The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-09-18
$nsSeHoHereHeososoroHoHea,
: WHITTIER the
: Fates Call.
3 By MARTHA COBB SANFORD.
o
: Copyrighted. 1908. by Associated
. Literary Press.
BY MARTHA COBB SANFORD.
,Aoh A@A@A0A0oAeA0Aohe7

| first year of teaching. She had not en-
joyed the experience particularly, and
now that the train was carrying her
back to the east, which she loved, she
wondered how she could have even
half pledged herself to return in the
fall But she had, and at length she
admitted to herself the reason for it.
1t was not the work. Work she must
have somewhere, to be sure. but it was
not necessary to seek it at so great
distance from home. No, 1t was not
| the work, but the friends she had
made, or, rather, to be strictly truthful
and spare herself no bushes, it was
one friend, Gilbert Chandler.
The admission came as a revelation.
For six months she and Gilbert had
been good comrades, and they had part"
ed as 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.
But Elsie had made the identical prom
Use to half q dozen other men, more or
less, who had come to the train to see
her off, for Elsie was pretty and pop
ular and Gilbert Chandler had by no
means clear field.
Had the truth been told him (by any
one save Elsie he would have dismiss
ed 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 inflexible, 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-
cd her purpose.
Over and over again Elsie read the
unbelievable words. You've doubtless
heard about Chambers 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 luck!'
Elsie crumpled up the letter and
sobbed 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
in 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 q small
ranch in Texas.
Then to all who knew her Elsie
Reynolds did surprising and unac-
countable thing. She resigned her po-
sition in the western boarding school
and accepted the thankless task of
teacher in q 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 next two years there were
two very small institutions in the Lone
Star State that prospered amazingly.
One was a forlorn one room school
house, the other pocket handkerchief
ranch which surrounded brave but
unpretentious little bungalow. In both
daily miracles were happening. The
schoolhouse knew all about the bunga-
low. but the latter had never guessed
the existence of its wide awake neigh
Dor to the west.
And when q letter arrived there one
summer morning announcing that FL
sic Reynolds was passing through Tex
as on her way east and II convenient
would like to stop off for 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-
fore she should come all was one busy
| whirl of anticipation. To Gilbert
Chandler and his sister the actual pres
ence of friend from their old aban-
doned world would seem nothing short
of glimpse of heaven.
Arrayed in its sudden acquisition of
muslin rufiles and chintz flowers and
quite consciously proud of its honey
suckle perfume. the little house flut-
tered and beamed with expectation.
At last the great day arrived. ell
bert rose early. his Drowned face ra-
diant with happiness, saddled the two
horses and went to meet her.
The ride back over the rolling prairie
which for each of them held its special
| meaning. was tremulous with things
| unspoken. From full hearts little save
commonplaces reached the lips.
you have been travelling. Elsier
II travelingT She laughed back at
him merrily. mo; same old story, Gill
bert-teaching."
"But you're brown as Mexican, and
you don't look the least bit tagged,
though that's damning you with faint
praise" he added, looking at her with
very frank admiration. Where have
you been teachingT
"Oh, let's skip sordid Details" Elsie