El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-16

laQOS Oh us anu UrdW lue pen away
and turn him round in his chair and
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
fied tomorrow. A gift for their som
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
Their had when he married. 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
ed. 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-
piers. 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. Then he briskly tore out the
check, pushed back the book, shut
down the desk and, selling 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
crisp way.
The teller picked up the slip Of pa
per in his preoccupied manner and
glanced at it. Then his face suddenly
beamed.
"Why, that's finew he cried and GER
titled it in hurry.
Obed said nothing.
1t was a quiet little home wedding.
Only the relatives were present, but
there was such a lot Of them on the
Truman side. 1t was a nice wedding
II it was quiet. The house was beau
titled 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 up bravely.
Arthur took his father with him to
the house and then left him in the hall
in charge of an usher.
''There is usually, I think" said
Obed to the usher, "a place set aside
for the gifts to the-the happy pair.
Am 1 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 fof
Obed there was nobody in the apart.
ment at the moment, and when the
usher's back was turned he slipped tht
check from his pocket and laid it un |
der the edge of a 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, |
at a look that passed be-
tween the happy pair and wondering |
what it meant.
Father Jarrett" said Alma as she |
raised her face and the old man quite |
without forethought stopped and kiss
ed her; Father Jarrett. you know
that nobody can refuse a brides re-
quest. And Arthur and 1 want you to
promise to come and live with US just
as soon as we are settled in our fiat"
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 hesitated. She certain.
ly was a dear girl.
4 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 muttered to him.
self as he stepped back, that she in, :
vited me without knowing a blessed
thing about that checkr'
A few moments later his son called
to him.
Father" he said, ~come up with us
and look at the presents. It's a gooo
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 a
cry from Arthur. He had discovered
the check.
whats thisv' he stammered. PAY
to the order of Arthur Jarrett $1O,OOOt
Why, fatherv'
Somehow the boys note Of profound
surprise Jared little ON the fathers
heart.
"Oh, oh! Now we can have a home