ELSIE'S CHANGE.

Waikato Times, Issue 3204, 7 January 1893, Page 1 (Supplement)

ELSIE'S CHANGE.

By A.XN Siieiuis. Little Elsie Ward was the wcecst mite of a woman to be nineteen yoavs old, yet two strong men held her in their hearts, as the one centre of life's devotion and happiness. Her father was librarian of a large city insti-' tiition, with a small salary, immense, learning, and an almost idiotic in-, capacity for 'all business affairs. But his hobby was (o cultivate/the great intellect, he supposed Elsie must possess, so he taught her Latin, Greek, German, French, and by dint of persistent reading and conversation, gave liev a knowledge of all that enabled her to read with ease, and to converse in the modern tongues. Music she learned by instinct until he saw her capacity, and by an exchange of- instruction, persuaded Hcit Mcncke to instruct Elsie in the mysteries of 'pianoforte playing and singing, while he gave his son, Herman Mcncke, lessons in classic literature. , ;

Elsie found Herman, who wns six years her senior, so pleasant a companion that she graciously accepted the devotiors of his man's heart, long after he ceased to. be her father's pupil. It was not strange that he. believed she loved him as deeply as he loved her, not pausing to remember that her whole nature was shallow'. Ami believing this, he was pleading, as for his life, against a decision of her father's just made known to him, The preface to the story had been a sad one. Mr. Ward knew that he must die soon of a long-standing disease. - :

"I never told you before, Herman," he said, "that my marriage was an elopement Then I thoughtns you do, that love would make even poverty sweet.' Now 1 .know that my selfishness killed .the; frail little exotic, that I tried to make a hardy floweiv 'My wife: could-? riot bear privation, and she diedi :: 'Oii

her dcatli-bed her father forgave her, and he would then have taken Klsic, but 1 could not give her up. So lie told mc that if I died, or would give her to him absolutely, never seeking to sec her again, she could take her mother's place in his home. See how the selfishness clung to me, Herman. Klsic has never known that she might reign over a grand liomc, and b3 a millionaire's heiress, instead of a pauper's servant."

" Hush! You talk like a madman. Elsie has been wrapped in love all her life. Could lier grandfather give her that ?"

11 1 believe lie could. But at least he shall try. When the last spasm I had left mo, I wrote to him. Tin old offer holds good. After I am dead, Elsie can go to her grandfather. And she must go, Herman." " You are cruel." " I was cruel to her mother, 1 will be kind to her."

" But the circumstances are different. Elsie knows nothing of luxury, and I can give her comfort."

"Elsie shall have her chance. She would accept you, believing she loves you, She does not know what love is. In a year seek her, and if she loves you as her mother loved me, marry her. But for a year leave her free. Promise you will not seek to bind her." " I must tell her I love her. She shall know one true heart waits for her when the year is over." " I am quite willing; but there must be no promise exchange!. JShu most go to her new home unfettered."

" You have the right to command. Tt is hard to obey you, but you need not frar me. Elsie shall have her chance, and 1 will wait and linpe."

And hope was strong in his heart when, a few weeks later Elsie clung to him at parting, sobbing out her lovo, her desolation at leaving him. She was bound by no promise he had exacted, but from her own affection she was vowing eternal constancy, unceasing devotion, until the carriage drove up, that represented the first step in her more exalted social position,

And Herman wont his own way, heart-broken at the loss of his little lady-love, yet comforted by his firm faith in her. His deep love was sufficently clear of mere romance to sec the necessity of making for Elsie a more attractive home than the illordered, shiftless one her father had given to her. How much of discomfort was due to the indolence, and ease-loving disposition of its young mistress, a masculine visitor could hardly appreciate.

