Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1908-01-02


to the Dillingham; residence the dead
leaves whirled and eddied and set
tied with many a melancholy fiutter
into their annual graves, while the tall
trees tossed their bare arms about, as
IL lamenting the loss of these CHEEKY
little harbingers of spring and sum
mer
In the house beyond, however, all
was bright and charming with glow
ing fires and soft, mellow lights. Geof-
frey Dillingham; and his wife sat in
the library, she with beseeching look
in her gentle eyes. he with slight an
noyance in his.
so you wish me to invite your peo-
pie here for Thanksgiving? he
queried almost harshly, Il tell you,
Elizabeth, it's impossible"
"But why, Geoffrey?" returned his
wife, with little catch in her soft
voice, "only think, we've been married
seven years, and you've never asked
them here once" moments silence.
"And they feel It," she added, in fal-
tering tone, land so do l. After all,
they're my parents. dear"
Godfrey Dillingham; frowned and
turned again to his desk. Scratch
went his pen with rapid strokes, then
it stopped suddenly, and wheeling
around abruptly he faced his wife.
''And if they are" he began, Il feel
that | have repaid them in measure
for the loss of you; from poverty I've
placed them in comparative ease.
What more do they want?' he demand
ed, irritably.
"But you forget, Godfrey returned
his wife, gently. They love me,
tCor
IF you please, Elizabeth" he said,
CURLY, well dismiss the subject. AS
to Thanksgiving day, I've already in
vited Wilson and his family to dim
ner" Wilson was his law partner.
Elizabeth Dillingham; smothered a
heavy sigh, and rose to leave the
room
Truly heredity isn't everything.
That anything SO beautiful as Eliza
beth Dillingham; should emanate from
the Tracy family was little short of a
miracle. When Godfrey Dillingham;
at SO, saw Elizabeth Tracy, at 18, he
loved her. Yes, aristocrat, autocrat,
courted and wealthy as he was, some
thing about her touched responsive
chord in his heart of hearts, hereto
fore unreached, and he resolved to
win her. But her family! He groaned
in spirit as he thought of allying the
proud name of Dillingham; with that
of Tracy-but Elizabeth was so beau
tiful, and as pure as she was lovely.
Ephraim Tracy and his wife were
decidedly common people. He was a
little man, pretty well advanced in
years, with kindly, wrinkled face, a
hack somewhat bent, and serene, be-
nignant eyes. In a sort of desultory
fashion he managed to keep soul and
body together, and that was about ALL
He could turn his hand at almost any
thing, however
If he was lacking in pride for him
self, he had an abundance for his
daughter Elizabeth, or Lizzie, Us he
fondly called her, which affection
Elizabeth fully reciprocated. He had
lived always in the same village, con-
sequently his two sons, Jim and An
drew, grew up there.
Elizabeth was the youngest of the
family. Where she got her beauty, no
one could understand That she pos
sessed it, everyone acknowledged.
All the family pinched and saved to
clothe and educate her properly, and
it was the proudest day of Jim's and
Andrews lives when they could con-
tribute something toward Lizzie's
schooling; and Elizabeth went to
school and studied hard. She meant
to be a teacher, she said. But the
summer she was IS, she met Geofffey
Dillingham;, the leading lawyer in Dex-
ter, thriving manufacturing city
good hundred miles from Elizabeth's
home. After a brief, H.. ,etuous WOO
ing, they were married.
When a few weeks afterward Eliz-
the promised visit of her parents, her
husband, with cruel candor, told her:
my guests must be of my choosing,
Elizabeth" he said, land don't want
to hurt you, but / can't have your pa
rents here"
He never forgot the expression of
the lovely eyes.
1t had been seven years new since
Enzabeth's wedding day. Only rarely
did she visit home, and even then, the
visits were not satisfactory Eliza
beth knew, and they knew
Godfrey Dillingham;, with all his
faults, was not stingy, and generous
checks came from his hand to the
Tracy family regularly.
So the years rolled on, bending old
Ephraim Tracy's back more and more
and silvering the hair of Elizabeth's
mother.
November with its short days passed
rapidly away, until it lacked but two
weeks till Thanksgiving.
Elizabeth, in her home. seemed to
grow paler and slighter these short
November days. Her husband, COM
ing home one night, found her SILVER
ing over the library fire.
What is it, Elizabeth he asked,
anxiously.
Il don't know" answered his wife.
her teeth chattering, only I'm so cold,
Godfrey"
So cold He went up to her and
pushed back the lovely hair from the
white forehead.
You'd better go upstairs, Lizzie"
he said, tenderly.
They put her to bed shortly after
that, but before morning sharp pains
set in and doctor was hurriedly sent
for.
AS the rsSer rose she grew light
- FOL b.wn