The Liberal democrat. [volume], December 22, 1911, Image 7

About The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924

Image provided by: Kansas State Historical Society; Topeka, KS

                
THE LIBERAL DEMOCRAT
m
m
George,'
' -v T Tl I
T would be perfect folly,
George," the girl was saying
"Thanks," the man re
plied, a little hurt
"You know Tery well what
I mean. It would be foolish
worse than foolish for
us to marry and it is not
because I do not love you,
she added, earnestly.
What on earth is necessary ex
cept love?" asked the impatient man.
The girl laughed. "Much much
more," she said. "You admit, for In
stance, that you are absolutely bored
to death In the country, that picnics,
any kind of outing where you have to
get down to nature is uninteresting t
you. Even today you chafe under the
" discomfort of having to sit on a mossy
. mound instead of in a mahogany arm
chair with a leather hassock at your
feet. You would rather hear the clang
of a trolley car than the song of
bird; you would rather eat a six-
course dinner in a brilliantly lighted
restaurant with music and the gay
chatter nf many companions than sit
down quietly in your own home to
simple domestic meal with with
single woman for a vis-a-vis. lYhile,
',- I well, set down all the opposites of
the things you live for and you have
what I like. Don't you' see, George?'
For a time the man did not answer,
He counted the buttons on his gaiters
.with the tip of his walking stick
"Is it as bad as that, girl?" he asked,
"Are we as far apart as that?"
Eleanore nodded while she looked
straight into his eyes. "We are," she
repeated, "even as far as that."
"And there we stand do we?"
' "Yes you In the city with all the
lights turned on you; I In the quiet,
'peaceful country with only the eyes
of my family and my friends to see
me and all of nature to commune
with."
"It- doesn't look like a very happy
prospect for a life together, Eleanore,
We're old enough to see that even in
our 20's aren't we? But oh " and
there was a great longing tenderness
in his voice "I do love you. I do want
you, dear."
The girl turned away. Presently she
rose to go. There was no buoyancy in
her movement. At last, tire thing she
had been fearing had come to pass
They had had their explanation they
had tried to have an understanding as
to why they could not marry each
other. There was no further hope
that he would tire of the life she con
sidered artificial, the life she had been
brought up in and hated. Always,
she had longed for the country and
when she began to realize that she
loved George Davidson it was with
fading hope that she studied his life,
his fancies, his preferences. He loved
every Inch of the merry avenues of the
crowded cities, every atom of their ex
istence.
, On the way home the man told her
frankly that If he could not have her
" If she could not marry him and take
a chance with It all he would put her
out of his life. He, manlike, was will
lng to take any chance to have her for
his wife; but then, she explained to
him, be had not given It the thought
that was necessary.
"Well, I'll travel," Eleanore told him
when they were parting. "I want to
see rural France and Germany and
with you out of my life, George I
might be lonely," she said a little wist
fully. She looked hastily away that
he might not see the effort with which
she kept the sparkling tear-drop from
tumbling down her cheek. "And If I
find that I can come back and and
live with my ear on the trolley track,
I'll I'll come and let you know. Mean
time, you shall not know where I am,"
she said, an almost Imperceptible
break in her voice. She had tried to
be gay, but she had failed dismally
and she knew he knew It.
"All right, girl," the man said, hold
ing her hand closely In his own. "Since
you're afraid of adding to the long list
of mis-mates among our friends I'll
remain as I am. I'll have you or no
one, mate or mis-mate. Good-by."
He strode off with never a look be
hind and she knew he was gone out
of her life until "Oh, forever!" she
said, as she dashed away the foolish
tears that pushed each other from her
eyes.
True to her word, she traveled. She
Journeyed here and there and enjoyed
thingu as only a woman of her caliber
ran enjoy the beautiful, rare old things
she had read of and heard of all her
life.
When she returned to her own coun
try it was to take up her profession of
tutoring but In the country this time.
She found a home in the rectory of an
old church. The minister was a family
friend, and she went into the family
to tutor hi? two children with the priv
ilege of having a few others during
odd hours in the week.
German, -but, most of all she taught
mem the love of Mother Nature.
The holidays were drawing near and
fcieanore had little time for Introsnec-
tlon. She was busy helping the chil
dren keep their Christmas secrets.
planning for the Christmas tree in the
shurch. making odds and ends to give
to mends. For the time, she was al
most forgotten.
