The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-08-22
ate of Elfnda

Elfrida Mooner had been well
7 brought up. Her mother had seen
to that with the painstaking care OF
3 one who herself has learned through
/ experience.
Elirida knew at once when con.
fronted by a bouillon spoon that IT
was not cream scoop and she had
great seorn for 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
Elfridas 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
it 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 war
nice looking young man Dimly
she recalled that his father was Res
ton, who owned the shop Perhaps
this young man cut off steaks anC
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 a matter of course. Their
he Went to hunt for another partner
Elfrldas cousins listened wonder
ingly moment later to her fire OF
questions and her tale of woe
why on earth shouldn't Ned Res
ton AK 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 WEI"
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 theil
guest. for they gradually disappeared
and left her the burden of entertain
ing him. Only a strict sense of duty
TO Il guest under ones roof prevented
her from rising and bidding him good
night She resolved In a kind o.
cold fury to have it out with haI
cousins after he left, and 1t was wher
she was taking out her hairpins latel
that she realized with a start tina
she had forgotten to do SO. She haC
been thinking about n western story
that Reston had told her. In angry
disgust she admitted that he coulo
talk well. Still, tho faint of the
bucher shop hung over 1t all
Elfrida writhed the next day wher
her cousins frankly ioked her abom
her catch" She felt disgraced.
When there We're picnics and othel
festivities to which every one wen
In crowds Ned Reston singled out Ell
frida as matter OF course and no
body acted as though 1t was In tht
least extraordinary. Nobody tried t
help her evade him. 1t was impos
sible to make her cousins realize the
fine line of distinction which made
it right for her to eyade him
Elfrida felt her brain lettering, espe
eially as 1t grew harder and harder
for her to realize in Ned Reston's
company that the situation was i'm
possible for we'll brought up young
girl Finally the young part van
pushed the well brought up section
VI IN iluh . lldlhib anu Will u nun
thrill of exquisite horror she realized
that Ned Reston was making love t.
her and that she liked it.
1t was some time after Elfrida't
mother was told that her daughter
was going to marry Ned, whose father
was buying him a half interest ii
the leading hardware store in Ettor
Corners, that she discovered the darl
fact that this affluant parent owned
the village meat market.
We'll never, never speak of it,
she gasped to Elfrida in anguisheo
dismay. The trousseau was nearly
finished and she really couldn't breah
off the match. MY poor chtld! How
could you. how could you"
Elfrida regarded her mother in med
itative curiosity as though recalling
the time when she. too, had felt that
way Then she laughed-not a wei
brought up laugh. but an amused
chuckln
ny goodness" she said recklessly
Things lbe that don't seem to make
n bit of dii erence to me now!"-
Chicago Daily News.
Chi-I Id OF Travel.
owe must 60 to Stratford