The Democratic advocate., 1908-05-15
WHITTIER the
" FateS Call.
Rv MARTHA COBB SANFORD.
Copyrighted, 1905, by Associated
Literary Press.
s-zah0he O. 90 Dhe 20 GHe


now that the train was carrying her
hoc,, TO the east, which she loved, she
wondered how she could have even
half pledged herself to return in the
fail But she had, and at length she
admitted to herself the reason for it.
If was not the work. Work she must
hove somewhere, to be sure, but it was
no+ necessary to seek it at so great
distance from home. No, it was not
the work, but the friends she had
aade, or, rather, to be strictly truthful
ond spare herself no bushes, it was
one friend, Gilbert Chandler.
The admission came as revelation.
For six months she and Gilbert had
hpen good comrades, and they had part
cd rs comrades, exchanging promises
to write to each other during the long
summer vacation if it were not too hot
and if they were not too busy, etc.
BIT Elsie had made the identical prom
ise TO half dozen other men, more or
less. who had come to the train to see
her off, for Elsie was pretty and pop
Mar and Gilbert Chandler had by no
means a clear field.
Had the truth been told him (by any
one save Elsie he would have dismiss
cd it with a smile of incredulity.
But Elsie had no intention of telling
him-indeed, having discovered the
state of her feelings, she had no inten-
ton of favoring him with information
of any kind. Gilbert must write first
On that point she was infexible, even
after a month of anxious waiting.
Other men wrote, but the seals of
their letters she broke listlessly and
answered them only in the hope that
through them she might hear some
thing of Gilbert At length they serv-
ed her purpose.
Over and over again Elsie read the
unbelievable words. you've doubtless
heard about Chandler's Illness" the
letter ran. pneumonia has now set
in, and that, with the typhoid compli
cations, knocks his chances for recov-
cry about out, and just as he was be-
ginning to be looked upon as a young
lawyer who must be reckoned with.
Tough IHck!"
Elsie crumpled up the letter and
s0bbcd her heart out There was no
one to comfort her, no one who would
even understand.
The summer was nearly gone before
Elsie received further news. Gilbert
had lived through the awful crisis, but
not to receive his full health. In fact,
the doctors had ordered an entire
change of climate and occupation, and
il consequence he had given up all his
youthful ambitions, said goodby to the
world of friends and activities and
taken up life with his sister on small
ranch in Texas
Then to all who knew her Elsie
Reynolds did a surprising and unac-
countablc thing She resigned her po-
sition in the western boarding school
ana accepted the thankless task of
teacher in ii district school in Texas.
Her alleged reason-that she was
tired Of civilization and hungered for
primitive eXperience-Was termed sheer
madness. Yet there was no one to hold
her back. She was fatherless and
mOtherless and perforce self support
ing.
For the neNt two years there We're
two very small institutions in the Lore
Star State that prospered amazingly.
One was Il forlorn one room school
house, the other a pocket handkerchief
ranch which surrounded a brave but
unpretcntious little bungalow. In both
han hn
schOOlhOuse knew all about the bunga-
low, but the latter had never guessed
the existence of it's wide awake neigh
Dor to the west.
And when letter arrived there one
summer morning announcing that FL
Sic Reynolds was passing through Tex
as on her way east and if convenient
would like to stop off for a few days to
visit old friends the bungalow opened
wide its doors and windows with as
constituent and let the sun in like some
unexpected guest come to warm and
cheer its lonely heart
During the days that must pass be-
lore she should come all was one busy
Whlrl of anticipation. To Gilbert
Chandler and his sister the actual pres
encc CT friend from their old aban-
doncd world would seem nothing short
or a glimpse of heaven.
Arraycd in its sudden acquisition of
muslin rufies and chintz flowers and
quite consciously proud of its honey
Suckle perfume, the little house fut-
tered and beamed with expectation.
AT last the great day arrived. Gil
beft rose early. his Drowned face ra-
ulant with happiness, saddled the two
horses and went to meet her.
The ride back over the rolling prairie,
which for each of them held it's special
meaning, was tremulous with things
uhspoken. From full hearts little save
coh4lhoHlIlacAs reached the lips.
You nave been travelling, Elsie?
l travelingf' She laughed back at
LIN merrily. NO; same old story, Gill
hert-teaching."
hut you're brown as Mexican, and
you don't look the least bit tagged,
thouSh that's damning you with faint
praise, he added. looking at her with
very frank admiration. "Where have
you been teaching?"
oh, let's skip sordid Details" Elsie
answered cvasiycly. Don't YOU love
this country?'
Gilbert followed her gaze out over
Tue iuXuriant wealth of grassy mead
o"s and beyond to the high, grim
y mountains.