The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-02-09

CHANGE
By WlNlFRED c. TEALE

Ter Of fact sort of fellow engaged to
Lucy Tisdale. a very romantic young
lady Of eighteen. The only objection
Lucy had to her Tom was that there
didn't seem to be a spark Of romance
in him.
One day Lucy surprised Tom by tell
ting him that she believed her mother
was not intending to let her marry
him. Since he had always appeared
10 be a favorite with Mrs. Tisdale, he
could hardly believe this story and told
Lucy that she must be mistaken. Lucy
said she wasn't and that an elopement
was necessary. This didn't suit Tom.
he pointed out to her that without q
certainty as to her mothers opposition
they would be very silly to antagonize
her and make themselves absurd to all
their friends, whereupon Lucy said
that he must show some spirit in the
matter or resign her. Tom reluctantly
consented to an elopement.
They eloped In an auto, and Lucy
waited outside the parsonage while
Tom went inside to secure the services
Of a minister
Very important matters often hinge
on very little ones. The minister kept
Tom waiting while he shaved, but,
having cut his cheek, took time to
stanch the blood. This gave Lucy
time to consider, and the fact came to
her that she was making a fool Of
herself. Every moment she expected
the parsonage door to open and Tom
TO come out to take her in to the wed
ding. Yielding to an impulse, she start
cd the auto, gradually accelerating the
speed till she turned into the main road
leading homeward, when she put on all
the power. 1t was an ignoble flight, as
she well knew. but anything was bet
ter than either facing Tom or going
home married to confront a mother
who hadn't the slightest objection to
her being wed in an ordinary fashion.
When Tom came out and saw moth
ing Of Lucy he made inquiries as to
whether she had been kidnapped. and
when he learned that she had driven
away the true solution Of her action
occurred to him.
Now, Tom had been brought up with
q cousin with whom he had been used
to consulting whenever anything both.
cred him. Indeed. they had been so
prosaically intimate that he had never
thought Of marrying her. It so hap
pened that this cousin lived In the very
town he had come to for matrimonial
purposes. When Tom emerged from
the minister's house saying that he
would be back with the bride in a few
minutes and found himself deserted
he didn't like it at all. What distress
ed him most was that Lucy had proved
20 weak a character. His first i'm
pulse was to go and talk with his
cousin about 1t, and he did SO. When
he had told her how Lucy had left him
in the lurch be added:
I'm in very absurd position, Eu-
nice. with reference to the minister.
He's waiting for me to come with my
girl to be married. No doubt he's
thinking what he will buy for his fam
fly with the fee. dislike awfully to
90 back and tell him that the girl has
backed out"
Il don't see how you can help your
self"
There was pause during which
both were thinking Then Eunice
added. THAT is. If you're going to try
1t again with Lucy"
I'm not" said Tom decidedly, but
] don't see how that helps matters"
You might take another girl to the
minister. He won't know the differ
ence"
Tom stood looking into her eyes, a
new idea slowly working its way into
his brain. When she lowered them
the slow process ceased and the idea
went galloping onward. gaining
strength with every bound. What in
the world had he been doing in leav-
ing this girl. on whose judgment so
Tar back as he could remember he had
been accustomed to rely, to whom he
had gone for comfort or to be stimu-
lated or soothed. as the case required,
to fall in love with a girl who had not
only made fool Of herself. but Of him?
"Eunice." he said presently, with the
suspicion of tremor in his voice,
will you help me out Of this?"
"How?"
by going with me as that other
girl"
Better think it over. Tom. You
might regret it."
mo: pledge you my word won't.
On the contrary. see plainly what an
ass have made Of myself in leaving
you out of my calculations. Can you
forgive me?"
She looked up into his eyes and saw
that a great change had come over
him.
Come" he added; there will be an
advantage to me in completing the
wedding arrangements now and avoid
ing future discussion. ordinations and
such like"
ANY course is the right one if you
are sure"
"T'm sure. l only hope you are"
1--WE been sure for years."
There was but little time for the ten
dor scano that followed Eunice won't