Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-09-14

One must ADMIRE as well as love the
man one marries. How can one adj
mire the individual who saunters
through life as though charity fair?
His degrees cntitle him to a univer.
sity professorship, His fathers vari
Gus interests in many places call for
his personal supervision. There is so
much to do before he may confidently
ask a woman to give to him herself
life, body and soul. But / wish-oh,
how | wish"
Aldrich put the letter in his pocket.
He CROPPED for his hat and gloves land
cOat-went out into the fresh spring
afternoon. Then he remembered the
unfinished poem. He returped-made
it with the glove and other little treas
ures into a packet, which he put in his
breast pocket Half an hour later he
stood in the luxuriously appointed
room of a great city bank. & Asmeets
| ing of the directors had just ended.
His father was leaving.
whats up, Lander? You look
queer"
'T'm all right, sir. l want a word
with you, though. Now will do as
we'll as any time. Whom were you
thinking of sending down to establish
| the branch of our house at Manila"'
II did think of Peterson, but I'm
afraid he has signed with the other
people?
"Will you trust me to go, fatherT'
you" The elder mans haggard
face lighted up-then fell. You're
not capable of the task, my boy. It's
tremendous one"
Landor smiled with pale lips-but
the smile was winning. You should
have more confidence in my fathers
son." he protested, gently.
The words warmed the old mans
heart like wine. His eyes blinked up
at his boy. "By George" he cried,
II believe you've got it in you! I've
had doubts of you. Let that pass. You
shall 60, with full and absolute au
thOrity."
And there was a new elasticity in
the gait Of the commercial magnate
as he took his sons arm and went
down to his carriage.
The following day note came to
Landor-a formal, demure little note:
Dear Mr.. Aldrich-I find l failed
to send you yesterday my line of
thanks for those violets. Will you
take the belated gratitude now? There
was q mistake somewhere. Always
sincerely yours,
katherine ClermOnt."
But the news that he was to as
sumo control of his fathers business
in the Philippines had been made pub
lie in the newspapers before he saw
her again. Then it was TO say good
by. The hand she gave him was cold
as ice-but she looked up at him with
steady, unfaltering hazel eyes.
"You are really going, then? 1t
was no newspaper canard? How we
shall miss yOu"'
81 hope YOU will. May / write to
you. Katherine?'. He had never called
her Katherine till now.
Eyes, indeed. But Pm a laggard
| correspondent. GoOd-by."
There has not been since the OPEN
| ing up of the islands an affair which
so interested the business men of Chi
cago and other cities as did the sue
cess of the great branch house of the
Aldrichs in Manila.
"a boy of twenty-seven at the head!'
the wise ones commented. 1t seems
impossible that he should have shown
such acumen-such ability. BY the
time he returned for a brief vacation,
more than year later, the business
was booming. But the man who came
back was not the boy who had gone
away. He showed the strain of con-
centration, deprivation, hard, cOnsci
entious work. Katherine Clermont
met him for the first time after his
return at a great social function. She
was all in ripping gown that swirled
its black waves about her feet with
peoples garlanding her beautiful
shoulders. The room went round
when she caught sight of him. How
changed, but
katherine! Come away! How
good you were to write-though so sell
domr
do you know you are almost a
hero?" she cried, Quizzically. "All the
old men are talking about the way
you worked-and the results. l am
proud I know your
He had been i'll and lonely, and of
ten depressed! Now the gates OF
heaven stood open.
you know why have come back!'
he whispered. ITO think that if II
were not for letter | CHANGED tt
read, l might be incoming over verses
In an Office still-a letter it was not
intended l should read"
Her white lips lifted. How do you
know 1t was not intended for you tn
read" Then she laughed softly ana
long. He wondered why.-Buffalo En-
quirer.
Proposed Celebration.
A national celebration of the 200tt