Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-12-02

command MN 10 lISl. ", SIlt Slilll-
ing down on him now aS She had Smil-
ed down upon him then and Is she al
most seemed to smile UpCa him from
the lfclcsS canvas!
Four and twenty years. and here he
sat, an old man. preparing Il wedding
gift for their son who was to be mar
ried tomorrow. y gift for th"ir son.
Yes. yes. 1t WAS cuStom-fOoliSh per
hapS. He would give him check for
500. 1t was Il tidy sum and pretty
nearly as much cash AZ the boys IA
ther had when he married y hundred
dollars. Surely II liberal Glft 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 az" 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 a moment was very still. When he
looked up again at the portrait, he
smiled. y Then he briskly tore out the
oh hn Sl,,
down the desk and. scizing his hat,
was off.
Ten minutes later he confronted the
serious faced teller of the Sixth Ma
tional ana thrust the check ut him
across his plate glass shelf.
"Ccrtify that please" he said in his
crisp way.
The teller picked up the slip of pa
per in his preoccupicd manner and
glanced at it. Then his face suddenly
beamcd.
''Why, that's tine.' he cried and GER
titled it in Il hurry.
Obed said nothing
1t was Il quiet little home wedding
Only the relatives were present, but
there was such Il lot of them on the
Truman side. 1t was nice wedding
if it was quiet. The house was beau
tilted with flowers and vines and rib
bons under the supervision of the sis
ter who was in the school of art, and
everybody looked quite happy. includ-
ing the younger Trumans. who were
bearing ZIP bravcly.
Arthur took his father with him to
the house and then left him in the hall
i'll charge of an usher.
''Thcrc is usually. | think" said
Obcd to the usher, IA place set aside
for the gifts to the-the happy pair.
Am l right
You are" said the smiling usher
"This way" And he led him up stairs
to the little room where the modest
gifts were displayed. Fortunately for
Obrd there was nobody in the apart
m"nt nj the moment, and when the
uSll"r'S back was turned he slipped the
chcrk from his pocket and laid it I'M
der the edge of Il plaque on the table
Then he softly stole down stairs.
After the ceremony he came slowly
forward, following the others who had
offered their congratulations. and took
his sons hand and pressed it warmly.
Then he turned to his new daughter,
surprised at a look that passed be-
tween the happy pair and wondering
what 1t meant.
FEATHER Jarrett" said Alma as she
raised her face and the old man quite
without forcthought stopped and kiss
ed her; Father Jarrett, you know
that nobody can refuse a brides re-
quest And Arthur and want you to
promise to come and live with us lust
as soon as we are settled in our flat"
mo, no.. said the aStonished Obed
II should be in your way"
That's no answer" said Alma. Say
at least that you will come and try it,"
The old man hcsitatcd. She certain
ly was dear girl.
Il will promise to try it," he smil-
ingly said. and somehow his heart felt
lighter than it had for many years.
And to think" he muttercd to HIM
self as he stepped back. that she in
vited me without knowing blessed
thing about that check"
A few moments later his son called
to him.
"Father," he said, "comc up with us
and look at the presents. It's Il good
time. Everybody is busy talking. and
Alma wants you to see how nice and
kind her friends have been"
SO they went up to the little room,
and there Alma began her rapid his
tory of the gifts and their donors.
Suddenly they were interrupted by
cry from Arthur. He had discovered
the check
whats this." he stammcred PAY
to the order Of Arthur Jarrett $4,000?
Why, father
Somehow the boys note of profound
surprise Jared a little on the fathers
heart.
"Oh. oh. Now we can have a home
OF our own" cried the delighted girl
who was looking over Arthur's shoul-
der. "Rut You know, Father Jarrett,
that you would have been just as wei
come at the flat"
YES, yes, ! know" he answered.
Then he added little brokenly: Il
want to be perfectly honest about this
money. One hundred dollars is from
me and the rest from Arthur's moth
err"
They looked Mt him wonderingly. and
he turned suddenly away.
When he looked around he said with