Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1908-07-07


It was the proud boast of Mr.. and
Mrs. James Regan that their flower
like daughter, Elinor. had never set
foot in that plebeian vehicle, trolley
car
To be sure, there had been time
when James Regan would have vel
coined the chance to drive one of the
good, old fashioned street cars, but
those days belonged in the dark ages
Of Regain family history along with
the momentous Sunday when that
same f1owerlike daughter had been
christened plain Mary Ellen
Today, thanks to pocket of gold In
the Sierras and few lucky specula.
lions made possible by those same gilt,
tering pockets, the fair Elinor had at
her disposal variety Of private We.
hieles, from a tiny electric runabout to
sixty horsepower touring car. from
smart trap on their Long Island es-
tate to correctly equipped victoria
for her daily drive in Central park.
The men who were glad to ride be-
side the girl in motor car or trap were
equally glad to acknowledge their
friendship with the blunt, shrewd Irish
capitalist, for. though the Regans were
counted among the newest of the new
ly rich, they were not of them.
a strain of royal blood had surely
filtered through the dark ages Of Re.
gan family history, for both genera
tons took to the newly found luxury
as ducks had taken to the mudholes
behind their cabin In the Sierras.
From the moment they had come
east Elinor had been surrounded by
irreproachable governesses, compan-
ions and chaperons. Her comings and
gcings had always been attended by
chauffeur or footman or groom And
there had been times when, watching
other girls fit fearlessly and unattend
ed from ferry to trolley car, she had
felt an odd twinge of envy.
Some things of life she had missed,
and this something was vaguely rep
resented by the trolleys in which she
had never ridden, the city streets on
which she never set foot unattended.
Even more vague was her feeling that
somehow her doting father had not
quite played fair with her about Regi-
maid Schuyler.
IT meant something, of course. to
marry into one of the old Knicker-
booker families. Schuyler always let
her realize this fact. He allowed his
blue blood, which showed little enough
in his pallid face and deep ringed eyes,
to do his wooing.
The other mamie was, like them
selves, new as to wealth, fresh and
vigorous in every yein-he might have
been SO different if given half chance.
Sometimes she wanted to give him the
chance. Sometimes she wanted to
please her father. And neither Of the
two men in the case nor her father
dreamed of the vague unrest in the
girls heart
All this to explain why Ellnor Re-
j gan's eyes fairly danced when she
| stepped from the door Of the ferry
house and reviewed the long line Of
public vehicles. BeIden, the punctil-
ious, was nowhere in sight.
Elinors companion, Miss GreenIeaf,
was young, but keenly alive to her du.
ties and very anxious to retain her
| pleasant and lucrative position.
something must have happened
am sure ! worded the telegram very
carefully. Shall | call a hanson or
an electric cahi"
Elinor shook her head.
"I'ye heard you can get smallpox
riding in public vehicles. Don't they
use them for funerals and that sort of
| thingi"
She was watching her companion
from the tail OF her eye and wondering
just how far she might GO
Miss Greenleaf looked worried.
Perhaps | had best telephone to the
house.
"Oh, no." interrupted Elinor quickly.
I'VE can reach home by trolley while
they are sending down the car for u.s.
Miss Greenleaf hesitated and was
lost. A few seconds later she was
| swept. golf clubs and bags. into a
crosstown car 1t was crowded with
suburban women bound for the shop
ping district. Elinor swung bIithely
from strap and enjoyed Miss Green
leafs discontinue.
IF Mr.. Regan ever hears of thisr'
thought the worried companion And
just then they alighted to change cars
Evidently there was delay far down
the street, for the two women stood
some minutes on the corner, and then
Eiinor spied drug store whose win
dows were filed with garish adver.
tisements, beyond which doomed a
soda fountain. Miss Greenleaf never
knew just how it happened, but she
found herself. feebly protesting. be
fore mahogany topped table which
a white coated boy mopped up with q
damp cloth
Chocolate ice cream soda for both
of u.s. was Elinors calm order. "Now,
don't scold. DEAR she added to her
companion. Even our maids have an
afternoon of Why not their mistress
q I'm having the time of my life"
The white coated lad studied bis
stunningly gowned customers with
profound interest Never before had a
young woman asked him to put
cents worth more Of ice cream into her
soda. Then she had asked her com
panion. now entering into the spirit OF