The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1933-01-26
Elvira's
Duty
By ROSE MEREDITH
g by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

you, tOO-but if 1t amt your plain
duty to go out to your brother Joe,
then, Pm all wrong"
Elvira Pesk stared at her aunt
.amazedly. "Of course Joe has Anna"
she was beginning, when Aunt Sarah's
shocked face stilled her. "What is
1t, Auntie-what has happened to Joe
Il haven't heard a word"
Don't you know that Annie died
East week." demanded Mrs. Smith. II
ssent you letter."
Elvira sank into chair. II never
Eneard wOrd-please tell me-poor,
Enoor old Joe-Of course l will go out
g6o him!' she said.
"That sounds more like you, Elvira
& couldn't understand why you didn't
come right home as soon as you got
s1y letter-instead of taking that trip
20 Forbes City with the other school
e5eachers-I just said. 1T amt a bit
like Elvira Peck"
~But never received your letter."
protested the girl.
Aunt Sarah stared at her niece and
then suddenly began to paw over the
contents of the desk before which she
sat At last she brought out an ad-
dressed and stamped letter.
"Elvira Peck-I am ashamed of my
self, so l am-Here's the very letter
4 wrote to you when the telegram
came-and one l wrote to your cousin
Eva Lane at the same time. wrote
TO all the other cousins, too, but was
so excited when I gave the letters to
your Uncle Oscar to mail that didn't
get 'em all in! To think of your going
off and having good time and your
poor brother in such deep griefw
SO it happened that the very next
day, Elvira was on her way West,
her heart sore for poor Joe, all alone
IN his trouble and just little sore on
her own account, for there was a man
right in FOrbestown who had paid
much attention to Elvira. and who had
hinted that he would never marry any
other girl. They were not engaged,
N1It she could not help but know that
Daniel Rush was lowering around the
'gyoint of an avowal of his love. Elvira
liked him a lot-but somehow there
was always little distrust of his weak
ness Of character. that was warning
ITlaniel.
Al the small Wyoming station, Joe
Peck came to meet her in large auto
EnJbile. He appeared sad. but being of
n strong, resolute nature, he was bear
ing his loss we'll He smiled when
'.Ezlyira told him about the misIaid let
Ter and patted her shoulder when she
cried and told him of her grief over
che loss of her sister-in-law Alto
s-ether, he was much like the Joe Of
.r1ld.
Your coming is wonderful bless
Eng to me, Ellie" he told her that
night. "Of course if we had had any
,sZTildren it would be different-but it's
Gust dumb lonely here at night"
Elvtra could see that, and did every
ching in her power to tighten her
ynrorher's burden, and to make the big
ranch house bright and cheerful dur
eng the long evenings. She slipped
5nto the life of the ranch, managing
sshe willing old Chinese cook with won
,Elerful diplomacy. The cowboys all
cworshped her.
Rut days and weeks passed. and she
never had a word from Daniel Rush.
And then. one evening, there came
a knock at the door, and Joe admitted
a very tall young man. Billy Brainerd,
a big handsome yoitNg man, with hon
test blue eyes and a humorous mouth.
''J'm mighty glad that you are here,
Miss Peck" he told Elvira. 81 am
sure that you and my sister will hit
1T off splendidly-and we four can
i4rave 81 game of cards every night If
I've want TO-"
''How jolly" cried Elvira, land Is
gour place very near, Mr.. Brainerd"
ooh. no, only about ten miles," he
said easily, Jean and have been
away to Colorado, and did not hear Of
she sad news that our friend Joe had
suffered great loss, until tonight.
so I just come over and Jean sent
Sler love and SYMPATHY. JOve, if she
had known that you were here, Miss
Peck, she would have come along,
800" ' +"' ''
That was the beginning of a very
srappy time for Blvira Peck and her
brother Joe, even though his loss was
new and the wound was raw. The
Brainerds were good friends, and the
Juiet friendliness OF the brother and
sister made a perfect summer for Ell
wira and did much to assuage JOe's
own trouble. 4 = Il. ".f.
And then one day there came a let
ter from Aunt Sarah with a bit Of
keenly interesting information. you
remember that young fellow in Forbes
town, who used to beau you around,
Elvira? Well, he's suddenly ran off
and married Carrie Peters-yOu re-
nnember the milliners daughter? No
particular reason why they shouldn't
Grave had a real wedding at home-but
folks say he's real Eighty that way"
Elvira smiled when she read that
letter, and the very next day she
wrote long letter to her aunt, tell
ing her the delightful news of her own
engagement to Billy Brainerd, and she
limited that in June there would be an
other announcement from Joe, who
had found a measure of happiness in
his sincere love for Jean Brainerd. SO,