The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-12-12

| Ii
command him to rest. Was she smil-
ing down on him now as she had smil-
ed down upon him then and as she al
most seemed to smile upon him from
the lifeless canvas?
-Four and twenty years, and here he
sat, an old man, preparing a wedding
gift for their son who was to be mar
ried tomorrow. A gift for their son!
Yes, yes. 1t was custom-foolish per-
| haps. He would give him a check for
500. 1t was a tidy sum and pretty
nearly as much cash as the boys IA
ther had when he married. A hundred
dollars! Surely liberal gift for-for
their boy. Their boy!
He bent forward suddenly and dip
ped his pen in the ink. 1t was strange
how dim the lines on the check SEEM
Ell. He wrote the date. Four and
twenty years ago. Why, the room
seemed full of her! Was she leaning
over his shoulder again? He slowly
made the figure "1" and the two ci-
pners. Their boy. Was that the touch
of her soft, cool hands on his? Was
was she guiding his pen? The lines
, were dim indeed as he slowly wrote.
, Then he paused and stared down at
his work and carefully added his sig
nature.
He dropped back in his chair and
brushed his hand across his eyes and
for moment was very still. When he
looked up again at the portrait, he
smiled. Then he brisklH tore out the
check, pushed back the book, shut
down the desk and, seizing his hat,
= was off.
! Ten minutes later he confronted the
: serious faced teller of the Sixth Ma
tional and thrust the check at him
$ across his plate glass shelf.
Certify that, please" he said in his
III crisp way.
' The teller picked up the slip of pa
J., per in his preoccupied manner and
$ glanced at it. Then his face suddenly
!, beamed.
why, that's finer he cried and GER
t titled it in hurry.
Obed said nothing.
1t was a quiet little home wedding
0 Only the relatives were present, but
there was such a lot of them on the
Truman side. 1t was a nice wedding
if it was quiet. The house was beau
Z titled with flowers and vines and rib
bons under the supervision of the sis
e ter who was in the school of art, an(
II everybody looked quite happy, includ
s ing the younger Trumans, who wer,
e bearing up bravely.
Arthur took his father with him t.
s. the house and then left him in the hal
$ in charge of an usher.
"There is usually, l think" salt
q Obed to the usher, "a place set asid,
g for the gifts to the-the happy pair
Am l right?"
D You are" said the smiling usher
q '"This way" And he led him up stair
q to the little room where the modes
y gifts were displayed. Fortunately 70
J. Obed there was nobody in the apart
-e ment at the moment, and when tn
e usher's back was turned he slipped tn
'e check from his pocket and laid it ur
W der the edge of a plaque on the table
Is Then he softly stole down stairs.
W After the ceremony he came slowl
O. forward, following the others who ha
TO offered their congratulations, and too
his sons hand and pressed it warmly
le Then he turned to his new daughter
II surprised at a look that passed be
10 tween the happy pair and wonderin
IS. what it meant.
he Father Jarrett" said Alma as sh
T. raised her face and the old man quit
II without forethought stopped and kis:
T. ed her; "Father Jarrett, you kno'
le that nobody can refuse a brides n
lie quest. And Arthur and l want you t
IN promise to come and live with us jus
ID as soon as we are settled in our fiat"
to 'No, mol" said the astonished Obet
cd IL should be in your way"
ed "That's no answer" said Alma. "Sa
We at least that you will come and try it.
a The old man hesitated. She certain
OF ly was dear girl.
IT. Il will promise to try it," he smi
- ingly said, and somehow his heart fe
up lighter than it had for many years.
lie "And to think" he muttered to hin
r. self as he stepped back, that she il
ct vited me without knowing a blesse
;e. thing about that checkv'
at A few moments later his son calle
to him.
"Father," he said, "come up with 1
and look at the presents. It's a goo
us time. Everybody is busy talking. an
ny Alma wants you to see how nice an
kind her friends have BEEN"
," So they went up to the little roor
and there Alma began her rapid hi
,e tory of the gifts and their donors.
III Suddenly they were interrupted by
cry from Arthur. He had discovere
:, the check.
whats this!' he stammered. "Pa
p to the order of Arthur Jarrett S10,OO(
H. Why, fatherv'
ID Somehow the boys note of profour
eI surprise Jared little on the father
hu heart.
ca "Oh, oh! Now we can have hon
- Of our own!' cried the delighted gil
who was looking over Arthur's shor
o,, der. "But you know, Father Jarret
that you would have been just as we
come at the fiat"
. 'Yes, yes, l know" he answere
= Then he added a little brokenly:
want to be perfectly honest about tn
W money. One hundred dollars is fro