The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-03-31
A Romance In
Two ? arts
By MARJORIE CLOUCH

IhomaS Maitland, though he ha(
Deen born and brought up on a farm
considered himself far better than his
nei%IlholS. He traced his lineage back
to an English noblemun who came tt
America in 1850 and begot numerous
progeny. Maitland owned large farm
well stocked and had money in bank
Despite his having always lived in the
country, there was something in his
makeup that smacked of the blue blood
in his veins.
Lillian Maitland, his daughter, was
even nearer to the manner born than
her father She was the apple of his
eye He sent her to boarding schoo
ana when she returned provided her
With a 5000 piano. He even meditat-
ed sending her to the city in the hope
that she might possibly marry there
and thus start Il process of climbing
back to the position the family had
once occupied.
One harvest season Maitland hired a
farm hand. Elijah Jones was his name.
and he was the homeliest man that
ever trod upon the Maitland farm. He
was countrymhn from the soles of his
feet to the topmost fiery red lock of his
hair. Elijah saw Lillian Maitland. and
one look was sufficient to fill his heart
with the widest emotions. He was
! one of those young men who do not
Scruple to step i'll where angels fear to
| tread. There was a tradition in his
family that if a man wishes to win a
girl for his wife he should ask per-
mission to do so from her parents. Eli
Jan marched up to Farmer Maitland,
who was tossing hay with a pitchfork
from wagon into the hayloft of the
barn, and said:
MT. Maitland, have you any objec-
ton to my asking your daughter Lii
Liam to marry me?'
"Wh-a-t?' cried Maitland, fancying
that he had not heard Alright.
elijah repeated.
You get off this farm as fast as
your legs will carry you or III make it
hot for you"
Elijah slowly turned and obeved the
order. Maitland threw down his pitch
fork and, stalking into the house, con-
fronted Lillian.
What have you been doing" he ask.
cd, ITO. encourage that red headed
Jones to come to Inc to ask for you?"
Lillian convinced her father that she
mad done nothing, and 50 far as he
was concerned the matter was dropped
from his mind. Not so with the girl,
The farm hand had paid her the high
est compliment man can pay woman,
and the reply to that compliment was
an order to leave the farm. Her sense
of justice was shocked. She hoped that
Elijah would put himself in her way
that she might tell him of her sympa-
thy. But Elijah, true to the tradition
on which he had acted, having been
refused by the parent, disdaincd to ap- |
ply over his head to the daughter and .
kept out of her way.
Ten years passed Lillian Maitland
had become an old maid. 4 number /
wanted her. but her father had looked
over the heads of all of them for a
husband for his daughter. Lillian did .
not fall in love with any Of them: con-
Sequently she never rebelled. Down in .
her heart was a memory of the red
headed, freckie faced man who had
asked for her and his cruel treatment
by her father. That father was now
dead, and she might marry whom she
pleased. But at thirty women are
harder to please than Mt twenty and
are not so attractive to men. At any
rate Miss Maitland showed no signs Of
One day man we'll dressed and
prosperous looking unlatchcd her gate
nd walked up to the house Lillian
saw him coming and met him ut the
door. He had red hair but it was
cropped close. He wore tall hat,
lnI his overcoat was silk lined His
boots were blHckcned, and he carried
/ cane in his gIoved hand.
"Is Mr.. Maitland Mt homc?' he in
luired
MIR. Maitland is dead"
There was Il pause, after which the
nan said: Years ago | asked a favor
If Mr.. Maitland. | have been wonder
ng ever since how had the assurance ,
0 do So"
Wont you come inT
When the two were seated on oppO-
lite sides of the living room the visitor
I'm sorry Mr.. Maitland is dead. An
ttorney has recently come from Eng
and hunting for an heir to Il title and
large estate Mr.. Maitland was the
,erson he was looking for, and, Mr..
Iaitland being dead. the estate falls to
ne. \ hundred years ago there were
wo brothers named Maitland. Mr..
IaitIand descended from one Of them,
froIS the other, If Mr.. Maitland had
,ft a son he would now be the heir.
IS it is | am the heir
There was a long silence after this
peech Miss Maitland looked down at
le floor
Il asked Mr.. Maitland" the visitor a
l.,