The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1912-06-19
T. liz as
Engagement
BY John Osborne Field
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Literary
Press.)

Literary
Press.)
Well. goodbye. Eliza, hope you'll
have good time," said pert little
Molly Dobson. Haunting her recently
acquired diamond solitaire ring in the
sunshine. And l hope" she teased.
that youll come home engaged. too.
to some nice city man. Write and tell
us all about It,"
Molly laughed, as IL the idea of
iiiizS's becoming engaged were . hinge
joke. Eliza's uncle, John Robinson,
patted her shoulder with embarrass.
ment and her Aunt Emma Robinson
tried to smile naturally. The station
master whistled with forced cheerful
ness.
That Molly Dobson's an awful
mean GIRL" he said to himself
A moment later Eliza jumped
aboard the train that was to take her
to tho city. and before long the little
group or friends on the station was
just blur in the distance.
Eliza was twenty eight and she had
determined to go to the city for few
months OF excitement. The comfort
where she had lived with her aunt
and uncle from babyhood, had begun
TO pail Her days were never empty.
There were active hours spent out of
doors planting and pruning flowers
and vegetables and tending her chick
ems and ducks; and other active hours
spent In the pleasant, sunny kitchen
over savory preserve kettles or the
weeks fragrant baking. There were
long placid evenings on the vine.cov-
cred piazza under the stars or be-
side the glowing sitting-room stove.
with the doing Uncle John and chat
tering Aunt Emma and purring Tabby
for companions. There were occa-
sional excursions-picnics and carry
all drives and once in while jaunt
with one Of the young men OF the vii
lage But Eliza knew that the years
to come would be identical with the
years that had passed. and she grew
disconnected
1t was this perfectly comfortable
state Of affairs but wholly uncomfort-
able state Of mind that had induced
Eliza to set forth on the first real ad-
venture of her life. She made her
voice an excuse: it was sweet. light
roice that led all the others in the
village choir, and although Eliza knew
that 1t was not worth cultivation, it
served as an excuse. She wrote for
circulars from singing masters, en-
gagged a room in an inexpensive but
comfortable boarding house in the
city and with her savings in her pock.
OF rfo o,,tn 10
But until Molly Dobson's taunting
words were spoken Eliza had not real
Iy considered matrimony as possible
elimination Of her city visit Molly's
words, however, put an idea into her
head. Why not pretend, after few
weeks away from home that she was
engaged? 1t would be fun to write
The letters describing the lucky man.
the things they did together and their
plans for the future. Then, later.
Eliza thought. she could write to say
that the engagement was broken, and
could return home heart-free.
And II she thought | really had
been engaged" thought Eliza. 81
shouldn't care how much that silly
little Molly did tease me. And 1t
some nice man at the boarding house.
and pretend he's the one"
With this Justification for her pro-
posed action, and with the excitement
OF her Blan flushing her tanned cheeks
and Frightening her soft brown eyes.
Eliza walked into Mrs. Benson
Browns rather shabby boarding house
that same evening for dinner.
She looked furtively from one end of
the lone crowded table to the other to
find the chosen man. Three or four
middle aged women who looked as II
they had spent most OF their time Cos.
siping over fancywork. their equally
monotonous-looklng husbands. the
timid pale young daughter Of one of
the women. who gggled and blushed
whenever anyone spoke to her.
dapper young man who cracked jokes
for the benefit of the whole table.
lame Old man, near sighted old LADY
that reminded Eliza OF Mrs SaunGc
and buxom Mrs Benaon Brown Ties
filed the table.
After eliza had beem INT, .Gu,ed TO-