The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-08-10

buster, he piled it vigorously above the
cleaning white bones.
"A-choo!" he sneezed, dropping the
duster and falling into his chair.
"You onght not to neglect Ine," said
the skeleton. Pm one of the family
and should be treated as such. Now,
| then, let's have chat"
The skeleton crossed his bony legs
| and settled back comfortably.
"Will it do me any good to have
chat with you?" queried Gordon.
THAT remains to be seen. 1t used to
do your father good. Why, it was my
custom to visit him every night. As he
sat before that table there, writing, Id
sneak out of that closet, come quietly
up behind him and put an arm caress-
ingly about his neck" The skeleton
| laughed, working his bony jaws with
| succession of cracking sounds that
made Gordon SILVER.
"You succeeded well in shortening
my fathers life" returned Gordon,
gloomily. "Under your tyranny he
sunk into his grave long before his
time"
so he did, so he did, and he passed
me on to you with the rest of his prop
erty, real and personal. 1t was rich
inheritance, my dear boy, even though
| / had to be dragged at its heels. Yet
don't accuse me Of any responsibility
| for your fathers taking Off. He was
| the author of my existence. Like
Frankenstein, he built me up, bone by
| bone, and was not content until he had
! made a gigantic monster and breathed
| into my bony breast the breath of life.
| Then, in order that | might not af1lict
his sight, he slowed me away in that
| closet. Suppose | became the instru-
ment of his own undoing? is it not
| true that he was. nevertheless, the
| author of his own downfall?'
'Your logic seems to be as merciless
as it is correct" answered Gordon, with
knitted brows. Still there are some
points relating to your history ON
which my mind is a trifle obscure.
What possessed my father to call into
being creature of your disagreeablo
| character?'
1.-The almighty dollar, young man.
He created me in order that you might
| inherit n little more wealth. He did
not think then how ! should one day
sit astride his shoulders like an old man
of the sea, nor did he think that it was
possible for me to affiict his son. For
obvious reasons my relations with you
are not so intimate as they were with
your worthy father. | was evolved out
| of the wheat pit of the board of trade.
| Your father was bull, and he merci-
lessly gored both life and fortune out
of a certain bear who was not nimble
enough to get out of his way"
"And who was this bear?' asked Cor
| don.
"A man named Hepburn"
"Amy Hepburns father" murmured
the young man, rubbing his hand across
his brow in an effort to remember.
Eyes, Hepburn lost every penny he
had in the world through that disas-
trous wheat deal. He was forced into
| bankruptcy, and, unable to bear the dis
| grace, took his own life. His money
went to increase the store your father
| left you, my boy, and it is now possible
| for you to live in luxury while Hep
burns wife and children must struggle
on as best they can. However" and the
skeleton got up and started back to its
closet, lit is not for me to moralize.
Now that I've caught myself delivering
homily, I'll just take my departure.
Au revoir my dear fellow"
Hating at the closet door, the sllele-
ton waved its adieu and disappeared
within. Gordon sat in his chair, deep
in thought, while his cigar burned itself
out between his fingers.
At last he got up and shook his broad
shoulders as though freeing himself Of
a disagreeable burden.
Society has dared me, he muttered,
but | know my heart now, and I'll do
as please!"
After Harry Gordon and Amy Hep.
| burn had been married and had re-
turned from their honeymoon, harry
brought his bride upstairs to his old
| bachelors den and seated her in chair.
MY dear" he said, Il have confess
sion to make to you, My father once
did your father grievous wrong, and
have made myself the happiest fellow
in the world undoing it. However, as
we are not to have any secrets from
each other, you must know about this"
| A look of establishment came into
Amy's blue eyes as she watched her
| husband proceed TO the closet, throw
open the door and so to rummaging
about inside.
what in the world are you looking
for, Harry?" she asked, as he re-
| turned to her side.
I'm looking for something that
doesn't seem to be there-the Gordon
| family skeleton, Amy. For the first
time in Is years it is not to be found in
| that closet
just then clanlling tread was heard
in the hallway without, the door was
pushed slowly ajar and the skeleton
limped in, supporting itself on a crutch
and looking very much the worse for
wear.