But when Christmas eve ha'd come
and gone und she sat In the small con
servatory of the rectory on Christmas
afternoon when the children, tired
from play, had gone to take an after
noon nap and the good rector with his
wife had gone and done likewise,
Eleanore began to have that lonely
feeling deep within her. She looked
out of doors where tiny snowflakes
were Just beginning to blow here and
mere as forerunners of a glorious
Yuletlde snowstorm.
Suddenly, as If to ward off the blues.
she sought her cloak and gloves. She
would go out in it if only because she
could!
uutsiae, sne struck out briskly to
ward the churchyard where the fir
trees were green. There was much of
the yard that was made up of beauti
rul parkways with wonderful blue
spruce trees mingled with the old-
fashioned green Christmas tree.
It was toward these trees that she
walked and with every breath of the
soft, moist air, she felt invigorated.
The caress of each tiny snowfiake as it
touclieil her cheek was sweet to the
girl who loved nature.
rresemiy, aneau 01 ner, sne saw a
group of boys. They seemed to be look
ing up at a great green fir tree and
listening to a man who stood In their
midst. i
Eleanore drew near. None of the lit
tie group had seeu her as she walked
softly on the snow covered grass. The
man her heart beat wildly was
George Davidson.
Suddenly, as if he felt her presence,
he turned. "You," he cried, "Eleanore
Then, as If remembering the hoys, he
said, "Boys, I want to introduce yon
all to Miss Marvelle. Perhaps she can
tell you more than I can about Christ
mas trees."
Eleanore acknowledged the Introduc
tion to each bareheaded lad even while
her hand was still in the big warm one
of George Davidson.
It s like this, Eleanore," he was ex-
W. F. & N. Grading
Last Friday J. W. Baughman,
Chas, Ellsaesser, Mr. Copper of
Omaha and J. F. McWilliams
drove to the new town of Gate, in
the east side of Beaver county.
This is the lirst town to bo estab
lished in Beaver county bv the
Wichita Falls & Northwestern,
and the. lots in the new town are
now sale there by Mr. Hocker,
the land and tax (Jommissioner of
W.F. &N. A blue print of the
new town of Forgan which if to
be established as northern termin
us of the railroad for the present
is now in print, and a copy of it
will arrive next week.
There are now a number of men
and teams scattered along thef
right of way in Beaver county
from Gate to the new town 'of
Forgan, where one outfit has fifty
teams ready for work as soon as
the weather moderates. The Wich
ita Falls & Northwestern is coming
along rapidly toward Liberal, the
Capital of the Southwest.
The Good Fellows Busy
The Liberal Good Fellows' are
b isy this year as usual. J. N. Ev
ans and Ch tries Ellsaesser were
out with the subscription list on
Thursday, soliciting the Five Pol
Inr subscriptions for the Good
fellows' club, and were meetug
with unusual good luck. The an-
. 1 ri' 1 1 i
nuai ree is rive Dollars and no
donations for less amounts are ac
cepted. Almost every business
firm in town was on the list, and
t is a certainty that not a single
ittle boy or girl in Liberal will be
without the good things that go to
make Christmas the very best day
in the year. Last year there was
a balance left over after the com
mittee bad been busy all day try
ing to find places where the Good
Fellows' asistnnce would be ac
ceptable. The fund is a mighty
line , thing, and the spirit is the
best in the world. Those who
know of places where the Good
Fellows should go on Christmas
lay will help the good work along
.v notifying either ,1. N. Evans Qr
Charles EllsHesser before Monday
morning. Everybody in Liberal
must havo a Merry Christmas
i hat is an edict that has been given
out by the Good Fellows, and all
vho can. help irmk" this movement
i success should do so.
She Wat Not Happy.
plaining. "I've sort of taken up some
settlement work on the East side Iaio-
ly, and when one of these boys asked
me not long ago where the Christ
mas trees came from I I felt ashamed
to think he had been under my eye and
didn't know, fle'd never been out of
the city In his life had never seen a
fir tree growing."
Eleanore's eyes grew wide with sur-
rise, ""oor lad!" she said.
"Then and there, I promised the
whole crowd of hoys that on Christni:
ay I would take them to see a real
Christmas tree growing in Ike earth
here it belongs. I told them thoy
hotild- not have their gifts until wo
tood under one of Nature's own trees
nd well, here we are. Aren't
hoys?' he asked, turning lo the
roup of young foreigners who adored
him.
was trying to tell them about
trees and things and"
The man broke off lamely.
