The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-17


| or my Investigations and that same
evening, in his abrupt way though he
meant to be as kind as his nature would
| permit, told Flossie that she must give
the fellow up.
shall never forget how the sweet,
lovable girl was transformed in an in
slant, when l yentured to hint he was
not the kind of a man l wanted my
sister to marry.
| Yes, l know what kind of a man
you would like to have me marry" she
cried, stamping her foot, two red spots
glowing on either cheek "You would
tie me down to some old man like your
self, who thought of nothing but BUSH
ness and how to make money all his
life. 1 do not believe the horrid things
| you say about Harold. 1t is just your
mean, hard nature and hate you, do,
and l will never never forgive you"
| She burst into tears and rushed out of
| the room. Father and l looked at each
other for moment without speaking.
This was something outside of our reg
ular line of business. And then my
father, laying his hand on me affec-
| tionately, an unusual act for him, said:
well, my son, we have acted for the
best and | know your mother would ap-
prove of our course
Flossie kept by herself during the
next week, taking her meals after we
! had gone down to the office. 1t was
Friday night, and a nasty night it was,
with rain and sleet converting sidewalks
and streets into mass of brown slush.
We walked to business on pleasant days
| but had the carriage come for US when
the weather was disagreeable. On this
night as we were driven up to the front
door, we both noticed that the house
was uncommonlyA dark, no lights either
in the parlors or upon the upper story.
| Even although Flossie had sulked all
| the week since she sent Vandemburg a
| note of dismissal dictated by me, even
though avoiding u.s. she always lit up
/ the house before we returned at night
! and saw to it that there was d fire in
the smoking room.
1 FASTENED up the steps, followed more
slowly by my father. The door was
locked and on ringing, Roberts came
to the door with an anxious expression
upon his face that attracted my instant
attention
What is the matter?" inquired hur-
riedly.
This, sir, holding out a letter. Susan
she went up to Miss Florepces room an
hour ago and found the room dark, and
when she had lit the gas this letter, sir
was lying on the dressing table,
He held out a crumpled little note,
whose contents 1 could but guess too
well.
Dear Father and john" it read, 81
have gone away with Harold. We are
to be married tonight Goodbye. Flos
sie.''
In stories men rave and tear their
hair. This was real life. and 1 gave
expression to a big oath, which was
devoutly echoed by my father. Neither
of us mad any appetite for dinner and
we soon left the table for the smoking
room, where we sat, without a word
passing between US, until far into the
morning.. There is no need to go into
what l thought of during all those
| hours. Even hard-headed man of
business has some of the milk of human
kindness left in his nature. and
fathers love and a brothers love are
both something deep and true.
In the course of few days we heard
from Mr.. and Mrs. Vandemburg. They
were living in Chicago and were well
and happy. The letter said nothing else.
No prayer for forgiveness or appeal for
aid. We both wrote to her and a draft
on New York was inclosed in each let
ter. Both were returned in the due
course Of the week, with a curt letter
from his royal highness saying that
they were not in need for financial aid.
Neither of us thought of going on to
Chicago We went to our business the
and one day he complained of pains
about mis- heart and that night he was
found dead. | telegraphed to the last
address l had of Flossie, but received
no response. When the will of John
Norton, Sr., was admitted to probate,
the customary notice was inserted in
the papers and copies sent to the gen
eral delivery in Chicago, but no an
swer came. L was named as executor,
and by codicil made after Flossie left
US, [, together with President Coleman
Of the Hide and Leather bank, was
made trustee of the portion of the es-
tate that belonged to her. In desp.N a.
ton, detectives were employed to as
certain, If possible, the whereabouts of
Harold Frederick Vandemburg and
Florence Norton Vandemburg. The de-
tectives found that they had left Chica-
go on west-bound train and had
reached San Francisco. There all trace
| Of them was lost.
Christmas time drew near again, and
on the evening before the day of
peace on earth, good will to men, |, was
sitting in the old smoking room, in
my accustomed chair, with the big
where it used to be. My thoughts wan
dered back to the Christmas eve OF q
year ago and how much had happen
ed since then. Roberts, with his
| noiseless step, came in with the de-
canter and cigars just as he had done
for the last twenty years, and in his
hand he also carried letter. 1 took
| it quickly from his hand and tore OPP
en- the envelope. Roberts did not leave
the room but stood a respectful dis
lance away waiting for something 1
didn't notice him then, for all my at
tention was absorbed on the letter.
Dear Jack-I am alone here in Chi
cago without money. Will you forgive
me-" Forgive her. God forgive me-
The letter dropped from my hand to
the floor and Roberts picked it UP and
for the first time in his life outstepped
| the decorous bounds of his life. He
| read the letter, and turning quietly to
me, although the tears were
streaming down his face said:
| Il will look in tn paper and
see wnen the next train goes to
| Chicago, and get out your clothes"
! He left the room softly, while l
stood there trembling and uncertain.
I seized the decanter, and pouring out
| several glasses of wine, drank
! them hurriedly down. The stimulant
served to brace me up and 1 rushed
| from the room to my own apartment,
there to find Roberts busy with my
things 1.-THE train goes in half an
| hour" he said, as he began to help me
into my clothes. He had already tele-
phoned for a carriage, and it seemed
but a moment before 1 was in the
midst of the hurry and hustle of the
| station, incident to. the departure of
many trains. l don't remember any
incidents of my trip. I was only
thinking of little F'lossie alone in
great city and waiting for her big
brother to come to her. Although the
train was the fastest one from New
York to Chicago, l knew it would be
midnight of the next day before I