Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1912 — MAJOR AND MAID [ARTICLE]

MAJOR AND MAID

By MARTHA McCULLOCH- WILLIAMS

(Copyrirht, 1911, by AMociatad Lltatanr Press.)

The maid was pretty—maids have to be, in and out of stories, if things are to happen to them. This is not saying plain maids are barred from romances, hut a subtle setting forth of the mystic fact that somehow, sometime every maid has her hour or minute of charmr With Elise the hour was always. She lay down delightful and rose up enchanting. What chance, then, had the Major?—the Major who born susceptible, had improved the talent by assiduous cultivation? He had made love in five languages, In pretty well every corner of the globe. His title was real enough—he had held, once upon a time, a commission in a state troop that was full of patronage for any sort of mere regulars. Rich, a bachelor, more than falr-iooking, and fastidious, yet ardent, it was a marvel that he had come to forty-five with no more than an occasional singed wing.

Elise, at something more, than sweet and twenty, had begun to weary of mere men. Those' of . her own -age seemed to hej immature. She wished in her idle moments —they were very very few—that princes and potentates ranged America in disguise, the same as they did' in wonder-romances. Presidents could not do such things—hardly even governors or judges. Each and several they were doo well known —besides they rarely came to hear the liberal education of matrimony. She was beginning to suffer from “the passion for distinction” which somebody says is the strongest of human impulses. Therefore the Major appealed to her enormously. ~ They met at Glenly. Nora Page, hostess there, had vowed for two years they were meant one for another. She was by way of seeing her prophecy come true, when Fate gave a twist to things. The mildest, most ridiculous twist—-*but, after all, there are no trifles either in life or love. Notwithstanding, Joe Bassett was a human, commonplace friend to Nora’s brother and. like him, a lawyer struggling to get a foothold, who had been asked at about the thirteenth hour, when three more eli-

gible fellows had been held from coming. The house party had begun midweek, the extra men coming down for Sunday. Thus the major, and Elsie had had three days wherein to appraise each other, and find the result satisfactory. His mind had been made up, indeed, as early as Friday luncheon that here was the predestined Mrs. Archibald Wayne, Elise ■had not been quite so precipitate, yet there was more than a leaning in her consciousness- toward the major.

came Joe Bassett, and after him a heavenly Sunday. It was too fine altogether to * be wasted motoring— besides, Elise was tired of whirring past fields knee deep in lush June grasses, past roadsides starred with sweetbrier, snuff the earth-fra-grance, idle deliciously in shade or sunlight, solely according to her own vagrant fancy. Therefore, she let the. cars go off without her, setting forth herself a little after with only the major and the Fratton girl, for company. The Fratton girl presupposed her fiance, Ben Martin—but I Elise knew well that an- engaged couple though quite sufficient for propriety, were practically the same as nobody. She strolled lightly forward, laughing and chatting, conscious that the Major trembled if she did but look at him, conscious also that the other pair was well out of earshot, In fact hardly 4n sight She Was at her best a creature of whim, of charm untold. The Major wanted to kneel, and lay himself and his fortune at her feet. Seasoned though he was, he was much in love —-so much that he was awkwardly self conscious. To speak plainly, he was suffering the pangs he should rightly have undergone in his sallow youth. Like other youthfid ails they sit ill upon maturity. Therefore, he had been’calmly, audaciously masterful with women, daunted him —worse than an army with banners. He had been fearless of all save one thing—namely, cattle. But be had forgotten bis sea he. had forgotten all else upon this smiling Sunday save the fact that he was walking with the girl be loved. When the way ran presently across a atile into a stretch of grassland, he rejoiced—the stile gave him excuse -to take Elise half in his arms. ■> N* he set her upon her little feet he breathed hard—and murmured hoarsely: ' “You —you—must know what you’ve done to me—what you mean! Tell me—have I—any—any chance r Elise answered only with a dainty ffialf smile, and darted across the turf toward a clump of magnificent beeches. Widespread boughs drooped about them—thus she did not see that the shade tent had an occupant, two occupants indeed, albeit one was too *igb for instant vision, being perched upon a big bough that gave a secure seat. The other stood upon four hoofs, tossing a beautiful angry head up and down. He was a pure-bred Devon buß, redU a strawberry all over, and in line and build the pattern of his kind. X batter-end trailed from the ring fa his nose. Evidently he had broken bounds—was a runaway, and fa a temper. But Elise

felt nsr fear. She shook a small fist at hfm,Wying: --- v."OJ ’ You sultan! Do you want all thls-beautlful shader “RunF For goodness sake, run!” the major panted at her elbow, himself turning and sprinting at * surprising rate. Thedjjull made to follow him, bellowing And pawing as he ran. Elise stepped nimbly aside—she r was too amazed, too angry for fear, though she knew there was real danger. Knotsbf scarlet ribbon Hacked her white frock—(fie sunshine glinting on them, accented them so the red creature grew mad over them. Wheeling, he would have charged bet, disdaining to follow the flying major, but that a lean, long arm reached OVer his neck, caught the halter end and brought him up standing with a jerk. J Joe Bassett up in the tree, easing. bis heart through the medium of very: bad verses to Elise, who had smitten him hopelessly at first blush, had come to the rescue. It was a near half a minute it seemed the Wet would break away—but the lean band held with a grip of steeL Presently the animal stood subdued, but panting angrily, wild to get at Elsie, but held subject to a man. “You had better go!” Joe said, contritely as though feeling himself culpable for the spoiling of her walk. She shook her head at him, uni! Ing, as she said:' ‘T shall stay—til! help comes. Remember —a runner has gone for It.” Something in her tone made Joe’s heart flag. She was looking him over critically. “If I take off your belt don’t you think you can fasten him to that small tree with it?” she asked a little hesitatingly. joe_ nodded laughing. How'' he blessed , his stars for putting op that ugly leathern Strap, instead of a fancy girdle. It took all his self control not to change color when Elise put her arms about him to loosen it, but somehow he stood like a graved imkge. • . Fate was on his side. After the bull was fast, standing disconsolate, a tricky ..wind, blew to EBse. the blurred sheet Joe had dropped. He tried to reclaim it —but with her moat winsome smile she put the hand holding it behind her, saying softly: “I want to read It when I am all alone.” Just, then farm hands came running in. True enough, the major bad sent them. He himself waited at the stile for Elise, but after one look in her eyes walked sedately ahead, leaving Bassett master of the situation. Master of it he remained. They were married In the fall. Joe put by his pride and overlooked Elsie’s _ money—Which she thought an adorable thing to do. ; ; ;