Year: 1872

THIRTY-FIVE AND NEVER IN


LOVE.


ELMA LEE was a pretty, blue-eyed hoy
don. From the time she was large
enough to climb fence or ride a horse
she had been sort of speculative horror
to old ladies. who wondered "what she
would come to"-and warning to little
girls; though these same girls found her
full of infinite charms and could never
discover that she broke her neck, or in
anywise met their anxious mothers pre-.
dictions. And these very old ladies
would catch their breath, as if pleasant
breeze had smote their faces, when she
CHANGED to cross their path, and find them
selves, all unconsciously, looking through
the bright medium of her sunny presence,
back to the happy days when they were
young. There are some people who seem
to cast sunbeams instead of shadows.
Elma Lee was such. She was direct
refutation of the aphorism, "circum-
stances make the man." when, consider
ing the atmosphere of the girls home,
the sunshine of her ertemperamentm made her
positive anomaly. 1t was an old home
stead, built of dark, rough stone of
ancient and solemn architectural design :;
standing in perpetual twilight, under the
forest trees that formed grove about it,
The family, with the exception of the
servants, consisted simply of Miss So
phronia and her neice, Elma. They were
the sole remaining scions of the ancient
stock. Rumor, or tradition, said that
Miss Sophronia had been disappointed in
love. From this same source came the
assertion that she had been handsome.
The first, Elma admitted to herself, might
have foundation, as disappointments are
said to be embittering, and she had palpa-
BILE evidence of at least the result but
the latter she voted as too egregious to
admit of consideration. Ever since she
could remember her aunt, that lady had
been laboring under what she termed
"concern of mind and religious convic-
tions," and she seemed to consider that
her whole life's mark was focused and
centered in bringing her niece into a like
frame.


Our story centers in the afternoon of a
Fourth of July Down in the village
was all the stir and paraphernalia of the
day. Flags were Haunting in the drowsy
breeze, squad of soldiers and firemen
were parading, and the air was startled
from its usual quiet by frecrackers, pis-
tolls, and at dignifed intervals, the boom
OF an ancient, rusty cannon. Elma had
stood all the morning at the gate, listen
ing to the distant jubilee. When a little
girl, she had always spent the whole holi-
day on the village green Lut now she
was undeniably young lady, and, as her
aunt Sophronia said, was more than that
was Lee; consequently was forced to
be proper. Not even one buggy had
passed that way she had had her morn
ing utterly alone. Now the afternoon
Was wearing well away, and gave no bet
ter promise


Efma Lee was the unquestioned belle of
the village, and all the country round
She had already refused half dozen
eligible offers, and even grave, naughty
Ralph Hartford had been known to show
her attentiOn-a man full thirty five, cold,
proud, and wealthy and who had Travelled
half the world over. Elma, in consid-
Grafton of all this was growing piqued
at this new neglect-a holiday quite
alone-when buggy came slowly down
the road.


The afternoon sunlight gliRted on the
foliage of the wide spreading trees, and
slid off into concentrated brightness in
the road; the girl, consequently, was
quite in the shadow. The gentleman
alighted, tied his horse, and stood within
covered her For all his imperturbable
self-possession, he gave the least palpable
start. The blue eyes discovered it with
little flash, and as she went up to the
house for her hat, the wicked, coquettish
thought of flirt was conceived in the
girls heart. "They say he is invincible.
Thirty-tive and was never in love 1t is
time he was"


She entered the dark and solemn hall
trillinga gay song. Miss Sophronia was
sitting there, in her usual stately dignity


"You are always singing" she said,
querulously.


81 can't help it Aunt Sophronia, l am
so perfectly happy" said the girl, very
demurely.


The lady groaned.


THAT is the surest evidence you should
be praying; If you could only realize
your situation!"


The words were still ringing in Elma's
ears when Ralph Hartford helped her into
the buggy, and then took his seat beside
her. Her lips parted in little smile at
the situation. They rode the remainder
of the afternoons; and in that ride Elma
Lee did what she had never done before
sought to win heart for the fun of
casting it away. Many heart had been
laid willing holocaust ON the altar of
her youth and beauty, but they had always
been utterly voluntary-never sought
for.


To. day, for the first time in her life,
there was a spice of the fiirt mingled with
her bright, sweet natural ways. Ralph |
Hartford, with his keen, quiet eyes, in,
stGntly detected it, and there was an odd
play TO the mouth under the handsome
moustache. Elma did not discover it.
Once or twice, after some little trifling,
coquettsh speech, he raised his eyebrows
in quizzica way peculiar to him; and
each of such times the girl found herself
curiously analyzing the certain, strange
charm of this same expression. Then
went gaily on in her winning, never real
izing that when hearts were trumps it is
dangerous playing.


At length sudden thunder storm,
without the slightest warning, swept the
sky. They were on the open plain with.
out place of shelter in sight. Ralph
drew up the buggy top but even that was
only semblance of protection, for the
wind seemed full of contrary elements,
which drove the rain now hither, now
yoa. Sometimes dashing it ia their faces,
then yeering, and beating it through the
buggy's open back. The leather had been
rolled up, and fastened in some inextrica.
bic fashion, that bafiiea every effort,