Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-10-21
The Overland EastbOund


70E Err name was Eulalie, but every
iii one in Elkton called her Dottie.
q "Old Man" Lebrun. her father.
had started Elkton. He came down as
a hunter and trapper in the old days
when the territory was as primeval as
his own Canadian frontier, but when
the wild game was pretty well hunted
out and the white emigrants and the
soldiers commenced to come he turned
freighter, and later, when the copper
camp started at Goose Greek, he blazed
a stage route thither and founded the
cratic that made him rich-for from
tlersman. When Mrs. Lebrun died
Dottie was a chubby, big-eyed cid Of
4 and so the women, who We're few.
and the men. who had never more
than one tender size in their make-ups
In those harsh days. petted the child
and made life very sweet and radiant
as she grew. Now she was 20. with
the eyes of doe. so lustrous and won
dering; broken skin. peellng a little
from her oval face from the whipping,
sand-spattered winds of the plains, the
form of a stately woman and the heart
of a yearning child. She had been
Through school," had taught in 1t for
a term and was esteemed as the most
learned inhabitaGt OF Elkton next to
Parson Davies and Squire Beeno." and,
perhaps, Professor Swinton. who was.
however, a newcomer and therefore
yet on probation.
Professor Syginton stopped" at Lee
bruins. He vas New-Yorker. frank.
boyish. unaffected. gentle and gener-
Gus. He laughed deprecatingiy at the
professor" idea. for he was only a
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 a differ
enoen with Eulalie. aud they had come
along so well In their acquaintance
that she now called him Mister Mau-
rice.' 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 siiences OF her home, of the splen-
dor and folly. of the pageantry and
the mockery. of the canon-like streets,
the glories. the squalor. the romance
aud the emptiness of the life he had
left to grow up. as be said. with .he
free West Sometimes he told her love
stories. OF which she forgot to ask
him. How do you knowg" and silent
and eager-eyed. like the child In the
nursery at night. she only listened and
hoped that his legends might never
come TO an end.
Sometimes. when the sun had gone
they rode their ponies away into the
short grass. endless plateaus. that dir
aud rise above the mesa walls OF the
little town; sometimes they gaIloped
through the narrow trails Of the re
motor hills, but always she listened
smiling half sadly. half raptiy. and al
ways he told bis quaint jokes. his true
tales Of real fairies. and lis romance:
81 the BahyleaS she might never see.
one day he got a fat letter from the
East. and when he had read il and
laughed over il. and held up the check
which il brought. he ran into the hall
way aHd called for Miss Eulalie. She
had ridden into town. her father said
ito trade" Maurice went TO the cor
raj and saddled his pony. 1t was Sat
urday. his holiday, He galloped gaily
down the dusty road. shifting the hot
wind and twirling his Quirt like a mar
with good news. He met Eulalie IL
che main street. just mounted upon her
cid white pony. and waved his letter
AZ her
Aunt Won werdon Is dead. Miss Eu
lalle." he said. stopping and looking
az her merrily.
THAT one that gave the tea party e
the eats and kittens2 But you're ser
~. amt you. Mr.. MauTicey' she asked
wondering at his levity.
"Yes-aAd no. You see. she had only
two reasons for liying-cats and NE
She preferred the cats. and-then she
was old beyond compctaiion--but
VIII say that she did better BY N.
than / had q right 10 expect. See
She has left me 5000 shall have
money TO burn Andthis eyes looket
wistfully up the heat-seourged street
with It's reeking harrooms. It's empty
wooden sidewalks and its dreary same
ness OF frame-shan0 stores. '-Wn