The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-02-21

hair awkwardly. Read your letter.
Mebbe they don't want you to come SO
soon. l must go wash for supper"
1t was true-they didn't want her to
come so soon. In fact, they didn't
want her TO come at all. The director
unkindly said satirical things about
her cows-a study from nature-and
suggested homework as q surer means
of gaining renown.
It was Il horrible shock. She did not
cry; she was too stunned and humiliat-
ed for that; she had only enough rea-
son left to wonder doubly how she
could tell her parents that their sweet
confidence had been misplaced-that
their child always was and always
would be & nobody
The stu1y little parlor, the hateful
daubs, had grown intolerable. Pulling
a shawl from its hook in the narrow
hall, she fed from the house and UP
the narrow street redolent Of beef
steak, coffee and hot cakes-Mead-
ville's favorlte supper. Every one left
the blinds up in Meadville. and there
was q panorama Of warm interiors,
romping children. contented husbands
and active, happy wives. Ellen, hurry
ing along in the chill gloom. felt like
pariah and passed quickly out of the
din Of dishwashing on to the country
road.
She was brought at last to a realiza-
ton Of her wherea bouts by a startled
cry and jumped back barely in time
TO escape a horses hoofs that just
grazed her sleeve as the horse was
pulled back on its launches. The star
light was sufficient to indicate her
close call She uttered a belated but
frightened shrek.
by George! exclaimed the man
somewhere back Of the horse. What
are you doing out here? Are you
drunk?
Say, are you hurt?" he continued in
alarm, as there was no reply. He
sprang to the ground, CROPPED his way
forward and plucked at her sleeve.
Elem
She began to sob. She couldn't help
It, There had been too many shocks
in Meadville that day.
1t did not take Elton long to get her
into the runabout and start up the
erstwhile spurned Fanny G. Ellen
continued to be so distressed that FL
ton, ignoring the fact that she had
just refused him. slipped his arm
around her and was not repulsed. IN
fortunately, 80 it seemed, his extreme
kindness and lack Of curiosity about
her plight served only to Increase her
discontinue until, as he helped her to
alight from the vehicle at her gate, she
| caught him close about the neck and
told him the whole miserable story
How can I tell father and mother"
she cried,
Leave that to me-" he whispered
jubllantly, land cheer up"
| The old people jumped to their feet
as the door flew open, and look Of in
tense relief crossed their faces at the
sight of Ellen and Elton.
tOh, we didn't know what had be
come of you the last night you were
here" said her mother a little re-
proachfully, but she smiled indulgently
at Elton, and he smiled back.
"And whom should she be withT' he
cried. But have good news for you.
She isn't going away. She's promised
to become a Meadville mStron"
If Ellen had had fears, they were
Immediately dissipated by the warmth
Of her mothers embrace and the happy
ejaculation Of her father as he grasp
ed Elton's hand. 1t dawned upon her
at the instant that they were happier
to know she was to marry the most
promising young man in Meadville
than they would be if she could sur
pass all the artists In history, and sud
denly 1t appeared to her that she was
the happlest of all and that Meadville-
poor, cramped, despised Meadville-
was q garden Of Eden.
A Financial Genius.