The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-06-25
Major Graham
and Others
A Conspiracy That Resulted
In Success.
D. CLAY ARMSTRONG.

AAOJO4 ASOAAAVu OAA0U AV wac
growing old, but when it came to
the daughter he continued to regard
her as a child. Even when she got
'Ipto long dresses he would not have
: ~hen a bit surprised to find her
walking the fence with a balancing
| pole or seated on the limb of a
cherry tree. She had been away at
-,hool; she had returned; he knew
that she went to parties, and he saw
young men about the house, but he
seemed to be in a dream about her
age. In his thoughts she had not
passed the rag doll stage yet.
Major Graham was enjoying his
cigar on the veranda one evening
and listening to Nellie's chatter in
an distracted way when that young
woman made a sudden dive into the
house and a young man came up the
path and took the vacated chair.
The major squinted at him and
thought he recognized him as young
Hurlburt.
A young mans name may be
much or little to the father of the
girl he is in love with. In this case
it meant little until an explanation
had been entered into. Then it
meant a whole lot. Young MI. Hurl-
burt loved Miss Nellie; Miss Nellie
loved him. He was of good family
and had some prospects. He knew
she was an only child and realized
how hard it would be for her father
to give her up, but he would love,
protect and cherish her always. The
major was so shocked that in his ex-
element he threw away a cigar
that had been only. half consumed,
a thing he had not done in battle
with the guns roaring around him.
Just what the man of war said to
the young man Of peace need not be
recorded here. The gist Of it was
that his daughter was still a child,
young Hurlburt was only a "kid"
and that ne should put his foot
down against any nonsense. Yes,
sir, it must be stopped. Yes, sir, he
would tell his daughter so. Yes.
sir, and-and-and so forth. And
the young man took his departure a
human wreck, and Miss Nellie, who,
Of course, had heard all from an
open window, sought out her good
aunt and buried her face in the lap
of that individual and moaned out:
"Oh, Aunt Mary, 1 shall die-1
know l shall die! Father won't let
Will and me get married!"
Aunt Mary was not a matchmak-
er, but she had rather favored the
young man. She gave what COM
fort and sympathy she could, and
after seeing the weeping "child"
tucked into bed she sought the IA
ther in an attempt to soften his
heart.
The major was wanting some one
to talk to just then, and she got all
tina: was coming to her. She. had
been remiss, she had been careless,
she had neglected her duties as a
chaperon, she had almost brought a
calamity upon the house of Ora
ham. With her eyes wide open she
had allowed a mere infant-yes,
ma'am. an infant-to fall in love
and engage herself in marriage to
to-well, to a young man.
In vain Aunt Mary tried to ex-
culpate herself. No one had yer
talked back to Major Graham, U.
s. A., and got the best Of it, and
she failed. He could utter twenty
words to her five, and the odds were
too great, even for a woman's
tongue. She retired from the con-
test to say to the fearful maiden in
waiting:
eff your father doesn't get over
this and talk sense I'll-Ill"-
you'll do something, Aunty?"
81 don't know what I'll do, but
you wait. Here you are, nineteen
years old, and he's talking as if
you were not out of bibs and high
chairs"
There was hope that if Aunt
Mary went around with a serious
look on her face and had little to
tay and that if the daughter went
with tears in her eyes and
/ heaved. heartbreaking signs at in
teryals. the major might come down
of his high horse, but after three
days Of it he seemed more deter
mined than ever. Finally, ct the
end of . week, the sister said:s
George, if that girl elopes to get
married you will have only yourself
to blame"
80 children have taken to elop-
ing. eh!" he replied in cutting tones.
That night there was a meeting
If consipirators in Miss Nellie's
room. There were only two con-
ar;ratnrs Int thew were enough.