The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-02
The Elton Case.
tOriginal.1


The orphan Earl of Elton, four years
old, was playing in his nursery one
morning when Mrs. Rawson. who was
In full charge OF him, brought in a lit
tie girl of about the same years, say
ing to him:
Here's little sister for You, Ralph.
Her name is Gladys. Now, don't let
me hear any more grumbling about not
having playmates like other children"
"Is she my slster?" said Ralph, look
ing at the girl admiringly. why
haven't | seen her before?"
Don't ask questions or III send her
away"
SO Ralph and Gladys proceeded to
enjoy each others company in the
amusements of childhood. AS they
grew older they wondered why they
had been separated till their first meet
ing and had been kept together ever
since. Since no one seemed disposed
to inform them they spent much time
building up hypotheses. Gladys prefer
ring those which accounted for her abb
sence from her brother, she having
been stolen by fairy when she was
a baby. But she had very little re-
membrance of her early life.
They had no playmates except each
other. No one interfered with their
growing up together In any way their
fancles led them. BY and by Ralph
began to talk about Gladys being his
wife, to which she responded that she
didn't believe brothers and sisters ever
married. And so as they passed
through different stages of develop
ment there came different kinds Of
feeling till at last they were nearly
grown.
One day when they were fifteen
years old they discovered Mrs, Raw
son packing Gladys belongings. When
asked what she was going to do. she
told them that G.aCga VS. TO no taken
Iaway. The color vanished from the
face of each, Nature had met for them
its first conflict with civilization, and
nature always makes desperate fight,
especially In the case Of the young.
These two had been left to mate like
the birds. A separation now could
not be endured. Something must be
done. Several days elapsed before
there were any signs of Gladys i'm
mediate removal. which time they
spent IN talking the matter over. What
was there for two children brought up
rs they had been to do except to
| flee?
One morning they got together all the
money they had-money was never de-
MED them-and counted fS. some shil'
| lings and lot of pennies. Taking this,
| they went Off on such ramble as
they had often taken together before.
They had been kept SO aloof from
the world that there Is a possibility
they did not know what marriage
meant, especially between brother and
sister. BE that as 1t may. they deter
mined to be married. After much diff
ficulty they found clergyman. who
consented to marry them for all the
money they had. and the knot was tied
After the ceremony they strolled aim
lessly about till they came to lstlC
park. into which they entered and for
got everything else in the enjoyment oi
a stream, on the bank OF which they
sat throwing stones into the water
They were thus amusing themselves
when a policeman went to them ant
arrested them. Their flight had beeI
discovered and the police notified.
The next morning Sir Michael Frame
a retired barrlster, read in morning
paper of the flight of the young Ear
of Elton and his sister and their mar
riage. at which all England wa
shocked. Sir Michael had been clos
friend of the last Earl Of Elton. HI
knew that a minor was heir to th
title. but for his life couldn't remem
ber that there was a girl. He finall,
recalled the fact that a sister Of th
last earl, the Hon. Mrs. brewer. ha'
left little girl and that Mrs. Dwye
and the earl's brother, Tweed Spencer
had been left In charge of the estat
and the two children. who were OF
phans. This Spencer. on assuming thl