The Elbert County tribune., 1903-04-30
MRS. HAROLD STAGG.
coByrisht lsso aud Isal By Roosr, bonner, Son.

N.eanor- wish you all three to live
WIN me. | have plenty OF money for
you all. Silas and Harold win be
sent TO school and you will be
brought up at home by your aunt. as
other young ladies' are"
a look of surprise irradinted by
sieam OF pleasure came over her face.
which was succeeded by her grave.
anxious expression.
had been thinking" she said. "of
being n teacher II | can get a place
In the town here, and the boys could
attend the public school six months
IN the year. and do work In the sum.
mer months for the farmers until
they were old enough to go to col
leee"
Nonsense. Eleanor" exclaimed
Harold Stagg. as she paused In her
recital. Il won't hear OF such a
ihing. You forget I'm your uncle;
your mother was my sister. and in
tend to provide for her children,"
1t would be very nice she said,
rehectively. IF the boys could be
looked after until they had a good
dueation, but I've quite set my heart
on being teacher, and I've thought
I all over and planned It out, so that
I'm sure there wouldn't be any trou'
bic as to my getting along"
Il won't hear of IT. what you need
my dear, is less thinking and plan
ming. and more beef. wine and iron, to
put color into those pale checks OF
yours, Do you suppose you could
arrange to start day after tomorrow? !?
l can have your fathers books and
such other things as you don't wish
to have sold stored or shipped to you
In New York." he added.
Day after tomorrow" she ejacu-
lated, in tone OF trouble.
Yes. | am busy man myself. and.
OF course. I'm anxious to get back
as soon as possible"
1T would be very nice for the
boys she reiterated. and it's very.
very kind of you, Uncle Harold"
That means you'll start day after
tomorrow morning
Would you like to go to New
York to live, Silas and Hai?" she in
duired, with motherly solicitude.
We won't go unless you go. Flea
nor" said the elder. stoutly.
That's right" said Harold Stagg.
She has TO CO..
Eleanors eyes filled with tears.
Il suppose | ought she said. after
a moment. you mustn't think me
ungrateful, uncle. or that | don't ap
| preciate how good and generous you
are. but it's hard to leave he'housc
4 hA r.lo x.rhA
long She wept softly for a few
moments, then wiped her eyes, ant
said. with quiet decision, I'VE shal
be ready to start, uncle. day aftel
tomorrow
"That'll do nicely. dear" replied
Harold. who had been inwardly de
batting how to deal with so unfamiliar
a factor as a young girls tears. "I1
telegraph your aunt Emma that your,
coming"
The journey was uneventful, bu
very interesting to the boys, wht
quickly regained their spirits and be
came talkative under the influence O
novel surroundings
Eleanor sat pensive and wan. un
responsive. and lacking appetite
thereby puzzling her uncle, who couIt
better have understood torrents o
tears than this dry-eyed. moping man
ner Of grief. He found that she liket
to talk about her father, whose com
panion and confldante she seemed L
have been, and toward the end OF tn,
| journey they branched OFF. on one oc
casion. on books, each surprising tn,
o.her by discovering that their tastes
| In poetry were not dissimilar. Harolt
did not pretend to read everything
nat was going. but he knew tn,
names of the prominent publications
and 1t was evident that Eleanor wai
familiar with most of them. All sh,
| 1eeded, he reflected, was little
knowledge of the way of the world
and a few suggestions as to her attire
in order to make him a proud uncle;
for while so many of the young wo
men In society were mere butterflies
or dolls. did not she possess. in add
tion to a pretty face. the charms ol
Intellectual culture? Emma would
understand exactly how to transform
this inconspicuous cygnet into daz
zllng swan.
Here we are" said Harold Stagg
as the carriage stopped before a m.
residence.
a flood of light from the doorway
dazzled Elearor's eyes. and she won
dered at the fawless individual who
supervised their passage into the hall
until her uncle said:
Parsons. has Mrs. stagg gone to
bed?"
No. sir; she is awaiting you in
the drawing-room." answered the but
lcr. She was about TO retire. sir
when your telegraphic message ar
rived" he added. in lower tone. In