"And you didn't know very much
bout them' Was that it?" Eleanore
asked, teasingly.
"That's It, exactly," he said. Then
he drew near and spoke in an under
tone while the lads, feeling Instinctive
ly that they were at liberty to -roam
bout if they desired, left the two
landing together. -
"Is It too late for hie to learn?"
lie asked.
"No," she said, "but first, I'd like to
exchange a few lessons in how to be
have in a fashionable restaurant for
them," she said.
"Eleanore!" he cried.
"Yes," she admitted, "It isn't so
thrilling to sit on the porch all even-
ng and watch the moon come up be
hind the trees alone even If It is Na
ture. I suppose we combine our tastes
;and live in the country, but not
so far that we can't get to town
whenever we you, I should sav feel
like It."
"I feel now, dear, that I never want
lo see the city again if If you don't
WITH A HOPE FOR THE BEST
Elevator Man Willing to Concede That
Republicans Might Be
Saved.
As the elevator ascended In re
sponse to Mr. Topfloor's ring on the
morning of election day he heard the
elevator "boy" humming cheerfully
under his breath.
"That's a fine song you are singing.
Algernon," he remarked. "It Is a
hymn?"
Yessah, dat am a hymn. It 'bout
de nios' beautlfules' In de hymn book,
I fink. 'Wot de wo'ds?' Dese Is de
wo'ds," and with appropriate gestures
he repated them.
"What were those lines about death.
Algernon?" adked Mr. Topfloor. "Say
them over." And Algernon, with arms
extended and eyes rolled up, recited
dramatically: "Oh, L'd, I stretch mah
han's to thee. Save me f'om English
death."
'English death!' What's that?'
demanded Mr. Torfloor.
I never could fin' out Jet' w'ot dat
was,' Md. Topfloo', but It means sorr.e
fln' raight bad, I reckon. Mebbe It
mean de oberlistin' fl'es."
Maybee It does," agreed Mr. Top-
floor, and to dhange the giAJect he In
quired If Algernon had voted yet.
Yessah, I voted befo' I come to
wu'k dls mornln'. DIs on'y de secon
time In mah life I's voted. De f.f
time was las' 'lection day. I made up
mah mln' den dai It was mah dooty
to vote. I owes It to mah wife an'
fam'ly. Eve'y one dat knows anyt'ln'
ought to vote, an' ef yo' has any busi
ness or wu'ke at somet'ln', de way I
does at dls elemor. votln" de bes'
way to make you'se'f known to de pub
lic. Qh, Ah's a Dem'crat,- sah, an' I
votes de Dem'crat ticket r a i gh t fro.
Dem'crats Is de bes'; Republicans day
aln' much good, nohow. Yo'! Is yo'
a Republican? An' is you' famT" Re
publicans? Well, well w'ot doe yo'
t'Ink o' dat! Yo' cert'ny don' seem
like yo was one, sah; nuther do Mis''
Topfloo'; an' I reckon dat w'en de
good Lo'd come to Jedge de Repub
licans be gwlne to make rescrimtna
tlons, so some ob deni will be lawd,"
New York Press.
want to," he said. "I'm so weary of
She spent many happy days with the j ,ivInf without you that I'd gladly
children ; she taught them everylhing ;mP under a haystack with nothing
she knew how to teach them, from Ml tD lowing herd for an outlook if.
"There's a Reason."
May-You seem to prefer the beach
to the piazza.
Maud Yes; I prefer to be burnt by
the sun than roasted by the gossips,
Just One More Thing to
Do Before Christmas
- - Go To -
Taylor's
Drug
Store
And Finish Your
CHRISTMAS
SHOPPING
Presents from 5 cents to $500.00
pen Monday
fill
raSCit Md ""-V
J III
Yo
U
eeo.
Pisees
EVERYBOBY DOES
Now since gou need dishes every dag in the pear, why
not make up your mind to bug them for Christmas?
Your Christmas Gift should be useful as well as beaut
iful. Our line of plain and . fancy China Ware is the
largest and most elegant line ever brovght to Liberal.
Come in and see our line of sensible things for Christ-mas.
all & Son 1
fflWn fj4)n
Everything From
a Threshing
Needle
Machine to a
readier and irwi)Un to French
and l'ou wer9 V,tn me "
Judge. . ....