The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-08-31
Fate Of EHrida

Elfrida Mooner had been well
brought up. Her mother had seen
to that with the painstaking care of
one who herself has learned through
experience.
Elfrida knew at once when con-
fronted by bouillon spoon that It
was not cream scoop and she had
a great scorn for a young man who
walked on the wrong side of one
upon the street. She always signed
her formal letters Most cordially
yours" and spoke of her mother as
''m'-mah,' and with the accent care
fully placed on the last syllable.
So it is easily realized that ire
mendous self-control was required on
Elfrida's part to endure the young
man who sat next to her at the dance
given by the Royal Order of Brothers
of Something-or-Other in Elton Cor
ners, where she was visiting some
hitherto unknown cousins.
When the young man at the dance
had broken the ice by saying that
1t was pretty party Elfrida had re-
coiled. He had not been introduced!
Everybody seemed to know everybody
else In this town and she could not
get used to such a situation.
There was something familiar
about the young mans face as FL
| frida stared at him, but when the
| full sweep of recollection rolled across
her and she recalled wildly that she
had seen him in Reston's butcher
shop Elfrida almost choked He was
nice looking young man. Dimly
she recalled that his father was Res
ton, who owned the shop. Perhaps
this young man cut of steaks and
sliced bacon!
Il think not" Elfrida said family
when young Reston asked If she would
dance that waltz.
"All right; the next one. them" he
said as matter of course. Then
he went to hunt for another partner.
| Elfrida's cousins listened wonder
ingly a moment later to her fire of
questions and her tale of woe.
why on earth shouldn't Ned Res
ton ask you to dancer" they inquired.
HE goes with every one, and we've
grown up with him! He went to the
college across the river and is good
looking! Why shouldn't he go to the
same parties as we?'
Her sense of being wronged was
hard to maintain. because young Res
ton had proved himself good dancer
when he had come back and taken his
waltz. Elfrida had touched his arm
with the tips of her fingers and had
tried not to breathe as she went
through the ordeal
The next night Ned Reston called
and her cousins seemed to assume
that the call was meant for their
guest. for they gradually disappeared
and left her the burden of entertain
ing him. Only strict sense Of duty
to guest under ones roof prevented
her from rising and bidding him good
| night. She resolved in a kind of
cold fury to have it out with her
cousins after he left, and it was when
she was taking out her hairpins later
that she realized with start that
she had forgotten to do So She had
been thinking about a western story
that Reston had told her. In angry
disgust she admitted that he could
talk well. Still, the faint OF the
bucher shop hung over 1t ALL
Elfrida writhed the next day when
her cousins frankly joked her about
her catch" She felt disgraced
When there were picnics and other
festivities to which every one went
in crowds Ned Reston singled out Ell
frida as matter of course and no
body acted as though it was in the
least extraordinary. Nobody tried to
help her evade him. 1t was impos-
sible to make her cousins realize the
fine line of distinction which made
| 1t right for her to eyade him.
| Elfrida felt her brain tottering, espe-
cially as it grew harder and harder
for her to realize in Ned Reston's
company that the situation was inn
possible for well brought up young
girl. Finally the young part van
| pushed the well brought up section
of Elfrida's nature and with a little
thrill of exquisite horror she realized
that Ned Reston was making love to
her and that she liked it.
1t was some time after Elfrida's
mother was told that her daughter
was going to marry Ned, whose father
was buying him a half interest In
the leading hardware store in Elton
Corners, that she discovered the dark
fact that this anluant parent owned
the village meat market.
We'll never, never speak of IT,"
she gasped to Elfrida in anguished
dismay. The trousseau was nearly
finished and she really couldn't break
on the match. my poor child! How
could you. how could you,"