He was a clerk in a wholesale house, and had a fair salary; but for Elsie's sake—to add to the hoard to be expended upon Elsie—he took pupils in the evenings, kept books for a small retail business in the moments he could snatch, turned an honest penny when-over lit saw an opportunity. Although he was separated from Elsie, this was the happiest year of Herman Mcnclce's life. He was working for a definite object that was a never-ceasing hope and delight; he was worshiping an ideal, that was the brighter that lie did not sec the reality in contrast. Sometimes he took a few shillings to visit some place of public amusement where JJlsio was likely to'.be—the appearance of a':great singor or-act-ress, or sonic; especially fashionable occasion—and from his cheap scat would look for her, and glory in, the thought that.when he.claimod: her she would put oft' her dazzling jewels and costly raiment, to put on the simple dresses of her girlhood, and come to brighten his • homo, Not once did he doubt her, strange as it may seem. Measuring her love by his own, he never imagined it could falter or turn from him. , ;

The year rolled by, swiftly' for both; for all the butterfly clement in Elsie's nature fluttered gladly in the now sun • of ■ prosperity.' < Her nature was too shallow to mourn deeply, 1 and'she ■ consented at once when'her grandfather asked her to put oil her black three months: after her father died. As her father had loved her, so her grandfather .gave her entire devotion. She. was one of those -sunny, bright creatures' who often win a deep, entiro : affection, for lack of which far nobler women pine and die. , She made no effort to win or' keep love, and it was poured at her feet in-unstinted measure.'

At once she was a belle;, by; right of her unquestioned .beauty;-, and her grandfather's wealth and .position, and she flitted from one pleasure to anotheivgay and happy.. \ The'year, was over, and. Herman ■'Meiicke presented himself/at the stately mansion where- his-lady-lovo resided,'full s of proud hope.! Some-. what to his surprise, after ;his card was taken up by ; ft gorgeous footman, he'was.shown'from tilelong/drawingroom; into a smaller, one. fitted; tor n library, across the hall. -.-But. his own happy construction" of- this ; was: . ."•.'.' My darling, wants.;to ,':welconio me alone, and she is afraid of visitors in-thot great recepii)Q : room." 'He ,BaUo#i6-wait with what patience he/could '..command,'.- and presently, a ; voice in the =next: room came distinctly to his cars: " Elsie,'' it said, "Herman Mencke.has' come to clainii .you. Stop!. Do not apeak yet. "..'.. A' year ago, when you prjfessed' undying devotion to■• this young/ man, I told you I would not speak one word to influence; you.," 1.. have' kept; my premise,' In,the past year his name has never .been, spoken between us. ! Now ; he.ishere.: No! donotspeak yet. If you love him; 1./ will/not •driyo ,you to disgrace yourself as r.ybur.'mother did,by an '.elopement. "You can-be married from my house, with as grand a w?44ing as'you-,^.

chooso to command. You shall havo a hnndsomo troussoau. Moro than this, I will buy and furnish for you a small house, suitable for a poor man's wife. Then wo part. You are a stranger to mo from the hour that you leave tho house, and my money will go to charitablo institutions. If you marry your cousin Claude, who loves you, you will bo my heiress."

Tliero was not ono instant of hesitation. Tho swoot voice llormon loved had a ring of pettishness as it answered; " What nonsonso, dear grandpa, to make such a long speech about nothing. You know Claude and I worship each othor, and I could never, never marry Mr. Moucke. I was ti mere child, and ho was my only lovor a year ago. I had forgotten his existence," "Will you see him?" "If I must. But if you : would, you dear, dear grandpa, I should be so muck obliged. It will be so awkward for me." "I will see him."

As ho spoke tho old gentlouiau pushed aside a heavy velvet portiere, looked into the room beyond, aud

" lie has gono." " Oh!" cried Elsie, really shocked " was ho in thero ? Ho must havo hoard us." "I intended he should, Ho has his dismissal from your own lips, knowing I did not dictate it." Tho next morning Elsie cried for nearly two hours, and could eat no breakfast, for tho morning's newspaper {javo an account of a, mini named Herman Moncko, who "fell under a locomotive and was crushed to death. And tho paragraph was hoadod: '•'Accident or suicide."

But, in the ovoning, Elsio was at a ball, and her adoring Claudo assured her she was brighter and sweelor than ever,