The Elbert County tribune., 1918-02-08
Csrtrrlf. lQLo. 81, Csnesr,

| Gay after tomorrow.
Madge looked up and agony and
hatred distorted her pretty face.
yes" she sobbed.
II think you had better tell me your
story" said 1.
This is the story Madge Minturn
told:
well, Miss Fairfax, i guess It's an
old enough story-one you have heard
n good many times before. was six
teen when i came to work in his fa-
TIERS office. i was lonesome and
wanted friends and happiness and a
| good time like other girls.
"For two years / just worked and
ate and slept and got up and dressed
and went through the same old rounds
agnIn. Then Ralph came home from
college and down to the Office, and l
met him and he said he loved
me and that's all. Here am. / was
| just lonesome. / couldn't stand 1t.
II wanted to believe him when he
said he loved me and was going to
marry me; wanted to believe him
and so did. couldn't stand the lone
illness any more. But God knows 1t was
better than this. You'll help me, won't
you? My boy must have a name. I'll
stay buried in this lonely little corner
Of the world forever. never ask to see
Ralph again or be happy or anything.
l don't care how lonely / ami only
want a name for my baby.
Ralph brought me down here
after baby came-and got Mrs. Woods
to take care of me. / have not seen
Ralph from the time he brought me
here, six months ago. 1 haven't even
spoken to him until this morning. He
wrote once In while and had money
and good care-but that wasn't what
| wanted.
''Then this morning l got desperate.
/ telephoned down to the Office and
asked for Ralph. / told him l didn't
want to hold him. l just wanted a
name for the baby. If only he'd marry
me he could divorce me right after
ward and accuse me of anything he
liked. I'd stand anything If 1 could
only get name for baby. 1t ought to
be Ralph Conley, Jr.' It's just baby
now.
"Ralph sounded nervous and wor-
rled, but he said he'd do the right
thing. l could just feel his father in
back of him. l always thought he
would have married me as soon as he
knew he ought to-except that his ia
Their was so ambitious for him. He's
young, and he couldn't get along with
out his father yet-and l guess he was
afraid to try. That's ALL"
mo, 1t isn't quite all, Madge. You
have a friend now. am going to help
you. want you to give me a picture
Of the baby-that will be my greatest
ally in helping you"
And when left moment later the
girl who escorted me to the door was
no longer sullen and bitter, but back
of all her sobbing she bore an air of
hopeful strength.
My country Jehu. doing over the
reins, reused himself as we came out
| to the dusty roadway. AS 1 clambered
into my ramshackle equipage / got a
queer glimpse of a tatterdemalion hui
man. A man emerged from the woods
which thanked Madge's little cottage
certain sinister air.
for Il second was tempted TO go
back and tell Madge-but l decided
that l could best serve her by hurry
Ing to the city and tending to her real
need instead OF rousing her to fearful
consciousness of passing tramp. If
l could enlist the sympathies of Mar
garet Payne would be doing Tar more
for Madge AIinturn than merely DOVER
ing with nv own interest
Just before we reached the station
the other ramshackle, "one-hoss-shay"
passed us. One passenger was boun-
cling around with the same ill-at-ease-
ness / was forced to betray. l glimpsed