The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-09-04

into his grave long before his time"
80 he did, so he did, and he passed
me on to you with the rest of his
property, real and personal 1t was
a rich inheritance, my dear boy, even
though l had TO be dragged at it's
heels. Yet don't accuse me of any
responsibility for your fathers TAX
ing of. He was the author of my ex-
istence. Like Frankenstein, he built
me up bone by bone, and was not con-
tent until he had made a gigantic
monster and had bEeathed into my
bony breast the breath of life. Then,
in order that L might not afflict his
sight, he slowed me away in that
closet. Suppose l became the instru-
ment Of his own undoing. Is it not
true that he was, nevertheless, the
author of his own downfall?"
your logic seems to me as merci-
less as it is correct" answered Cor
don, with knitted brows. "Still there
are some points relating to your his
tory on which my mind is trife OBJ
scure. What possessed my father to
call into being a creature of your dis
d2TeedDle cnaTdCteTf
THE almighty dollar, young man
He created me in order that you might
inherit little more wealth. He did
not think then how l should one day
sit astride his shoulders like the
Old Man of the Sea, nor did he think
that it was possible for me to af-
fict his son. For obvious reasons
Il -
mate as they were with your worthy
father. 1 was evolved out of the
wheat pit of the board Of trade. Your
father was a bull. and he mercilessly
gored both life and fortune out of
certain bear who was not nimble
enough to get out of his way"
and who was this bear?" asked
Gordon.
"a man named Hepburn"
Amy Hepburn's father?" muir
INJURED the young man, rubbing his
hand across his brow in an effort to
remember.
"Yes, Hepburn lost every penny he
had in the world through that dis
astrous wheat deal. He was forced
into bankruptcy. and, unable to bear
the disgrace, took his own life. His
money went to increase the store
your father left you, my boy, and it
is now possible for yon to live in
luxury while Hepburn's wife and chill
dren 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 moralize. Now that
I've caught myself delivering hom-
lily I'll just take my departure. Au
revoir, my dear fellowI"
4 Hating at the closet door, the skel-
eton waved it's 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 from a disagreeable burden.
Society dared me-" he muttered.
'but know my heart now and III
do as I please"
After Harry Gordon and Amy Hep
burn had been married and had re-
turned from their honeymoon, Harry
brought his bride upstairs to his old
bachelors den and seated her in a
chair.
my dear" he said, 81 have a con-
fession to make to you. Ny father
once did your father a grievous wrong.
and 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"
II 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 in
side.
what in the world are you looking
for, Harry?" she asked, as he returned
to her side.
I'm looking for something that
does not seem TO be there-the Cor
don family skeleton, Amy. For the
first time in Is years it is not to be
found in that closet"
Just then a clanking tread was
heard in the hallway without, the
door was pushed slowly ajar and the
skeleton limped in. supporting itself
on a crutch and looking very much
the worse for wear.
There it isl" cried Gordon. whats
the matter with you. old chap? Here,
sit down. l want to make you ac-
quainted with my wife"
The family skeleton dropped 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 good-by forever. But don't
introduce me to your wife. We've
met before"
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 it's dead If we are happy, isn't
that enough?"
Enough, yesl" And he pressed q
rapturous kiss upon her fair cheek.
That kiss pronounced the doom OF
the Gordon family skeleton. Forth
with it began to fade into the air
finally vanishing and leaving not &