Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-11-16

had to be dragged at Its heels. Yet
don't accuse me Of any responsibility
for your father g taking off He was the
author Of my existence. Like Franken-
stein, he built me up, bone by bone,
and was not content until he had made
q gigantic monster and had breathed
into my bony breast the breath of life.
Then, in order that might not afflict
his sight, he slowed me away in that
closet. Suppose I became the instru-
ment of his own undoing Is it not true
| that he was nevertheless the author Of
his own downfall2"
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 trihe obscure
4 What possessed my father to call into
being creature Of your disagreeable
i character 2"
"The almighty dollar, young man.
He created me in order that you might
inherit little more wealth. He did
not think, then, how I should one day
i sit astride his shoulders like an Old Man
| of the Sea, nor did he think that it was
possible for me to aff1ict 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"
ssAnd who was this bear1" asked
Gordon.
"a man named Hepburn"
Amy Hepburn 8 fatherf" 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. sit is not for me to moraliza.
Now that I've caught myself deliver
ing homily, I'll just take my depart
ure. Au revoir, my dear fellowl'
Hating at the closet door, the skele-
ton waved its adieu and disappeared
within. Gordon sat in his chair, deep
in thought, while his cigar burned it.
self out between his fingers.
At last he got up and shook his broad
shoulders as though freeing himself Of
q disagreeable burden.
Society has dared me-" he mutter-
ed, shut know my heart, now, and
I'll do as I pleased"
After Harry Gordon and Amy Hep
burn had been married and had re-
turned from their honeymoon Harry
brought his bride up stairs to his old
bachelors den and seated her in chair
"My dear, !" he said. 81 have a con-
fession to make to you. Ny father once
did your father grievous wrong, and I
have made myself the happiest fellow
in the world by 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 go rummaging about
inside.
what in the world are you looking
for, Harryf" she asked as he returned
to her side.
"I'm looking for something that does
not seem to be there-t the Gordon fam
lily skeleton, Amy. For the first time in
Is years it is not to be found in that
closet. "
Just then clanking tread was heard
in the hallway without, the door was
pushed slowly ajar and the skeleton
limped in, supporting itself on crutch
and looking very much the worse for
wear.
"There it isl'' cried Gordon. 'tWhat'a
the matter with you, old chaps Here.
sit down. I want to make you acquaint-
ed with my wife.
Ihe family skeleton cropped into q
chair and shook until it ratified like a
score of castanets.
.I'm done for, it groaned. "You've
fixed me, young man. I just dropped in
to say goodby forever. But don't intro
duce me to your wife. We've met be-
fore. /"
s'That's SO. Harry" said Amy. 81
know all about this family skeleton Of
yours Don't let it worry you. my
dear" and she threw her soft arms
about his neck. "Let the dead past bury
its dead. If we are happy. isn't that
enough9"
Enough, yesl" And he pressed a
rapturous kiss upon her fair cheek.
That kiss pronounced the doom Of the
Gordon family skeleton. Forthwith 1t
began to fade into thin. air, finally van
ishing and leaving not wrack behind.
Playing Poker by Wire.
Few outside the brotherhood Of the
key are aware that operators often
play poker over the wire. 1t is, never
theless, a fact, and the diversion is fair