The Falls City tribune., 1911-05-19
Elizabeth
Warming


of the trees and sent flying the few
withered leaves that still chung to the
branches.
1t seemed to Elizabeth, sitting at
the window, that the day was typical
of her W life, for the rain of dis
content beat in upon her soul and the
gusty winds of adversely shook her
faith In mankind and sent scurrying
through the void the dead leaves of
her withered ideals.
Tomorrow she would go back home
home to the dingy little farmhouse
where she had toiled and shaved
through all her young life. back to
the drudgery of baking, sewing, and
the thousand and one tasks of domes-
tic life, yet in her hand she held a
letter which offered her an venue of
escape and assured her a cessation of
the drudgery that had borne in upon
her soul even since she could remem
Der.
Until recently she had been content,
for she knew no other lot. Then had
come an invitation from her sister to
NlolJ at lI9 ldlICl , nOuiO lhlOu6A ihO
summer. Margaret, her elder sister,
had married for money through the
kindly Offices of a summer boarder
who had taken an interest In the
clever girl. Her husband, Mr.. Tobin,
was compelled to remain In town this
summer that he might be under the
care of a famous specialist and, de-
.-1-oI - - ~ W4IsA hall
home." Margaret had asked that
Elizabeth might come to her.
For four months Elizabeth had
moved through a dream life in the
Observation-Disclosures home of the To-
bins.
There were always guests in the
evening, for Richard Tobin enter
tanned lavishly, though he was for
hidden the rich foods that he loved
to set before those who enjoyed his
hospitality. Dicky Bedding had called
it eating Tobin's dinner for him."
And now she was to leave 1t all, to
go back to the dull routine Of the farm
until, In the spring, Guy Rawlings
should claim her as his wife. Mar
riage to Guy would mean only work In
a new home; perhaps ever more work,
for his farm was small and a heavy
mortgage had been left upon 1t by his
father.
Cyrus Hartzell, too, had written her
an offer of marriage, and the letter
lay in her lap as she looked out of the
window across the park. Hartzell was
an. intimate friend of Tobin's; a dry,
withered, money-making machine,
whose first wife had died-so 1t was
said-because of the privations she
had endured in Hartzell's early days
of money-making, when every penny
was put back into the business to be
turned over and over again, multiply
ing itself until at last Hartzell was
at once a widower and a millionaire.
And now he honored Elizabeth by
offering her his hand and fortune. He
wanted someone to preside over his
home as gracefully as Margaret played
the hostess for his friend. 1t was a
business communication rather than
a love letter, but Elizabeth preferred
it so. She could not have endured
1t had he spoken of love. AS it was,
she rose, at length, and crossed the
room to the tiny writing desk. There
was no real engagement with Guy,
and In a few short words she eX
pressed her appreciation of the honor
Hartzell had done her and accepted
his offer.
She still sat at her desk, the letter,
sealed and stamped, lying before her
when Margaret entered. Something in
the %tenseness of her attitude alarmed
the younger girl and she sprang to
her sisters side.
what is 1t, Meg?" she cried, as
she threw her arms about her. What
has happened?'
Margaret zen and kissed the girls
white lips. Richard is dead, thank
God" she said simply. HE was seized
with an attack and died before we
could get the doctor"
Elizabeth recoiled at the harshness
of the tones and softly murmured
Thank God?" Margaret turned to her
p~assionately.
Eyes, thank God" she cried. "Bess,
you don't know what l have gone
through with. No one will eve know
| what | have suffered unless they, too,
| have sold their lives for comfort and
wealth. For six years I have beer tied
to a mar ! did not love, VINO did not.
love me, denied ever one word of
love. Now | have my reward. | am
| rich and a widow, but-God help me-
I no longer have a heart. 1t is dead
within me, killed by my loveless life"
Gently Elizabeth led the hysterical
woman to a sofa and while the house.
hold, upset by the occurrence, hurried
about to see that needful things were
| done, Elizabeth sat with her sister,
vainly trying to comfort the stunned
woman.
At last with an effort Margaret
reused herself. 81 must go and see
that lowers are ordered. | must keep