Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-09-14
MAJOR GRAHAM
AND OTHERS,
A Conspiracy That Resulted In
Complete Success.
sy CLAY ARMSTRONG.

10 w hSh CIV 5os iaNN
long dresses he would not have been
a bit surprised to find her walking the
fence with balancing pole or seated
on the limb Of cherry tree. She had
beenaway at school; she had returned:
he knew that she went to parties. and
he saw young men about the htise.
but he seemed to be in dream about
her age. In his thoughts she had not
passed the rag doll stage yet.
Major Graham was enjoying his
cigar on the veranda one evening and
listening to Nellie's chatter In III ab
strated way when that young woman
made sudden dive into the house and
young man came up the path and
took the vacated chair. The major
squinted at him and thought he recog-
nized him as young Hurlburt.
A young mans name may be much
or little to the father of the girl he Is
In love with. In this case 1t meant
little until an explanation had been
entered into Then II meant Il whole
lot. Young Mr.. Hurlburt loved Miss
Nellie; Miss Nellie loved him. He was
Of good family and had some pros
poets: he krew she WAS an only child
and realized how hard Il would be- for
the father to give her up. but he would
love. protect and cherish her always
The major was so shocked that in his
excitement he threw away n cigar hat
had been only half consumed. IL thing
he had not done I'm battle with the
guns roaring around him.
Just what the man Of war said to the
young man Of peace need not he re-
corded here. The gist Of 1t was that
his daughter was still child. young
Hurlburt was only kid" and that
he should put his foot down against
any nonsense. Yes. sir. 1t must be
stopped. Yes. sir. he would tell his
daughter so. Yes. sir. and-and-and
so forth And the young man took his
departure Il human wreck, and Miss
Nellie. who. Of course. had heard all
from an open window. sought out her
good aunt and buried her face in the
lap of that individual and moaned out:
"Oh. Aunt Mary. shall die--I know
| shall die. Father won't let Will and
me get married.
Aunt Mary was not matchmaker.
but she had rather favored the young
man. She gave what comfort and SYM
pathy she could. and after seeing the
weeping child" tucked into bed she
sought the father in an attempt to
soften his heart.
The major was wanting some one to
talk to just then, and she got all that
was coming to her. She had been re-
miss. she had been careless. she had
neglected her duties as chaperon, she
had almost brought a calamity upon
the house Of Graham. With her eyes
wide open she had allowed mere
infant-yes. ma'am. an infant-to fall
in love and engage herself in marriage
to--to-well, to young man.
In vain Aunt Mary tried to exculpate
herself. No one had ever talked back
to Major Graham, U. S. A, and got
the best of it. and she failed. He
could utter twenty words to her five,
and the odds were too great, even for
q womans tongue. She retired from
the contest to say to the fearful maiden
in waiting:
IF your father doesn't get over this
and talk sense I'll-Ill"-
You'll do something, Aunty"
81 don't know what I'll do, but you
walt Here you are. nineteen years
old, and he's talking as If you were
not out of bibs and high chairs"
There was hope that II Aunt Mary
went around with serious look Oh
her face and had little to say and that
II the daughter went about with tears
in her eyes and heaved heartbreaking
sighs at intervals the major might
come down Off his high horse, but
after three days Of it he seemed more
determined than ever. Finally. at the
end of week. the sister said:
George. if that girl elopes to get
married you will have only yourself
to blame"
so children have taken to eloping.
eh." he replied in cutting tones.
That night there was Il meeting OF
conspirators In Miss Nellie's room.
There were only two cOnspirators. but
they were enough. The major was
asleep aud dreaming Of battle as they
planned There were no more tears.
no more sighs. Next morning little
note was sent to young Hurlburt.
That night he disappeared off the face
Of the earth.
That night also good Aunt Mary
was engaged for two hours carrying
bundles and other things up into the
attic, and when morning dawned again
another sudden shock was ready for
Major George Graham. retired. He
was eating his breakfast when his sis,
ter entered the dining room to an.
bounce that Nellie's bed had not been
occupied during the night. The ex'
,lamatiOn made by the major when q
,ull,t killed his horse was repeated
u this occasion. and minute later
~ was upstairs.
II predicted it, observed the sister
as she followed at his heels.
Look for a note" he replied.
~ have looked. The poor child left
none. She felt herself driven from
home by a cruel father, and how could
she write"
Young Hurlburt had just become the
Junior member Of law firm In the
town. Major Graham walked into the
Office aud demanded Information Of his
whereabouts. He was told that the
young man had gone camping. BE
went to the depot; he went to the po'
lice; he telegraphed here and there
Then he went home to wait for news
aud to say grimly to his sister that
while lie would do everything possi'
BILE to bring his Infant" back, he
would never. never forgive her. She
had dishonored the name and must
take the consequences.
The day passed and no news. II
was the same with another day. The
major was sorry that he had bluffed
as he had. The sister took care to
keep telling him what cruel father
he was and how much Nellie must
have suffered before taking the steI
she had. aud by evening Of the second
Jay the old war hero was calling him
| self names.