Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-30

! DLAY|NG6 THE PART ~ s
OF THEspRlNCE ||1 $
.ec ;t A THANKsGrvING sTok9 ss
sLya s1gaa s. BY HOWARD FIELDING 2S
COPYRIGHT, 1893, BY c. W. AookE. |E e
COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY c. W. HookE.
A THANKSGIVING STORY
BY HOWARD FIELDING

ger, and that's disadvantage. Now, for
instance, who are your next door neigh
bors?"
II live in bachelor apartment house,"
replied the young man. It's more con.
venient for NE, as my fathers house is
closed most of the time. My people are
in Europe or Newport or somewhere else
eight or ten months in the year."
well, who are some of the other bach
elors in this place where you live?" in
CURED the deacon.
II, don't know many of them" answer
ed Ridley.
."Qniet, sober, respectable people?" ask
ed the deacon.
Ridley could not suppress smile, for
Brastow's adjectives were not precisely
those that he would have chosen in de-
scribing the tenants Of the Cecil apart
ments.
II really know very little about their
private life," he confessed. 1--WE let each
other alone, as a rule"
You don't know them, and they don't
know you." said the deacon. "Now,
merely for the sake Of the argument,
We'll suppose that you wanted to be
burglar or highwayman. Would any
one of them know anything about it?"
Not till they read about it in the news-
papers" said Ridley frankly.
How does the man who lives right in
the next room to you spend his even
| ings?" queried the deacon blandly.
Heaven knowsw exclaimed the young
man. II haven't seen him in six
| months"
"Such thing couldn't happen here"
said Brastow. Here every one lives in
| the sight of his neighbors, and his repu-
tation is founded upon every act of his
from boyhood up"
"Bnt l also have reputation" re-
I sponded Ridley warmly. Inquire of my
business acquaintances on the street and
see if you can hear of any act of mine
| that has not been strictly honorable"
'There is young man who keeps a
store across the street." said the deacon.
| 'fIis name is Sargent, Samuel Sargent's
son. have an idea that he is rather
sweet on Angela and may come some day
to see me, as you have done. Suppose I
knew no more about him than what the
clerk in his store sees between 8 o'clock
in the morning and in the evening.
| Would l feel sure that he was proper
husband for Angela?"
Ridley felt the perspiration starting
was engaged in struggle where defeat
was not to be thought of. He had a
passing vision of Angela, and it helped
him. 81
( II did not make New York" said he,
/ "nor ask to be born there. Would you
deny marriage to all its inhabitants? ?"
"They might marry among them
selves" said the deacon gently. II don't
mean that to be offensive, but you and I
on such subject as this must say what
we think"
"As for myself" said Ridley, II can
not do the impossible, but if you will
come to New York will give you every
opportunity to look me up. Here and
now can only say that have no skele-
tons in my closet and that l love your
daughter. I might speak of certain ma
terial advantages, butt
"Why not2' asked Brastow. "They
are important. You are very rich man,
4 and you could do good deal for Angela.
If this were matter Of business, there
would be only one answer could make.
But it isn't. My daughter has never
lacked food or shelter, and while am
| spared she never shall. Neither has she
lacked good, healthy, moral surround
ings and while have any voice in
choosing them she never shall"
| amen" said Ridley heartily, and then
there was pause while the two men
faced each other in the gathering shad-
ows.
deacon Brastow," said Ridley at last,
"what shall l do to convince you that
am the right sort of MANI"
II don't know" said the deacon slow
~. "You might come down here and
live year or two among us"
I'D like nothing BETTER" said Ridley,
"but my business interests
There it is again." the deacon inter-
rupted. I'm New York It is all business.
You will live in one world and your wife
In another. How many men in New
York go home to break bread with their
families in the middle of the day? How
many pass two evenings week at their
own fresides? You have no homes there
unless among the poor"
] MY parents are happily married,
and
"And spend from two to four months
year under their own roof Where are
they enjoying this day of thanks, il it's
q fair question:"
"My mother and my younger sister are
In Italy or on their way across" said
Ridley, my other sister has gone to
Smith college, and my father is in San
Antonio, Tex, on little matter of bust
ness"
1 ~ don't think Angela would like that
kind of Thanksgiving day, that way of
/ living" said the deacon.
Let us be clear upon one point" de-
| clared the young man-"whatever An
/ gela likes is law of nature, so far as
am concerned. She shall make such
home as pleases her. And as for my
business, let me tell you that affairs in
Wall street will be In condition to
make Black Friday pleasant recollec-
tion when they take my thoughts away
| from her"
WELL" said the deacon doubtfully as
he stroked his scanty gray beard, "that
sounds encouraging. After this little
talk don't feel quite the same as 1 did.
In fact, for your sake rather hope that
Angela will change her mind"
"Will - change = her - mindw echoed
1 Ridley in a tone of horror. "You don't
mean to say she has already decided?"
The deacon seemed about to answer
with some real disclosure. Then he
checked. the impulse and said: