Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-03-14
The Peach That
Was Left
BY CLARA DELAFIELD
20, 1922. Western Newspaper Union

her heart would break"
Gee, l wish I'd seed her!" said an
other of the loafers about the cracker
barrel. Rest on EN- hitting the ties
for Providence, amt they?"
You said it. Gee, you oughter have
seed 'enl-men and women, carryin'
suitcases. But that there little peach
amt built for hittin no ties, | guess.
Amt never walked much from the
looks of them French shoes of hern.'
But others in the village were al
ready alive to the existence of the
peach in question, among them Cyrus
King; and, as matter of fact, Cyrus
was at that moment in conversation
with the peach near the depot.
Townsmen who saw Cyrus at this
occupation discreetly gave the pair
wide berth, for old Cyrus was as much
feared as he was hated in the dis
trict.
Cyrus King was one of those busy
old men with nose in everything
He owned the local bank. He owned
the mortgages. His fiat could make
or break almost any man or woman
in the town. Cyrus wa~ man to be
reckoned with.
A church warden, too, and wicked
cid man, every one knew No scan
dali2ing in saying that. There was
that very ugly matter of little Puth
Miller--well, that had been hushed up.
But it had cost old Cyrus pretty
penny to re-establish his outward rep
utation among the townsfolk.
Then there had been the matter Of
Jim Bowles and May Creswell. Bowles
had gone cunning for Cyrus, and the
old man had to leave town until Jim
cooled off-and accepted $1,000, with
which he took himself and May to
distant city.
So people grinned when they saw
Cyrus in conversation with the peach
in question.
Such peach! Not more than
twenty innocent, trustful gray eyes,
dark hair, the simplest, most fetching
costume. AS matter of fact, Elsie
Roche was wearing the dress in which
she took. the ingenue's part in Ladies
Beautiful" with the company that had
just come to grief.
And so you got stranded, hey" old
Cyrus was saying. He shook his white
head. ITS judgment Of Providence,
my dear. The stage Is sinful occu-
patton"
"Oh, know it is" sobbed Elsie.
dabbing her eyes with tiny handker-
chief, but was brought up to it. My
father was an actor, but my mothers
good woman, and once l can get
home I'll give it up and take to some
thing more-more creditable. And,
and, Mr.-er-"
oval, my names King" said Cyrus.
Mr. King, I've always run stru. ght
and kept myself uncontaminated by all
the wickedness about me. 1--we got
testimonial from mothers pastor,
showing Pm speaking the truth I've
never told a story in my life, Mr..
King"
She raised her trustful eyes to Cy-
rus. Now, Cyrus was a trifle dscon-
certed by this evidence of a blameless
life on Elsies part. Although he
played the moralist, this was only pre-
liminary to Cyrus taking off the mask
and showing the real Cyrus under
meath.
And it's only 500 home, and II
don't know what to do. I've never
been in such a situation before" Elsie
sobbed.
"Wal," said Cyrus refiectively, what
d'you say to little lunch with me
somewheres? I'll get my car round
here in a jiffy, and there's a nice road
house a few miles along the pike"
"Oh, l couldn't. You mustn't ask
me-" sobbed Elsie, clasping her hands
nervously. Il know you mean it kind
ly. You aren't the kind to take ad-
vantage of d poor motherless girl, but
mother never, never let's me go mo-
tor-car riding with strange gentle
men,"
Old Cyrus was touched. Deep be-
meath his cynicism was instructive APP
VI pulC MOIudulpOu lie
knew it when he saw it. He thought
of his lurd past, and he resolved at
that moment to make atOn6ment for
it by sparing this young, innocent girl
actress though she was.
"Wal" he said, there's train com
ing along in twenty minutes will take
you where you want to go. I'll trust
you"
He peeled off a twenty-dollar bill,
handed it to her, and, with mind con-
scious of rectitude, toddled away. She
had been a peach! Even now CYRUS
half regretted that he had not pressed
her about that joy-ride and little
lunch at Myers.
Elsie looked after him with unutter-
able disgust.
9TH old boob!' she exclaimed rue
fully Took me at my word when |
was trying to make things easy for