The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-08
Leverett. wei 90 10 business.


Lcvere;t having taken Il seat ara little
distance from him. the tragedial felt
less perturDed. and was able to make a
faint show of resistance.
This is all very wei, dear boy, no
doub-," he began. But do not rec
ognize your right to come here and
hector me as to what l shall or shall
not do with nv own affairs" Lcverett
made a movement in his chair, and Mr..
Bassett added hastily. with depreca-
tory hand outstretched toward him, Il
am willing to make fitting provision
for her. have been 4 good and tender
father to her for twenty years. Until
this most unhappy dispute (his hand
kerchief came out AGAIN. ''arOse between
us, never crossed her Will in anything.
And here / interfered," Che removed
the handkerchief .'oniy to prevent her
from attaching herself to pronigate
with whom she would have been
wretched.
Meaning Jack Cameron" asked
Leverett Now | know them 10th,
Bassett, and that sort of talk won't DO
with me. Jack worth a hundred of
the fellow you wanted, and you wanted
him siIsply and purely because he was
a man with money and might have
made things nice for yon.
Il acted for the best" said Mr.. Bas-
sett. resorting . the handkerchief
again. And if .. night somewhat
oyerstepped the bounds of parental au-
thority, and perhaps | did, it was in
tended for the girls good. and | never
meant her to take me at my word.
Il believe that, said Leverett, nod
ding at him. You'd bully up to the
last point where YOU dared, | know. :"
The visitor seemed TO have an amazing
ly poor opinion Of his host. But now
We'll 20 to business. Your daugh-
ter won't come back to you again. In
the course OF year or two she may
learn to bear the sight of you if you be
have yourself, for blood's thicker than
water. when alls sad and done. But
at present she can't come back again.
ami she won't. Now, the landlady will
have her things ready by and b., and |
shall take 4 four-whecler and carry
them home. and You'll make her de-
cent allowance. How much?"
not himself He desired t. be liberal
He would look to his affairs and let
Leverett know by an early poSt-prob-
ably tomorrow. He begged an old
friends kindest construction for a
thOughtless speech on the part of an
angry father. too seriously interpreted
bv willlul child. He sent the kindeSt
messages 10 his daughter, and accom-
panied them b. u request for her for
givenesS.
Now look here, BasSett," said Lev
erett, finally. If you break your prom
Use by letter, Il post you in every
theatrical club in London. Behave
yourself, and we try TO keep things
quiet.
i will do everything" said Bassett,
rising with a vacant look and stretch
ING out his hands as if things were not
clear TO him. But | have been up all
night in great agitation, dear boy, and
! can't think now, and and feel q
very extraordinary sense OF ia 'ntnes>.
Horace, dear boy. the VIII 'sky's in the
cupboard. He sank back upon the
sofa, BREATHING heavily.
Now, by the living lingo" cried
t.everett. ''rE cane the life out of you.
You amazing humbug."
But Mr.. Bassett's faintnesS turning
out to be a real thing, in spite of the
theatrical tricks by which it was accom-
panied. his guest helped him to a
glass of whisby-and-wate and saw
him gradually revive. The fact was
that the great TRACED an, after thirty
years practice, was helpless to svO d
the manneriSms of his profession. and
it is probable that when he dies he will
have half-eonsciousness, at least, of
do NO it in becoming attitude.
''Leyerctt, he said, family, Il cant
play tonight, dear boy. Ring the he'll.
mu>t have a doctor, and sead round 4
certificate. | will do Whatever you
think best. dear boy, but can't think
about it now"
'Eell, l can see that you're seedv.
BaSSett." said the pitileSs Leverett.
and so you deserve TO b. after what
you've done. 1 wish | could think it
was your conscience at work, that 5
all"
In the course OF a half-hOur or so
Mr.. Levere departed triumphantly
with 4 CARLOAD of luggage, and i'll due
time arrived ut Mazda Vale with it, to
the great establishment of the house
hold, who had been kept in ignorance
of his intent.
Mr.. Montgomery Bassett kept his
promise, and liberal share of his week
II income was set apart for his daugh-
ter'S Use. leYerett. in return. kept his
prom Sc, and for awhile the theatrical
word heard nothing of the great ira
gedian'S m;sbehav:or. Bat Mary BaS-
Sctt. though as little of Il gossip as ever
lived, hal, in tie agitation of their lrst
meeting, revealed enough to make
Matilda Levcrett wish for more What
Matilda knew Mr.. Cassidy knew. AMI
William was so instant and earnest in
his proclaim ton of Jacks faith that
Matilda could do no less than carry
his reports to Mary. In this wise the
full sum of Montgomery Ba sett' 5
dOingS became known to his daughter,
and nothing on earth could stop Cas-
dy'S tongue. The committee of the
Cannibals requested Mr.. Bassett to re-
move his name from the club books,
and the committee of the Footlights
followed suit.
All this brought about, or helped to
bring about, mournful results for Mr..
Montgomery BasSett. Men who had
been jealous Of him.-and the worl be-
hind the footlights is no freer of jcal-
ousy than the world of music. or Jour
naliSm, or painting, or authorship
were glad of chance 10 snub him and
show MIN co d shoulder. He dropped
perfUrce ont of his old way of LObnob-
b.ng with the critics, and out of sight
was out of mind. In these circum-
stances it seemed natural to have more
frehuent racnnrSa than ever to SEQ Oh