The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-11-14

Cajoling myself into this belief.
I hesitated no longer. My mind once
made up. I was seized with a fever to
write such as l had not known since
the first days Of my career in Journal
ism.
Taking out my writing pad and
throwing myself across the Ted. |
wrote with an enthusiasm | had sci.
dom experienced. If one has not felt
this feverish desire to write he or she
cannot appreciate the feelings which
prompted me to hold up every detail
as | saw 1t and to lend 1t color where
color might be lacking. Loving Miss
Ellen with a passion that absorbed me
then. | described her as a holy priest
might paint the Madonna whom he
worshiped and with the accuracy
with which the artist might put upon
the canvas the features Of his wife and
children.
My blood ran more rapidly through
my veins as | sketched Miss Ellen In
bold relief and rs faithfully described
her honest father and manly brother
The names and the locality were con
cealed. but not more effectually h II
the artist might hide the name OF the
mother model who sat for the Ma
donna. One who had known the art
ist and his model would see In the
wrap OF the Madonna a shawl the wife
had worn for a score OF years In the
humble neighborhoOd and In the In
FAINT Christ the idealiZed features or
the models child When describing
Miss Ellen and her family l felt In
spired and uplifted and left nothing
out which | thought would enhance the
letter as a picture. When | had finished
1t | read It over carefully. altering not
a line, even adding here and there a
sentence which would lend one more
bit of color to the whole.
With this letter | sent a note to the
editor telling him that | would re
main In the vicinity OF Oglethorpe an
other fortnight unless he wrote me
to the contrary. | said there was
much more material about O%glethorpe
which I thought could be used to ad-
vantage. So highly did ! thin OF
what l had written that | felt reason
ably certain be would make no objec'
tons to my plans. and In another two
weeks I hoped to have secured Miss
Ellen's consent to become my wife.
She seemed to know by intuition
what was in my heart and what | had
q mind to do, for she avoided being
alone with me, and whenever we
would walk after that she would ask
Bud to 20 with us. There was a gen
tie dignity about her during these last
few days which kept me at a distance.
and IL l paid her a compliment she
VIC show annoyance. and when our
conversation would become personal
In It's nature she would remember
that she had left something unattend-
ed to or would find some excus to
leave me with a half finished sentence
or my lips.
I SCOT saw too plainly that she did
not want me to speak to her of love.
though she could not prevent my tell
ing her Of It with my eyes and by the
silent way I would watch her when
she would work. Squire Hawkins
came again one evening. but she did
not walk with him, and once wheD
Bud got up to leave | saw her lay her
hand ever so gently on his sleeve.
which was sufficient to have kept him
In his seat all night long had she wish
ed 1t.
One morning she received a letter ut
the breakfast table, and after opening
1t and glancing at the signature she
slipped 1t in her belt. and when break
fast was over she went quietly out OF
the room, and | did not see her again
that day. For several days, in fact,
she avoided me altogether. and ! be-
came wretched In the thought that |
had beer mistaken after all; that she
cared nothing more for me than she
did for any n else. even Squire Haw-
kins.
In fact, | was not so very sure abou
the squire. | heard that he was the
richest planter In the county and had
the proud distinction OF owning the
only plantation which was not encum-
bered with a mortgage. He vas an
old friend Of the family. and Bud liked
him. and Miss Ellen herself did not
seem to have anything against him. |
might be a panper for all she knew.
and so | told myself. but on thinking
1t over In my o ut night | became
convinced that Miss Ellen would never
marry save where she loved. and that
she did not love the squire l could
have sworn.
ITO be continued