The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-02-23
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
ELINORs AFTERNOON OrF.

Ry Cecily Allen.
IL was the proud boast OF Mr. and
ArR James Regain that their flower
root In that plebeian vehicle, a trolley
foot in that piebeian vehicle, trolley
car.
To be sure, there had been a time
when James Regan would have wei
coined the chance to drive one OF the
good, old-fashioned street cars, but
those days belonged to the dark ages
of Regan family history, along with
the momentous Sunday when that
same fiower-like daughter had been
christened plain Mary Ellen.
Today, thanks TO a pocket of gold in
the Sierras, and a few lucky specula-
tons made possible by those same gilt
tertng pockets, the fair Elinor had at
her disposal a variety of private We
htcles, from a tiny electric runabout
TO % horsepower touring car; from
smart trap or their Long Island es-
tate, to a correctly equipped victoria
for her daily drive in Central Park.
The men who were glad to ride be-
hind 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
newly rich. they were not of them. r,.
strain of royal blood had surely
uttered 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
Bast, ElinOr had been surrounded by
irreproachable governesses, ,compan-
ions and chaperons. Her comings
and this something was vaguely repre-
by chauffeur or footman or groom.
And there had been times when,
watching other girls fit fearlessly and
unattended from ferry to trolley car.
she had felt an odd twinge of envy.
Something of life she had missed.
and this something was vaguely repre-
sented 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
Reginald Schuyler.
1t meant something. of course, to
marry into one OF the old knicker-
booker families. Schuyler always let
her realize thi sfact. He allowed his
blue blood, which showed little enough
~ RoAAAO AaSC duu hGtp-IlNRNU
eyes, TO do his wooing.
The other mamie was like them
selves, new as TO wealth, fresh and
vigorous in every vein-he might have
been so different il given half a
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 Elinor
Regan's eyes fairly danced when she
stepped from the door Of the ferry
house and reviewed the long line of
public vehicles. Belden. the punctil-
lious. was nowhere in sight.
Elinor's companion, Miss Greenleaf.
was young but keenly alive to her
duties and very anxious to retain her
pleasant and lucrative position.
Something must have happened. I
am sure I worded the telegram very
carefully. Shall l call a hanson or an
electric cabT'
"Oh. no. we can reach home by
trolley while they are sending down
the car for u.s."