Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1916 — HER RICH PRINCE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HER RICH PRINCE

By KENNETH BURGOYNE.

A mellow, mirthful laugh rang through the old-fashioned kitchen of the Gordon farmhouse, and Aunt Selma adjusted her spectacles and surveyed the author of the merriment inquisitively. • What now, Milly?” she asked in her gentle, pleasant way. “Pretty near the bottom of the flour barrel, auntie!” replied Milly gayly. “And you think that is something to jollify over?” chided Mrs. Gordon in a reproachful tone. “Well, not exactly, auntie,” replied Milly in pretty penitence, “only I got thinking in my fanciful dreaming way. I had just been reading a story of a family like us that got poorer and poorer, until the flour barrel was really empty and they were nearly starving. Then along came a rich prince. He recognized the aged sire ot the family as an old loyal soldier and knighted him, and made his brother a lord chamberlain, and it was all so real to me I actually saw poor dear, clumsy old Uncle Zeb at court, bowing to the queen in his rich ermine trimmed robe, and he stumbled over it, and said, ‘Howdy,’ and I had to laugh.” ’ /' . “ “Dear child! it is well that you see brightness in everything,” murmured Aunt Selma, and turned her face aside to hide the rising tears. For they were poor, Indeed. She and her husband had arrived past the meridian of life with no income to depend upon. Mr. Gordon was unable to work and they had to hire a man

to attend tn what there, was of. the poor little farm. There were times when they just scraped'along, as the saying went. In addition to their own deplorable condition, they had to think and partly provide for Mrs. Gordon’s widowed sister, who lived a mile over beyond the range. This was Mrs. Ward. She had a daughter, Victoria, but the latter had gone to the city to become a great singer, and what Victoria earned as a stenographer barely paid for her board music. Miliy was a distant relative of the Gordons, an orphan who had been practically adopted by them when she was a child. Old Uncle Zeb declared her as ‘smart as a whip,” and Aunt Selma added that she was a girl with a heart of gold. Certainly Milly appeared clever and brilliant In conversation, considering the little education she had received. As to kind heartedness, she was everybody’s friend. When Victoria had gone to the city to try her fortune, she had urged Milly to go with her. For a moment Milly was dazzled. Then she thought of the old folks. They had done so much for her! They were old and feeble. She had become a systematic, economical young housekeeper and held things well together It seenfed base desertion to leave them. Milly cried one whole night. Then she took up her burden, laughing her sweet way along the path of duty, sometimes dark, ever hopeful. --^*=7 — —— Milly proceeded with her baking. She felt guilty at the extravagance, but She loved sweet and pretty things, even edibles, and had to add a pan of cookies to the heap of biscuits.— Of both she made up a small package, put it under her arm, and donned her sunshade. “I’m going to run over to Aunt Ward’s, ’ she announced. "It’s a pretty hard climb over the range for a hot day like this,” suggested Mrs. Gordon. “Oh, I don’t mind that,” chirped Milly, “and I’ve had rare luck with the baking.” . .. ... Just as Milly started to run across the yard she paused in startled wonder. Coming through the open gateway, limping, blood stained, swaying from side to side, was a dog. The animal seemed to have fallen or had been battered by a rock landslide up in the range. He ran to the pump and licked the empty water pall, looking imploringly into the face of Milly. “You poor suffeverl”.cried the sympathetic girt, and she filled the pail and placed it before the animal who dmnk thirstily. Then she tossed him a cookie from her bundle which he snapped greedily. -You just rest here until I get back,”

said Milly, "and IT! sea if there tn any cold meat for you.’’ But the animal, revived, ran about her in a circle. It would lift its head and utter a loud echoing, baying sound. Then, regarding her beseechingly the animal started in front of her, frequently lookin’? back to observe if Milly was following. To the intelligent Milly all this, meant something. She decided from the appearance of the dog that he had fallen somewhere, perhaps into a pit. In trying to escape he had grazed sharp-pointed rocks or they had fallen upon him. Was it possible that the animal had a human companion, who, too, had sustained Injury, and the faithful dog had started out to bring assistance and rescue? At least so Milly reasoned, and when, half way across the range, the animal paused at a spot with which Milly was entirely familiar, she guessed out the situation in a flash. “Someone has fallen into the cavern pit!” she exclaimed. f Milly quickly descended a slant twenty feet away. Further progress brought her up against a vine-clad wall of solid rock. She brushed aside a great clump of verdure to disclose a gap in the rock surface. Through this Milly crept, followed by the dog. She experienced a vivid shock as she noticed lying on the ground a young man. He was motionless and his eyes were closed. His clothing indicated taste and wealth, his features were open and handsome. A walking staff by his side indicated a stranger tourist, inadvertently fallen into the .pit - Milly did everything by infpulse. She threw down her bundle of goodies and hurried from the spot. The dog did not accompany her, but, as she retraced her way from the pit, came up and licked her hand, as if encouraging her in her good work. She did not consume much time in getting back home. Mr. Gordon was on a neighboring farm. Milly located him and recited the tragedy of the hour. There was no resisting her appeal and markedout plan. Mr. Gordon soon had a horse hitched to a light wagon, summoned a helper, and all hands hurried away to the vicinity of the old pit. “Dear me!” gasped Milly, starting back in embarrassment and wonder aa she once more found entrance to the cavern. For the handsome young man had revived, it seemed. He looked woefully haggard and in evident pain, but there he was —eating a cookie! And he smiled as Milly confronted him, and made a courtly bow with the words: “I knew that some angel had come to my succor in my distress! I needed strength, for I have been here nine mortal hours, and whoever made these famous edibles is a Jewel.” “It was poor me made them,” said Milly flatteringly—“and, please, are you dreadfully hurt, sir?” “Only a sprain,” declared the young man, but he carried his arm in a sling for a week, meantime a guest ot the Gordons, for the village surgeon forbade his removal for the present. Then the arm got better so he could use it almost naturally. One afternoon it felt so well, that, amid the leafy greenwood, it stole about Milly’s waist, while his lips framed a sweet welcome confession of undying love. Klnrl Ranonm did not tftll thft lOVcll girl who accepted him on faith how rich he was until after the wedding. Then he took her to his princely home in the city—and Uncle Zeb and Aunt Selma along with her. - (Copyright, 1916. by W. G. Chapman.)

The Animal Started in Front of Her.