The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-05-24

father that | was bound to write to
you and invite you 10 come out"
Il wondered how you found me so
readily" be commented, smiling.
ITS because I'm 50 lonesome" she
replied. I'VE don't make friends here
as we did I'm Tennessee, so L am
for ever and ever reading the hotel
arrivals, hoping that among the names
I'll End somebody we used 20 know"
She paused a moment and laughed at
herself "But / never found one un-
I'll now" she admitted. because they
don't publish the arrivals at the cheap
hotels. and we never knew anybody
who was likely % be able 20 stop at
the more expensive ones. That is how
I came TO be sure It was you"
Il don't see why" objected Phillip.
"When you knew me l was as poor as
a church mouse"
'I know, but that was fvo years ago,
and / felt sure that I'm five years you
ought to be stopping at the Esplanade
or you wouldn't be the Phillip knew"
"Thats a very pretty compliment,
Phillip" said Rensselaer,.
"This young lady couldn't say any
other sort Of thing about me II she is
like she used to be-" replied Phillip.
placing his hand affectionately upon
her shoulder. "She was one of my
stanchest adherents in those days, long
before she was a young lady. How
old were you when l left, Elsie"
Fifteen" she replied
give years ago" unused Phillip.
Snow you are twenty"
"And you're thirty-one," she re-
turned. "My. how old we're becom-
ing!"
She led them into the little parlor.
which opened directly from the stoOp.
In one corner was music rack filed
with music, ana though that corner
was filed with a big chair it seemed
conspicuously bare To Phillip, who
knew the Whites so well, that space
told its own story. The payments on
the installment plano had not been
kept up!
Elsie called back across the dining
room TO the kitchen:
'Mr Kelvin is here. mother"
A very much faded looking woman
of forty-two or forty-three came in,
drying the backs Of her hands with her
palms.
"Tm mighty glad to see you" she
said. shaking hands with him, and her
tired eyes grew a trlfe brighter. "My,
how solid looking you've grownl
Seems to me you look as If you was
hunting for somebody to contrary you.
You didn't use to look that way
when you boarded with us-did he,
Elsie?"
Kelvin turned TO Elsie. and in his
gaze Rensselaer, thought that he read
friendly admiration and nothing more.
His look had not that rapt eagerness
Of her gaze and never would have for
any woman, Rensselaer, found himself
deciding. He decided wrongly. Kel
vim had found himself strongly drawn
TO Elsie, but he sternly suppressed
that tendency as quickly as he recog-
nized'it in himself.
81 don't know" replied Elsie TO her
mothers question. There seems to be
some slight change. but TO me he is
just the same old Phillip. whom I'm
glad 10 see again and hope to see
often"
81 suppose you're married by this
time" suggested Mrs. White.
Il have never stayed I'm one place
long enough TO get married, except in
Tennessee, and there l was too busy"
laughed Phillip.
elsie has never forgot YOU" Mrs.
White next observed. "She thinks
about you all the time, and she's been
talking about you ever since we moved
away"
The connection Of Mrs. Whites re-
marks was so absurdly palpable that
Rensselaer, could not help letting his
eyes twinkle, and Elsie, catching his
glance Of amusement, laughed out
right. whereupon the two callers join
ed her, very much to Mrs. Whites
surprise.
you was a mighty busy young man
even in that six months before we
moved away" ratified on Mrs. White.
1--WE was all sorry we had TO go and
leave you behind. and 1t nigh broke
Elsie's heart. But she's KEEP track of
you all right She made us take
paper from back .home on purpose.
First we saw that you struck oil on
that cheap little two acres Of ground
you scraped together and bought. then
you bought some coal land and built
foundry ard a railroad or what not
don't know what all you done. but
Elsie can tell you every bit of it, from
A to lizard She's
"Mother, did you call fatherT in
terrupted Elsie demurely.
Eyes, he'll be right in. He's out in
the garden pottering around. You
know he always was crazy about gar
dening, and he amt working now"
"How are the rest of the family"
Kelvin asked.
Both Elsie and her mother looked
concerned.
"Grace is married." said Mrs. White.
ed got his spine hurt in a football
game, and he's upstairs now. You
must see him before you go. He al
ways liked you so well All three of
the children did. for that matter. al
though none of them put a crown and