Bisbee daily review., 1912-06-28
MAJOR AND M MAID
By Martha McCulIoch- Williams


 saying plain maids are barred from romances.. but subtle setting forth of the mystic fact that. somehow. sometime. every maid has her hour or minute of charm
 With Elise the hour was always. She Jay down delightful and rose up enchanting. What chance. then. had the Major?-the Major who born sus- eeptible had improved the talent by lssiduous cultiratfon2
 He had made love in five languages. h pretty well every corner of the globe. His title was real enough-he had held. once upon time, a ooul- mission in a state troop that was full of patronage for any sort of mere res ulsrs. Rich. a bachelor. more than fsir looking. and fastidious. yet ardent. 1t was marvel that he had come to forty-five with no more than an occa- sional singed wing.
 Elise, at something more than sweet and twenty, had begun to weary Of mere men. Those of her own age seemed to her Immature. She wished in her idle moments-they were, very very few-that princes and potentates ranged America in disguise, the same as they did in wonder-romances. Pres idents could not do such things-hard- ly even governors or judges. Each and several they were too well known besides they sareiy came to hear the liberal education of matrimony. She was beginning to suffer from the passion for distinction" which some body says is the strongest of human impulses. Therefore the. Major ap- pealed to her enormously
 They met at Glenly. Nora Page, hostess there, had yewed for two years they were meant one for ats other. She was by way Of seeing her prophecy come true. when Fate gave 8 twist to things. The mildest. most ridiculous twist-but, after all. there are no trifes either in life or love.
 Notwithstanding, Joe Bsssett was a human, commonplace friend to Nora's brother and, like him, a law yer struggling to get a foothold, who
  teenth hour, when three more eli gible fellows had been held from com ing The house party had begun mid week, the extra men coming down for Sunday. Thus the major and Elsie had had three days wherein to ap- praise each other, and find the re- suit satisfactory. His mind had been made up, indeed, as early as Friday luncheon that here was the predes- tined Mrs. Archibald Wayne. Elise had not been quite so precipitate. yet there was more than leaning in her consciousness toward the major.
 Then came Joe Bassett, and after him a heavenly Sunday. It was too fine altogether to be wasted motor ing-besides, Elise was tired of whir- ring past fields knee deep in lush June grasses. past roadsides starred with sweetbrier, snuff the earth-fra- grance. idle deiiciously in shade or sunlight, solely according to her own vagrsnt fancy. Therefore. she let the cars go oil without her, setting forth herself a little after with only the major and the Fratton girl for com pany. The Fratton girl presupposed her fance, Ben Martin-but Elise knew we'll that an engaged couple though quite sufficient for propriety were practically the same as nobody.
 She strolled lightly forward, laugh ing and chatting, conscious that the Major trembled if she did but look at him, conscious also that the other pair was well out of earshot. in fact hardly in sight. She was at her best, a creature of whim, of charm untold The Major wanted to kneel, and lay himself and his fortune at her feet. Seasoned though he was. he was much In love-so much that hs was awkwardIy self conscious. To speak plainly, he was suffering the bangs he sli"~',' r'2'flc t7~p undergone in his salioa yOa.E ia-e other youth ful sils they sit Ill upon maturity. Therefore, he had been calmly, au- daciously masterful with women. Elise dsunted him-worse than an army with banners.
 He had been fearless or all save one thing-namely. cattle. But be had forgotten bis fear-ss be had forgotten all else upon this smiling Sunday save the fact that he was walking with the girl he loved When the way ran presently across a stile into a stretch of grassland. he re- toiced-the stile gave him excuse to take Elise half in his arms. As be set her upon her little feet. he breathed hard-snd murmured hoarse- ly:
 "You-you-must know what you've done to me-vhat you meani Tell me-havs I-any-any chance?"
 Elise answered only with a dainty half smile, and darted scross .he turf toward a clump of magnificent beeches. Widespread bougbs dropped about them-thus she did not see that the shade tent had an occupant. two occupants indeed. albeit one vas too high for instant vision. being perched upoa a big bough that gave secure feat. Ire. other stood upon four tocss. tessingta beaafiful zangry head
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