The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1909-07-02
THE COLONIES FRIENDS
THEIR SUCCESSFUL DESCENT UPON
THE TOWN OF FLINTVILLE.
v. 3. ROSE. IN cleveland plain Ds.Isr.

Inc BiIt LOOK the letter from the
postmistress. A faint smile fiuttered
across the latter's wrinkled face.
ITS the right postmark." she said
II was beginnin' to think that mebby
he'd quit writfn'. But ] guess he's
one of tn faithful kind
Elinor turned away. She had no
desire to make any comment on this
favorable estimate OF her correspond
ent She placed the letter carefully
IN her shopping bag and went up the
main street until she came to the road
that branched of and ran beside the
creek and out among the green fields.
When she was In the shadow OF the
WILLOWS she took out the letter and
read 1t as she slowly paced along.
My dearest girl" 1t began, Il
have delayed writing for q very good
reason. Business has kept me on the
jump for the last two weeks. Not
the business to which / have been
looking forward for i've years / am
settling up things here and coming
homecoming homo to you Don't
think, dearest, that there Ia anything
Of great moment that holds me back.
But every little detail must be looked
after, and | can't AFFORD TO throw
away anything that would add 10 our
happiness I've made d little money
out here--not much, you understand
but enough 20 keep the wolf al q
distance. and perhaps have q little
over 70 invest Ia something safe and
reasonably rcmunerative. Perhaps
you may know OF an opening ~ Clint
Vile. Get an option on Il 81 YOU car.
But mind. I'm not going into partner
ship With filah Grlmea. or Eb still
man, And ! draw the line on taking
an interest IN the Higgins House. But
there ! muBnt get away from the
main point I'm coming home for
where yon are Il home and I've begun
TO coupi The hours that intervene
u VIII seem q long Journey this TINA
bat ma 20 BE- The last one. liut there
must 81 20 deiaY when get % clint
vile Iie wgited too long as Il ia
Be Ready dearest j mean % be With
YOU iugi ten days from the data ~
this letter a caller he's come Into my
f ogice. ! can see him IA Tie outer
room. lie comes by appointment
When am through With him. the last
tie that holds me here will be cut
+ Goodby for the short time that seems
so long
Elmer
/ There were tears IN the EifiH ryca
as abe looked around Then she
pressed the letter to her lips
She glanced 80 the poatmnrk on
The envelope The letter had been on
I It's journey six days IN four DAYS
more Elmer Morse would come.
4 She quickened her steps Thsfn
I waH SO much 10 DO Ia 'th0ao four short
/ dayf No. she would not keep him
/ waiting
I A glow Of triumph hiled her haart
Z She bad not waited ln vain How
/ many times she had been told that
7 she waE wasting her years hy her
/ consistency Even her aunt. with whom
T che lived, had expressed doubts Of
Elmcrs faithfulueaa Al least she
/ had told Elinor that she would do
I well 20 think taicc Defore she LET ans
good chance 30 marry slip away frntn
I her And there had been chances
! more especially that thrifty farmer
{ John TnrrlnRtau II was this mid
die aged wooer. sturdy and respected.
! whom hef aunt especially favored
Don't forget thar yon are Swentw-
+ seven. klnor said stunt Martha bS
way Of weli meant warming
( Bnt Fillmore heart kan NOT 10 bn
shaken 10 itH consistency a. her arst
lover, the lover 81 no declared himself
when abe was aiiil schoolgirl and
F who bad gone Into tae far western
lldnesa ~ win the fortune ihsl wag
+ 10 bring them together a chance
laa been offered him by q distant
f@ifi'fe te hgG eagerly accepted &c
bN H1fhd ts rNiHYm 'a q Feai Ell the
latoft Bui fortune WsM elusive ard
hYc yegr bad passed
And 81 Elmer going 20 Stay here
Deg aunt oaked after She had heard
the paucnious HdiDEs
Why yes" Eliuof replied
Here m Cllulfiile|
o. course
ii int much ~ nettling down
place fnf msu who has sean tbn
world, her auut suggested in har
comparatively slsw wuy
HllHpf flushed
iuat 81 Hll aAifstaad che Hald
ELMER SHOWS tlat woalH ueyfs
consent fu lefe my GA home aba
Hl sena nn4 go aBlT 1,a8e iAuae
slid ir8haeEa
Sues ftHT have beau dore. h8
iRr aunt eeNtgutioll u8 size tutled
away.
Eiinpf laughed s llU3e acoGnhiilg
bul Der heart Sea ifupblcd
go tAg daga wore aWay and tC
ttnth day froa the mailiuE q bic
u9ufcut0us letter cRma
telegram from hiCaro NHt
renthed tiiuoI tine morning Of me
n!nta da1 Elmer Baa on his wAY ne
cotaiag % aChedUle
And now ahe was argsacd ln her
d3iuuei summmer gown and waiting
on tie porch She hBd CON ldefed tha
idea Of meeting him 50 thg railway
statianl 4jt tha Thought OF greeting
him IN the presence o. the village
idleia WAS not g pleasant one. lie
wonld understand
u Was little early for ihe train.
but every detail Ia tie simple pro
gram Of welcome had been arranged.
The pretty cottage was swent aud
garnished; the appeiiging luncheon
was prepared, and now the gentle
Elinor, her heart boating with antici-
patton, sat on the shaded porch with
her expectant gaze on the road along
the willows
And then she saw q group OF men
there we're five OF them standing
by the roadside as N not quite sure
Of their bearings Presently they
came forward and disappeared be-
hind the high hedge.
A moment later Elinor saw them
al the gate One OF them pointed to-
ward the house. Then the gate was
opened and they came up the path /
way In single file.
It was quite evident they wera