The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-02-08

evsrvbo6y present she sank back fnss
/ her efair With feeling of disappcsnt,
/ nent
WHY. be isn't here she thought
= coufdpi even pretend he was that
/ silly young man that makes jokes:
| b iGss be and THE pale little girl
| eczema quite taken with each other.
Oh
Eliza Started Opposite her vas =
vacant clair. A serious looking. tall
! youns man. with keen gray eyes vas
just taking bis place there. and Mira
Benson Brown was saying:
oh. Miss Morgan, this Ia Mr.. WIZ
bur"
! How do you do Miss Morgan" said
the man. his face lighting with smile
Of friendiiness. Sorry I'm late. Mrs
/ Brown"
Eliza breathed more easily. and the
next day she mentioned "a very pleas
ant young man-about thirty-flve
should say-whose name Is Wubur,"
in her letter TO her aunt. and a few
days later she wrote 10 Molly Dobson
of walk In the park she had had with
. Mr. Wilbur. the incest man you ever
saw."
| The weeks passed quickly with
Eliza Each other she wrote home
contained some reference to Mr. VII
bur Once he had brought her
book-she had given him the money
/ for IL and had asked him TO get it,
but she did not mention these facts:
again he had brought flowers. and she
shuddered when she wrote this down.
for IT was true. There were brief
references to real conversations be-
tween the two, and long accounts OF
imaginary talks and excursions to-
gether. Finally. at the end of three
months. ELIAS friends in Dayville re-
| ceiVed word that she and Mr.. Wilbur
! were engaged.
| There are still three months to
break 1t in" thought Eliza
1t was three or four days after Eliza
| had announced her engagement. She
had come down stairs to look for let
tiers on the hall table, and sat in Mrs.
Browns dimly lighted parlor reading
them. There were half a dozen-all
letters of good wishes and congratu-
lations. II know you'll be happy; it's
lovely to be engaged" wrote Molly
Dobson. Eliza trembled guiltily as she
read them. She left her uncle's until
| last, but finally she tore it open.
"If you are sure he is the right man.
dear child am glad But don't make
mistake; you seem so far away from
everything and everyone that you are
used to and know. Don't do anything
you will regret later"
Eliza buried her head in one Of Mrs.
! Browns sofa cushions with sob
Don't do anything III regret" she
repeated. "Oh, how wicked. wicked
| I've been" Then, suddenly Eliza
realized that what she was crying for
was that she and Mr.. Wilbur were
really not engaged.
| Eliza heard a footstep by her side
Mr.. Wilbur.
why, you poor little girl he said
gently. kneeling down and putting his
arms about her
Don't cry Eliza pulling herself
free. "Oh, you mustn't" and she
rushed past him into the hall and up
to her room. Once there she locked
, the door and set to work to write a
confession.
81 must tell you" she wrote. al
though you will hate me when you
know can't explain why but L
wanted the folks at home to think
me engaged-to you. / never thought
It mattered until found that cared
and that you do, too. / don't ask
you to pardon me; and as shall new
er have to know how much you de-
spise me for 1t. I am going home to
tell them that my engagement is bro
ken"
The next day Eliza, pale and tired
arrived unexpectedly at the station at
Dayville.
Hello. Miss Morgan" said the sta
ton man, as he helped her with her
bags-he was baggage master. porter.
telegraph operator and ticket agent
all in one-'T certainly am glad to see
you. A queer message come over the
wire for you. Just going to send 1t
over TO your aunt"
Eliza toek the yellow telegram and
read: Don't tell anyone 1t is broken.
Am coming on the next train to help
you mend it.
Anything valuable that's broken?"
querried the man curiously.
Eliza flushed and smiled. TITS the
most valuable thing | ever had" she
said slowly But the cracks will new
er show after it's mended.''