Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-08-24


Hope had longed for them to be
friends again, how strongly she had
advised their making up their foolish
quarrel.
You are both young and high
tempered" she had pleaded again
and again, but there'll come a time
when you'll be old and remorseful I'M
less you make up now. Why, you are
made for each other, Elsie. You'll
never be happy with anyone else, nor
VIII David. He's a splendid young
fellow. Don't know? Wasn't I with
his mother the night he was born
and haven't l watched him grow up
from baby to man? And haven't l
watched you grow up, too? And l
love you both. I've tried to have you
care for each other because l felt
that was as it should be. And now
you've let tat little trollop of a
Doris Kennedy come between you!
On, knew what folks say about me
that l am a meddling old match
maker"
"Peacemaker, Aunt Hope" Elsie
LEU iiu6uGu
Well, then, peacemaker, | hope l
am. Blessed-you know what the
Bible says. But l amt sure of that
unless you'll let me make peace be-
tween you and David"
Some day." Elsie had half prom
ised. That was a year ago. Then
they had met at Aunt Hopes funeral
and had not spoken Afterward Da-
vld had gone back to the city to his
work and Elsie had gone to hers in
the little country town. rs far as
she knew now, her romance was end
ed. There was no Aunt Hope to adj
wise and gently smooth away the diff
nculty. But. oh, the sweetness and
the bitterness OF it fingered with her
like mingled myrrh and money. She
had loved David-she loved him still
and must go on loving him as long
as she lived. But she had the Ben
nett temper. He had it, too, for back
somewhere. couple of generations
ago, certain marriage had made
them kin. She would not give up.
Neither would he. And it was all be-
cause she had not liked his city cous-
In, Doris Kennedy, and he had Per
haps down in her heart Elsie had
been bit Jealous of the blonde
young woman who looked as if she
had been run in an exceeding slender
mold and had never so much as bent
her back since-an effect obtained, it
was said, by means of an exacting
dressmaker. Elsie was far too nat
ural to admire Doris immobility,
loads of false hair and layers of pink
and white powder. And she had told
David so in none too pleasant way
But her heart is all right" he had
argued stoutly. Doris is a good girl.
The trouble is, you are envious of
| her, that's ALL
'Envious!" cried Elsie, scarlet with
| rage. So the quarrel had begun And
it had ended in David going his way
and Elsie hers.
AS she sat there now in the empty
room Elsie owned to herself sadly
that she had been unreasonable
After all, Boris was David's own cous-
in and older than he. There had been
no reason in the world for her being
| jealous-as she had been; yes, she
had to admit that now
''If only l had listened to Aunt
Hope. If only l had let her make
| peace as she wished"
A crash at the back of the house
startled her. A window had fallen!
She sprang to her feet. Steps were
coming toward her through the house
heavy steps-a mans. Now they
were in the kitchen-now the dining
room. She plunged toward the door
that opened into the little front entry,
1t was locked. She tugged at it fran
| tically. Heaven! To be shut in this
house with a tramp. Still tugging,
with futile desperation, at the un-
yielding door she looked back over
her shoulder just as the invader ap.
peared in the parlor door-a tall
young fellow in respectable ulster
who looked almost as white and
shaken as she knew she was.
ELSIE" he exclaimed. Great
Scott"
David" she gasped. And half fell
against the supporting door. They
stared at each other, the color slowly
coming back to their faces.
Did you get in at the. pantry win
dow, too?" Elsie asked, when she
could.
He nodded
81 remembered that Aunt Hope was
always going to have it fixed and
never did What are you doing here,
Elsie?" He came close to her.
What are you?"
Il came because l had to. 1 felt
as If l was being called"
I David. That's just the way
felt"
Their eyes sought each others,
awestruck, wondering. Then their
hands met.
Forgive me, Elsie. l was wrong
he faltered.
Forgive me, David, was wrong.