The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-01-17

That night Elvira had red eyes AMI
ate no more at supper than would have
tempted a little bird. She sat on the
| step at the back of the house when the
moon came out, and Clarissa watched,
saw her shoulders shaking-she was
crying; she had been crying all the af-
| ternoon-but very softly and quietly.
The old woman sat down In the
| rocking chair and hung her head. She
longed-God knows how bitterly!-to
strain the delicate form to her and
rest the fair head on her breast and
kiss away the tears Some sensitive.
Unborn delicacy constrained her not
to approach Elvira. This was the
girls own trouble, and not to be
shared with or understood by another.
Clarissa realized that she knew moth
ing of love and its joys and Sorrows
the faint prudery OF the unmarried
woman made her fearful Of approach
ing too closely into what Fate had
yelled from her.
Next morning she took Elvira to
Anne Hardy to buy the wedding silk.
AS they walked down the village street
the girl prattled gayly. Now that the
first bitterness of the parting was
over, she could wait with serenity for
her lovers return and be happy In
these preparations for her marriage,
but the whole mornings work was
sharp, yet exquisite pain to Clarissa.
She was going to lose her child, and
yet she was decking her against the
day.
She shopped lavishly, and with a
certain fierce vehemence. Elvira
should come out bride in the richest
of pearl gray silks and her bonnet,
with its costly white feather, should
long be remembered. What did the
price matter? When the child had
gone to New York she could pinch and
save. A lonely old woman needs little
TO support life.
Anne Hardy, her mouth full Of pins,
draped the silk around the graceful
young figure.
"Sakes, Mis- Lane" she murmured
in frank admiration, 81 just guess
there will never be such a bride or
dress seen herea gain. It's real
pleasure to make for Elvira-that 1t
is"
Elvira smiled and blushed at the
warm fattery, but old Clarrisa sat I'M
moved. Were not such words her
ch:ld's due?
Time passed and Gilman never
Tvt,ioa INir l.
grimages to the postoffce, and she
came back after her last visit with
slch a white, strained face that Claris-
sa felt sick at heart
81 guess therell be Z letter tomor-
row." she said furtively, not daring
TO loose her own wrath and anxiety.
Yes, tomorrow" answered Elvira,
obediently, but Clarissa heard her
weeping during the night, and her
heart burned hot against Gilman.
Days slipped into weeks and 1t grew
close to the wedding day, but still no
letter from Gilman.
The wedding dress came home Lit
tie Anne carried it herself, but Elvira
turned a dead white as the dressmakeI
entered, and Clarissa harshly crushed
the rustling silk into her wardrobe,
and so with the dainty muslins and the
wedding bonnet.
Elvra used to pause now and hesi-
tate when friends brought her pres
ents, the faintest and most pathetic
pause but Clarissa would hustle and
admire in a way unusual to her, and
bring out cake and ginger wine for the
donor.
Then the wedding day came Elvira
rose up quietly in the morning, her lit
tie face very white and resolute. She
even tried to make some poor show
Of eating breakfast-then she went up
to her own room and stayed there.
A neighbor calls, entering cautious
ly, and as If 1t was house of mourn
ing. You'll not keep Elvira," she ..
pronounced in a slow dismal voice.
You'll see, Mis- Lane, she'll go off
in decline-just as her mother did
if she don't hear news of Gilman"
Clarissa had a cousin in New York
who now, after the lapse of many
years, heard from her relative. Clar-
rissa wrote to ask her to do SEEM
ingly simple COMMISSIONERS one over
which the woman shook her head and
wondered.
A few days later Clarissa marched
up from the postoffice carrying let
ter addressed to Elvira. 1t was writ
ten in stiff, uneven hand.
Seems as II this might be from