The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-06-07

II believe do, she said, in her sweet,
spirited way. 'I have to, Jack; don t
you see? In this case, if only and
she flashed a saucy smile from her violet
eyes at him--''if only Mr.. Sydney Cham
ney had an income, Or salary, or even
wages of his own, and I was not so rich as
| unfortunately am.
Jack laughed at the lugubrious little
sigh she uttered.
"You can easily get rid Of your fortune,
Evelyn,' he observed. "You might
make it over to society for Christian
burial of murdered felines, or you could
give it to me, for that matter.
:Don't be absurd, jack" she said,
half vexedly.
"And don't you be goose" he an
swered, tartly. 81 tell you sgd Chamney
is fine fellow, and if he hadn't cent
he d deserve the best woman that walks
this earth.
Evelyn looked seriously at the photo
graph a moment, then asked:
"'Why doesn't he come himself if he is
SO anxious to become acquainted with me?'
Jack smiled.
$50, ho! my spirited little lady that 5
what the matter, Is it? Well, he's COM
ing by and by. He's not one of your sort
to rush headlong into anything-even a
lady's favor. He is off for an indefinite
time-on a solitary hunting expedition
and the stars only know when he'll come
back. But when he does-goodby for
you, Evelyn, my dearr'
And after Mr.. Jack Carol had hastily
beaten his retreat, Evelyn sat thought
fully by the window, studying the pictured
face of Sydney Chamney,
II do like his looks very much. [
wonder how long it will be before he comes
back?'
A big, low ceilinged room, with an open
fireplace, where huge log lay blazing and
sparkling, sending great streams of light
out into the old fashioned room, and dis
pensing warmth and cheer and an unut-
terable homeness.
In front of the fire, beside table COW
cred with crimson cloth, old Eben Orr
sat, laboriously reading a weekly paper,
and portly, motherly Mrs. Orr was darn
ing stout gray socks from deep basket by
her side. A comfortable cat slept on a
rug nearer the fire; pitcher of cider, a
plate of rosy apples, tin basin of cracked
walnuts were on small shelf in the chin
ney corner, and Ellie King, the pretty lit
tie new schoolteacher, who lived at the
Orr farmhouse, was leaning back in lit
tie low rush bottomed chair, shielding her
face from the light and heat with a letter
just received from home.
Outside the wind was blowing in fitful,
wild gusts and the night was raw and cold,
with snow coming down in binding, whirl
ing clouds-a wild, bitter night for man or
beast to be abroad, Ellie was thinking,
just as rapid hurry of footsteps on the
ground outside and knock on the kitchen
door disturbed the serene coziness in the
farmhouse kitchen.
"Bless my heart Mr.. Orr said, cheer
lily, as he opened the door, eff tain Mr..
Chamney back again! Come right in
It's stormy night, and no mistake
"It's |, sure enough, and glad to be
under roof once more. Mrs. Orr, how
do you do? Mr.. Orr, I'm glad to shake
hands with you again!'
He stamped the snow off his thick boots
before he came into the room to shake
hands with his host and hostess, and, as
he came into the full light of the fire and
bright lamplight Ellie King looked up and
saw him of whom in her month of resi-
dence at the Orr farm she had heard not
a little, and decided, with light sparkle
of admiration in her eyes, that it was all
true-so far as Mr.. Chamney's appear
ance was concerned.
'sThis is Mr.. Chamney, Ellie" Mr..
Orr said, with certain little pride in his
voice. "This is Miss Ellie King, our
schoolteacher She lives here, and we re
glad to have her here, too
Sydney bowed and laughed at the un-
conventional introduction, and Ellie smiled
and flushed little-only Mr.. Chamney
did not notice either particularly.
GA country schoolteacher, he was
saying to himself, sarcastically. "Heaven
preserve me! l know email alike.
Well, I'm only going to stay week, any
how"
But in just exactly an hour Mr.. Sydney
Chamney had changed his mind, having
discovered that Miss Ellie King was pretty
and ladylike and intelligent-altogether as
different from the species as a humming
bird from vulture.
IA little beauty-a little diamond, -
he decided, enthusiastically, which was
something very rare for him to do. "What
possible fate has placed her here, in this
out-of- the way corner of creation?'
Well, the week came to an end with
wonderful rapidity, and it seemed that
Ellie and Sydney had been acquainted a
lifetime instead Of only seven days Of es-
corting her to the schoolhouse and seeing
her safely home, Of going on one or two
skating trips, and some brisk, delightful
walks to the village postofice, and seven
evenings of pleasant conversation, intricate
games of chess, or old fashioned apple
roasting frolics.
IL don't want to go away at all, " he
said, one bright, sharp morning, as he
drove her to school.
'But, Of course, you must, she an
swered, gravely. "Men cannot idle their
lives away