The Globe-republican., 1900-10-25

~ room and fIiunlined the we'll
filled bookcases. His hand lay /
held the text of bill 1904. which would be |
nut on Thursday for final passage There /
had been a sudden, sharp Illness since his
last appearance In the Legislature He
had missed the progress Of the bill out
eff committee and through the assembly,
but he would be in his seat to take part
in the decisive vote in the upper house
In point OF interest to the people, not
only in his city, but the whole OF
zhe state. 1t would be the most important
legislation Of the session II II became a
law q franchise would be granted to
rzaerciless railroad company TO operate a
lire through crowded taorougnfare- st
James avenue curved tortuously across
the most denseIy populated portion of the
.sfty a lready the lives CT pedestrians were
eadan gered at the frequent car crossings
and the residents of the enighborhood had
dFa~n up q monster petition begging safe
~ for their children
The outcome of the situation was await
ed eagerly II was believed that the vote
of Senator Tounnans might pass the bill
deefat II He had spent his few days
OF conva1escence in posting himself
the debates ne had missed lie was con-
scious OF his power and duty. 50 the hard
est part of his Illness had been the
thought that he might not recover in time
90 make the journey to the state capital
and record his vote.
He beside the table with his hands
covering his eyes and his elbow the
blue pamphlet. when his thoughts were
interrupted by a knock az the door
Come in.'' he cried
The whits-capped maid entered with a
silver tray. There was card upon It
The senator frownsd impa tiently- Il told
Scu, Margaret, that I could not see any
one to-day" He glanced at the card
Mfr. Jacob Rial never heard OF him
Tell him cannot see him.
The girl flushed a silver dollar she
-ciasped In her hand made her urge the
<Esitor's cause HE seemed very urgent
you, sir. He said he must see you,
that it was matter OF life or DEATH
Life or DEATH repeated the senator.
aFr EEesH1 EzFl h i'm
minutes. Make MIN realize. Margaret,
that I'm not quite myself yet, as well as
unusually busy
The girl returned in a few minutes to
usher in a small, prosperous-looking man
with keen eyes and a bald forehead
You kind grant i've MINUTES.
senator he said courteoUs1y. IT think
put my business into that time |
represent the st. James Avenue Railroad
C. npany. May L ask you if you will be
in your seat Tomorrow
Il hope to be we'll enough to make the
Journey
May ask how you propose 20 vote on
the St. James avenue bih2'
II reading it just you came in
have not made up my mind yet
I'VE want your vote said Rial earnest
~. There is everything in favor Of the
Dill It will be a great convenience to
people of the city. besides it means
xhe Improvement and appreciation in VAL
of miles of property My 1--WE minutes
up I'll simply say this. We hold the
deeds Of the Morton estate at the north
ern boundary of the proposed road II
the bill passes tomorrow that property
will worth $1Oo. 900 I authorized to
leave these deeds with you, and to say
they be turned into cash without your
name appearing in the transaction. Good
morning. senator. I wish You q speedy
recovery to health
The man bowed and closed the library
door behind him. The senator heard his
footsteps on the stairs. He crossed the
room with the package of papers in his
hand His first impulse was to call him
back and return the St James avenue
aoor slam His visitor had gone
The senator returned to his large, COM
portable chair and laid the deeds OF the
Morton estate beside the blue pamphlet
He sat staring into the FIRE The greedy
DANES were creeping stea1thily about q
fresh log. which Missed and spiuttered re
eeiIiotsly. They vrtthed around II, then
Ieaped into one tail. red blaze The fire
was victor, the fresh log was glowing
mass of fame. There only one
thought In the senator's mind; he was re-
heating 1T over and over again few
-zords-one hundred thousand dollarst
John YouTrans compare lively
S>oor man He had married twenty years
ago on leaving college. then had been am
xstious enough to seek a practice IN
large city. The children had come fasi
xin there Ave boys in ten years
They had been ten very hard years-ye
tiIIed with happiness He looked up ten
Derby at e portrait OF a sweet-faced vgoIn
an that hung over the mantle. One coult
read conStaucy and true vvonanly courage
IN the gentle mouth and the beautiful
eyes She had helped him. bravely through
when success and honor began to cons
she had been very proud of him and 81
Happy: every day Of her life had been al
inspiration
It seemed - lifetime instead of tw'
years since she had gone His memor!
went back 60 that day when it was al
over: when he had kissed the stilf. whit
face and the folded hands He hai
come alone to this room to sit wher
ne did now staring with dry eyes at tn
flaming logs He had stayed here mo
THN for ha re
xhe door ope1led and someone stole in t
xav a tiny. sleeping creature in his arms
II was Rachel. the little daughter 70
whom they had lcnsed eagerly H
Sdid not He sat gazing at tn
small. waxen face and the pink fingers
They looked like the cruuapled petals {
= s.f1ryxarthexnurn he had carried HON
that morning to put beside his w1fe's beS
Some one returned to carry away III
baby. when IL opened its eyes and waile
family. but its soft dress was staine
with tears
John Youuavs could never forget thos
lonely. silent hours His I'VE manly boy
49, -