Mexico Missouri message., 1912-08-15
WHY CONNIE STONE
CHANGED HER MIND
Chance Remarks Heard in a
Bride Path Unite Two
Loving Hearts.
BY cLARissA MAcKIE.


eral miles before it took a sudden, un-
expected turn and wandered on
through the deep woods to the river
and the bridge.
Connie Stone rode dreamily along
the bride path, her brown eyes fixed
on the green perspective ahead. From
the highway came the sound of swift
ly flying moter cars and the rumble Of
carriage wheels TO the accompaniment
of horses hoofs.
ut would be lovely If 1t were not
for the noises from the road" sighed
Connie at last. She flicked Brown
Ben lightly SO that they would reach
the turn in the path and ride toward
the river.
"Ah, / wish something might hap
pen-something perfectly lovely!" she
sighed again. my life is so cut ana
dried-plenty of money and even my
future husband selected for me! II
Uncle Remus had only spared me that.
The very fact that am bound to mar
ry Phil Barring has prejudlced me
against him. can't bear him wish
he would go away"
This unhappy victim of match-mak-
ing parents and a worldly old uncle
and guardian sulked openly as she
rode along, for now her grievance
against the world in general, and Phil
Barring in particular, quite overpow-
cred her delight in the fresh morning
air
A saddle girth had slipped and Con-
ME alighted and bent to tighten It.
AS she did so, standing there in the
green-brown woods only a stones
throw from the highway, she heard
motor car jar to sandstill close at
hand and two feminine voices engag-
ed in conversation.
- and we all think II was per-
fectly horrid of old Remus Barrie to
agree with the girls parents that
when Phil was twenty-five he should
marry the girl. No, I've never seen
her, but you may take It for granted
that she's a fright, Adele! If she
were not her parents wouldn't have
been to such pains to marry her off. "
And so Phil isn't quite happy over
it?" asked a lazily amused voice.
"Wretched! Why-you know, my
dear, It's no secret that he's breaking
his heart over little me-and there's
that fright Of an heiress standing like
mountainous wall OF money bags be
tween us. OF course. Phil couldn't
marry me without some of his faith
er's fortune-and there you are"
Poor Elizabeth" derided the voice
Of Adele. 'If you only knew Phil Bar
ing was free to marry. you wouldn't
care two pins for him!"
"Adele!"
"And so he has poured out his
troubles to your"
mo. He isn't that sort, and you
know 1t, Adele. Only he looks mis-
cradle, and l understand the reason
The motor suddenly started nois
lily and drew away from the spot
where Connie Stone stood, a Grim
soned, palpitating eavesdropper. Will
swift movement she pulled out 6
gold vanity case and scanned her ne
Election in the little mirror.
She saw a blushing face framed II
mist of Jet black hair, brown eye
with golden specks in them, a perfec
nose and mouth and a white chin will
deep dimple.
"If she calls me n fright, I wonde
what she looks like!" exclaimed tn
indignant Miss Stone, and she mount
ed Brown Ben and flashed down tn
bride path.
AS she rode along the leafstrew,
way she thought of her first meetin
with Phil Barring. He had returne
from a long residence abroad. and a
though he was a very grave, good
looking young man without much t
say for himself, Connie had mistake
his silence for awkwardness and sh
was angry with him from the begir
ming
When he did try to be agreeabl
and displayed some admiration fo
this cousin who was to be his brid,
Connie became contrary and errati
in her moods. Somehow she felt ths
his admiration was affected. He wa
trying to play his part.
And all the time he was in Low
with a horrid creature named Eliz
DcLH, VINO Snfl6keu WnPn Sn6 LAlkel
Connie could have spared herse
any qualms-he was not in love wit
her. He was miserable at the idea
this foreordained marriage. He We
unhappy.
j 81 hate him!" cried Connie as 81
few around the sharp bend away frol
the high road and into the stiffness
the thick woods.
Here the trees grew gnarled and u
j shapely, bending down from the hig
messy banks on both sides to for
: arches overhead. A scarlet tanag,
flashed across the road and made
spot Of gorgeous color against
brown tree trunk.
n A hermit thrush sang from son
b hidden covert and thrill OF uneart
ly happiness was in his tender notes
b Tears sprang to Comics eyes 4
d this love and happiness that wou
> not be hers.
d Il ought to have had a chance
Her mutinous voice broke sharply, +
ahead of her there came the thud