The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-12-13

girl at that, brought into their midst
as a bride. John had a hard-headed
business man for an older brother,
who was sent down into the country
right away, to see just what the stu
alton was. He didn't take kindly to
the threatened marriage, and did not
hesitate in saying so. John told him
in no uncertain terms to go to place
where a certain horned gentleman in
red presides, and went on with his
courtship.
1t was year after this that Crown
hart met the college chum in Milwau.
kee. They happened across each
other in hotel. Following out his old
custom, John had not answered the
letter that came in reply to his fervid
outburst of admiration for the coun-
try girl.
We'll, and how's the country girl?"
smiled the old chum, after the first
hearty greeting.
It's a subject I'm not very keen
about" said Crownhart, and the seri-
BUSINESS of his face was evidence
enough that he did not consider the
matter one to be joked over. Il guess,
though, after that letter, an explana-
ton is due you, so here goes:
'The folks got wind of what was up,
and butted in. First 1 was honored
by visit from brother Bill, and then
there came letter from the old
man, calling me home, and telling me
that would be expected to report for
duty at the office the following Mon
day. The folks are up some In Windy
City society, you know, or were, at
least, before he went broke in the
wheat pit, and he didn't fancy my
hooking up with country rose with
those particular kind of thorns.
81 learned when a kid that it was
just as well to do a thing when the
governor said to do it, so l packed up
my grips and started for town. But
before l bid my last farewell to the
farmhouse, l was an engaged man. /
swore by all Bertha M. Clay's choicest
oaths employed by lovers that
would be true to the girl left behind
me-
We'll, l broke the oaths. For
awhile sent her sizzling letters from
Chicago, and then from abroad, where
1 went with a party of friends, before
I had been working two weeks. The
folks saw it was pretty serious case,
and thought they had better get me as
far from the scene of trouble az they
could.
"As 1 say, was as true as steel for
awhile. But you know how a young
fellow is. l got in with jolly set.
was living in the present, letting the
future take care of itself, and forget
ting the past. l think the girl kind of
had bunch how it would be, and was
cautious in her letter writing from the
start. That made it all the easier to
break 1t off, and finally the break
came, easily and naturally. For sew
eral months l didn't hear a word con-
corning Patricia, and then
But before I tell that part of it,
guess 1 had better explain that the
governor got pinched in the pit, and
when he came through the wringer, he
didn't have gold watch that he could
call his own. He got me job with
the house l now represent. l am on
the road for them. Incidentally, it
isn't bad job. l never did take kind
ly to the idea of marrying a certain
society bud mother had picked out for
me, and when the crash came she
gave up all effort along that line.
LAS l was saying-then I learned
that Patricia was the daughter of a
Milwaukee banker who has enough
coin to sink a ship. 1t seems that she
had a bunch she could write stuff for
the magazines, and maybe book or
two She was working in the coun-
try to get local color. One of those
freak notions college girl will get
once in awhile, you know. She was
married last month to an eastern
chap that captained some football
team of fame to a long series of vic
tories few years ago. l saw her on
the street yesterday, or, more proper
ly speaking, | was on the street and
she was in an automobile that must
have cost a small fortune. Present
from the old man, l understand She's
as pretty as ever. No, she didn't see
me-"
The college chum extended his
hand.
TOO bad, old man." he said. Come
on in and have drink"