Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1877-01-27
ssgseh2n 9ntelllgenFm.
MONROE FARNLEY's DEBTOR.
Hy ANNE SHIELDS.
"A lady. sir. who wishes To speak to

A lady, sir. who wishes To speak to
YOU.
The clerks respectful voice reused
l.rnrnc Farnlry from a long tit OF alb
strtct.on most unusua! i'll his busy life.
sIs looked up. and passing his hand
acru<~ Ills forehead. a. il TO drive away
painful Thought. he said:
Let her come IN.
Then me moved some papers upon his
Cllice-tlblc L. conceal the writing. and
waited.
lie WIS Il miLd!e-aged man, handsome
and cart-wurn. 4 bachelor. and 1t the
head oil All Immense mercantile house.
from W.a-r resources he drew 4 hand
some income. y maH h WAS known
to he strictly upright in all his dealings,
bat who was not credited with much be-
nevolcnce or kindness of heart.
His face was SET in stern. hard lines as
the !.idv entered. She was Young.
about twenty. Very lovely III feature aud
form. tall. slender and blonde. Hut the
deadly palior OF her face. and unnatural
dilatIon of her large, violet eyes. the
painful compression of her delicate
mouth, detractcd greatly trnm her beau
". And Vet hcg face her g"2cetul figure
in its cheap dress. printed themselves
upon Monroe Farnlry'S heart in II
triy. glance, that he took As he motiUned
Li- visitor 10 ne seated. 1t was evident
" - difficult for the parched lips 10
spe..h tttt he waited patiently. scanning
the white. yuivering face with the same
troubled glance that had preceded the
announcement Of her arrival. But she
spoke up 1t last.
You 10 not remember me. Mr.. Farm
ley
Have VIZ met betore?' he asked,
eyl>.yely.
Not tor ten wears. When | was 4 lit
tie ok. YOU We're often 4 visitor al my
1alhe-'> house.. am Genevra Wallace
He only bowed gravely.
'Igu know my Grand she ialtered.
.I-heart- ouiy-th!s morning
Ihe BROKEN words seemed 10 choke
her. uut after i moments pause she con-
T.nuei.
You have had my brother arrested.
.Aga.u the sl4e grave bend OF the
stately head.
'For-tor-
.IAeit.'
The word. sharp and clear. cut the air
HE the report OF Il pistol. Genevra
Wallace >AIyurcI II the sound and hid
her I4ce.
Mss Wallace said the grave voice.
YOU have come to remind me Of my
promise - Your father, OF your brothers
clam upon my iOrbearance. Listen first
t. me. | loved your father. and when
lie died l promised to give his son my
care and aid III Il business career. As
soon = ycur brother lett school. | took
him into nv store. and have had my
MT Trusted clerks 10 teach him, and
help him forward. l gave him double
the salary / usually pay boys. and have
faithfully tried 20 treat him As your faith
er would have wished. For live wears
| have had n! patience with his glaring
faults. hi, i~n,Uleuce. his disObedlence,
h laZ.uess. Blu: in return he has rob,
bed me not once. not twice. but >ereraI
times. ot money, till encouraged by his
knowledge oimy reluctance to prosecute
ny dear old friends son. lie has grown
bod. a.i day before yesterday stole five
Aun,irei dollars from my private desk
HAD he been starving. had he even been
helping YOU | might have again forgiven
linn. but he tool the money 10 gamble
win and lost it all AT cards in one night.
| had him watched. that fact proven, and
then had A.m arrested
The white, de>pairing face was lifted
AMI the IaiteriuG voice asked:
Aud YOU will prosecute him.
There was no answer. and soon the
low. sweet voice, strained by agony oil
pleading. said:
i 10 not come to ask Justice, but
mercy. Ny brother is very Young, not
Set twenty-five, and he may reform al,
Ter ta.s fright. ! have tried to save him
by = sisters love and prayer, but there
were strUnger influences amongst hi
associate, outside his home, and he
went a.truy. | came to-day, hoping
YOU would release him if | paid the
money
You. | understood, pardon me-tha1
yvu taught music for Your own support.
That il true. | could not pay thu
money ut once or in Il large sum, bu
every month | could save a little
Monroe E~urn!ey wondered at himself
feeling the thrill OF delight that bel,
him ii the thought OF the frequent meet
iugs hi, acceptance OF the proposition
would involve. ! softening OF his iac,
encouraged Geneyra. who continued;
My class of scholars Is amongst poo
people who cannot pay high prices, bu
It You trust me l will bring the none,
As fast ~ | can vel it,
And vuur brother. Where will Ii
60
Before this trouble said Genevra
we had a letter from my mothers broti,
er in Kansas, offering to pay all m
brothers expenses, if he would joi
him and help t. carry on a large farr
there. Out OF the way of all city temp
t%atiOns, | hoped
The very thing
The kindly, cordial tone broke throug
Geucyra Wallace's forced calmness, an,
the tears rolled down her cheeks as sh
said. family
You will let him GO
Yes. He is my old friends son, an
l will not prosecute him, II you will a:
sumo III. debt
For he could not let her 90 altogethe
from him. He was a man nearly fit
n never before had his pulse quicker
ed to the sound of a woman voice. til
sight OF q w"nau's face.
Understand me-, he said, presently
i release your brother IIenr, upon tn
sole condition that he goes direct t
Kansas. lie must not remain here
i think he will 60 gladly. He
weak. and he feels his inability to resi-!
temptation
Henry Wallace eagerly accepted tt
condition Of his release. and left Il
Kansas with solemn promises OF reiorl
and future good conduct. Aud his 81
ter every month crossed the threshoI
Of Monroe Farmley's Office with the su'
that. by most rid sclt-lenial. she ha
saved from her hard earnings. /
\ noted with dreary pam that She gre
paIer, thinner. and shabbier at ever i
teryiew, and the money seemed to fHi
ly blister his fingers rs he counted
tput.
But when he thought to tell her
&ne no more. his courage failed hin
III ear rolled away and the news fro
5Efks,as was COMMUNICATIONS Wa
5kky,.,s becoming a steady, hard-wor,
N1HsH1ler, but Is yet had no control
|HH1z0EHi}u Monroe Farnley had spo'
MINIMUM OF his many lady friend
IfsfHfaWI1IA exerted themselves to fin
eEkVEdfHME hi Her class i
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