Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-09-10
Last Of the
Cwelv2
BY
Lucy e. hampton
Copyright. 1907. IN Lucp p. Hampton


where near the fireplace and was so
faint and lacking In enthusiasm that
hesitated where stood in the doorway.
The room was dark excepting for the
freight, which threw ray across
EliZabcth's face as she came smilingly
forward TO greet me.
IF you were any one else wouldn't
be a bit glad to see you. Dick" she
began. because I'm most terribly I'M
pleasant tonight You don't mind not
having the lights. do your I'm so much
more comfortable TO be miserable In
the dark. don't you think so?"
"Oh, come. What's the trouble? This
cheerful fire is too coy TO have any
thing like unhappiness near. Tell yosr
oldest counselor what's gone wrong
today. won't your"
mo, because you will only laugh.
and l don't feel like being laughed at
tonight" 4 smile came In spite of her
effort to hide II. and then sigh.
Its strange you should have forgot
ten ii. Dick. when you always do re-
member ii. oh. l mean my birthday,
IL you can't guess. You know. Dick, to-
morrow is the Sth."
"By Jove little girl. SO it is. But l
would have remembered. OF course.
Have l ever forgotten
She smiled again and leaned toward
me.
You know l don't mean about the
roses. You'd never forget them. be
lieve, IL l lived to have n thousand
birthdays. It's always very sweet of
You too"
must explain that ever since Eliza
beth was graceful little fairy or
twelve and l an ardent admirer OF.
we'll. several years her senior had
sent her a bunch of American Beau
ties, her favorite flower, one for every
year she was old on each birthday.
Lets see. how many Is II this time
-twenty-three. twenty-four. Why,
Bess, 1t will be an even two dozen
this time. won't it,"
'.Hush-hush-don' tell-will you?
That's what meant awhile ago about
your not remembering. l hope when
/ keep getting older and older some
time you may forget just how many
years old l am. I'm ashamed even
now to have any one know I'm so
ancient l can trust you not to tell.
I know"
She was SO serious l did not dare
to smile, so I sat wondering just how
long this mood of hers would last.
Usually she finds II hard to be serious
longer than five minutes at a time. AS
she sat there, her bright head In the
shadow, her eyes half closed to con-
ceal something she did not care to
have me see, l know-whether mis-
chief or something really serious
couldn't tell couldn't help thinking,
we'll, of many things l have no right
to think since one winter several years
ago when Elizabeth decided we Were
to be only friends, but the very best
friends that ever were. And so We
are.
"You don't know how terrible II is,
Dick. to be girl and to have twenty
fourth birthday SO near. Don't laugh.
Aunt Alice says she believes l am 60
ing to be an old maid"
In spite of her warning l had to
laugh now, trying to think of her as
an old maid-Elizabeth the beautiful.
as she was called. Elizabeth the be-
loved of all who ever knew her; Eliza
beth the envied of all the girls. and
Elizabeth as an old maid.
My mirth received a check when she
remarked next In the most cheerful
way:
"Mr. Harrington was here last night"
Another silence. not so pleasant as
the last l do not like Mr.. Harrington,
and EliZabeth's Aunt Alice does. Be
sides. Mr.. Harrington Is considered very
desirable. He Is rich, he Is well liked
by mothers and aunts ut least. though
I am frank to say do not know why
exactly-and he is very fond of Eliza
beth. For this admire his taste. but
It does not tend to make me noticeably
fond of him.
"Poor old duffer! Did he-er-propose
again for the third and last time. Ell.
BessT
"EIe isn't SO old. and you don't need
" Cstil iliLlcSs lbiClisiIu w CllS. I1c
doesn't need so much sympathy either,
perhaps!' She flashed n look ut me
and drew herself up In such n naughty
manner that I Immediately subsidized.
What did she mean? Surely she-she
couldn't have
1t was my turn to be serious now.
please. Elizabeth" l began-''please
look ut me and tell Inc you refused that
man for the last time. You know you
cannot love him.
"Why. you see-well. I'm ashamed
to tell you what have been thinking
/ don't care enough for him to marry
him. I'm afraid. But he happened to be
the last-well. I'll call him the last OF
twelve"
"The last of twelve - whatY" de-
manded. You don't mean to tell me-
Elizabeth Denton. that you have had
twelve separate and distinct lovers I'm
your short life of twenty -four years?"
"Most of them did not count, they
We're so long ago: but they We're just
as serious as the others while they
lasted. You can't guess who was my