Ellsworth American., 1907-11-13
| One Touch
| Of Nature.


Copyrighted. 1897. by p. c. Eastment.

AS I40r1ng Carriers automobile came
to a full stop. for the second time ii,
four minutes. with jerk that threw
that young gentleman with some vio-
ience against the padded seat an
angry Gent showed between his eyes.
Its the sp''- began the chauffeur.
speedily and apologetically getting out
Of the car
Il don't care what 1t is" growled
Loring. He was already on the side
walk Take the blamed thing back
to the house-if you know how-and
don't call for me tonight unless you
can guarantee to run 1t. Understand: z"
"Yes. SIR" mumbled the chauffeur.
Loring turned on his heel. Before
he had gone block he was whistling
blithely. 1t was impossible to be angry
on morning when the air was like
amber. and the streets glinted with
that downpouring of sunshine. that
wealth of spring glory for which San
Francisco has long been famous. Its
buildings. as yet untouched by devas-
tation. were sharply outlined against
the blue. Youngsters were hurrying
sehoolward. and Loring threaded his
way between their groups.
Look out sonny" he laughed, as a
small boy bumped into him. did you
spill your flowers?'
STOPPING. he gathered up the scat
tered marigolds and replaced them in
the child's chubby hand. 1t was then
that he caught sight Of tall girl CON-
ing down the street with string of
children following. Something about
the way she walked and held her head
awoke remembrances in him.
why. Eileen!' he cried.
For moment the girl looked puz-
zled Then she smiled. "Mr. Carterw
she exclaimed. Even in this demo-
cratic country girl does not call
young millionaires by their first names
because she happens to have gone to
grammar school with them.
Eight years ago you used to call
me Lorry." he reminded her.
did II" Her gray eyes overfiowed
with mirth. II remember that you used
to dub me Freckles!" She tilted up a
chin as delicately white as porcelain.
what are you doing now, Eileen?"
said he.
Tsn't 1t rather obvious" 2" she asked.
with glance at her following. that
I'm teaching kindergarten"
"Clay pigeons. paper mats and all
that?"
Eileen nodded. Then they both
laughed.
"If I come over tonight will you
show me how it's done?" he queried.
81 believe I've almost forgotten"
AS Eileen assented she gave him a
| long look, with the inward comment
that he hadn't changed particle since
the day he used to steal her hair rib
| bons.
! AS for LOring. ne was filed with
| wonder at the alchemy of the years
that had changed gawky. brown pig
tailed schoolgirl into this slender. deep
| eyed beauty. After this at least three
evenings a week found him in the little
apartment that Eileen kept for her
widowed mother and herself. The
street was questionable and noisy.
but, despite its crowded shrillness. LOr-
| ing liked it, as he liked the dusty euca-
| lyptus tree that stood in front of Ell
leen's door. Such humble things had
come to stand to him for signs and
symbols.
| One night as he fingered over his
after dinner coffee on the broad porch
of his home overlooking the lawn his
mother glanced at him with sudden
| quizzical sharpness.
"Lorry," she burst out, docs it ever
occur to you that you're great disap-
| pointment"
She was pretty little woman. with
peevish mouth and nervous. much be-
ringed hands. Her voice held note of
accumulated wrongs.
"A great disappointment" she reit-
Grated.
"In what way" said Loring quietly.
"You know quite WELL" she flashed
| 'Ive spoken of it often enough. good
ness knowsw
'You mean Grace Remston?" said
Loring.
'It isn't as If she wasn't an attrac-
tive GIRL pursued his mother irrele-
vanity. shes of good family too. And
ten millions And every one knows
she's interested in you. can't see why
you don't marry her."
Loring set down his cup. 1t was
hardly the moment he would have for
condolences. but apparently the time
had come.
Because have already made up my
mind to marry some one else"
His mother gasped.
"Lorry! My dear boy! oh. hope
Ehe's suitable You're prone to over
look the really necessary qualifica-
tions?"
'.She has beauty and grace and kind
ness of heart" said Loring.
"And her people?"
"Her mother is very estimable wo-
man. Her father was the janitor Of
| the Myrtle street school,"