiday. He galloped gaily
down the dusty road. smiling the hot
wind and twlrlins his quirt like man
with good news. He met Eulalic in
the main street. just mounted upon
her old white pony. and waved his
letter at her.
Aunt Won Werion is dead. Miss
Euialie." he said. stopping and look.
ing at her merrily.
THAT one that gave the tea party
10 the cats and kittens? But you're
sorry. amt you. Mr.. Maurice:" she
asked. wondering At his levity.
"Yes-and no. You see. she had only
two reasons for liring-cats and me,
She preferred cats. and-then she was
old beyond computation-but I will say
that she did better by me than had
n right to expect. See: She has lef,
me $500! I shall haze money to burn VI
And his eyes looked wistfuliy rp the
heat.scourged street. with its rcekins
barrooms. its empty wooden sidewalks
and It's dreary sameness OF frame
shanty stores. "Will you wait till
cash this check. Miss Fulalle:" he
added, I'D like TO ride home with
you"
She rode into the shade Of the town
well and lei her pony drink while he
went to the bank. But when he came
back she said: Its train time. Mr.
Maurice" with a pOuting little grim
ace): you know love to see the trains
20 past. The Overland side-tracks
here. and Id like to look at the people
Then you might see somebody you
know"
He laughed again ut her childlike
curiosity. and they paced down tht