The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-01-27


Matthew came of Quaker stock i
the city of Brotherly Love; he wa
temperamentally sedate, and at So fel
himself quite a Methuselah. Besides
she had, so to speak, grown up at Mat
thew's knee he having stood to her ant
her brother in loco PARENTS for some
thing like twelve years-ever since Mat
thew's best beloved friend, Howard JOY
took his invalid wife away for a SCI
voyage, leaving his two children in tn,
good care of a maiden aunt, and hi
business affairs in the safe hands O.
Matthew Halliday, banker-even since
the good ship Aurora went down in {
/ fearful gale in the West Indies.
Aunt Patty tried to do her duty by
the children thus suddenly bereft, but
she was one of those dear, dumpy
yielding spiusters born to be the prey
| of youthful vandals. The young people
| loved her dearly, ruled her ruthlessly
and laughed at her little code of laws
for the order of their being
| 1t was at her hysterical behest that
Matthew stepped in at this juncture
and took the reins Of government 1t
was he who planned the education of
the children, and who, deaf to their
wailings kept them steadily to their
tasks. 1t was he, too, who made their
holidays glorious and gave them splen-
did rewards of merit
But now the term of Matthew's self
imposed guardianship was over. How
ard JOY, jr., had made a successful
startsin the world, and was quite ready
to give dear old Mat any pointers he
panIo1 1ifa in
AS for Miss Evelyn Russell Joy Gas
she invariably and unabbreviatingly
subscribed herself)-whcm Matthew
called Eve" or oftener Miss Idle
wild'-well she, too, had made a sue
ceasfu start in life after the manner
of girls. She was 10 Gust half my age.
Matthew often dismany refiected); she
had charm with all it's power of win
ming love; she was coquette to the fin
ger tips, and she was most fair 70 see.
Besides all this She was a little bit of
an heiress-and many SWANS came
riding by.
Matthew watched all this with a pa
tient sort of despair. Fool! he called
himself. with very hearty self-con-
tempt. girl who patronized, coaXed.
leased or snubbed MIN as though he
were an elderly relative! The man
who would subdue this Dear Lady
Disdain'' was some dashing hero who
would take her heart by storm.
She walked over him with ruthless
little feet and he was her patient, ador-
ing slave. Dreading her ridicule, and
desiring above all things to preserve
the status quo (wherein he enjoyed a
certain miserable species of happtness)
lie had never spoken a word of love to
her
She frankly told him all her love af-
fairs, often Cnnocently0 stabbing him
with her condolences, and beguiled him
Cor bullied HIM into disposing of her
adorers when they became troublesome.
This she required him to do by virtue
Of his whilom guardianship, the pres
tige of which sae carefully preserved
for such occasions.
She was the more dependent on Mat
thew in such matters, as Howard was
somewhat of a prig, and
very severe on her frivollties.
1t was to quash darling plan of his
pretty sisters that he stalked into Mat
thew's office one morning, his brow
wrinkled in a portentious frown.
Mat" he said, abruptly. lit seems
to me Evelyn has been spending money
ike the deuce lately. Haven't you
been letting her draw her interest
ahead of time?'-N
Matthew Redeemed guiltily. He still
had charge of Evelyns finances,
though the Joy property had been di
vided and Howard had drawn out his
share
Sometimes she has anticipated
little" he said slowly, but it is no
great matter.
But it is very bad for her." said
Howard, with parental air. You
know yourself, Mat, she has no more
dea of business than butterfly. She
ought to learn to live within her in
,ome And she is becoming quite reck- |
ess about money matters and-otner |
hings."
Matthew pricked up his ears. What
5ther things"
well, to tell you the truth, I think |
jhe has gotten into a rather fast set.
Matthew's Quaker hair rose. What +
10 you mean?" he asked, starting at |
Howard in alarm.
Why, it is chiefly that play writing
elbow. Duval. He has a comedy to be
brought out in New York next week,
nd about twenty young people here
roposa to make up a party for the
first night Evelyn is among them.
hey have a rather good chaperone,
S it happens. but"
she must not go, said Matthew.
Il thought you'd see it that way"
Toward replied with a satisfied air.
SO all you have to do when she de-
ly No You can do this. because
he has overdrawn her account"
rs that the only way?" he asked,
lille he thought with pang. Il must
efuse her-I must cause her disap-
ointment"
THE only way. tried to reason
18th her: Aunt Patty coaxed her-all
no effect. She is bent on going"
Two or three days after this visit of
oward's Miss Idlewlld went down
,wn to see Matthew in his office at
lie bank-"on business" as she said,
efore him, and what made it harder {
-eamed he would refuse her, so ac- 5
lstomed was she to his indulging' her I
cry whim.
Give the poor cripple a dime she
egan IN her absurd way.
Certainly. said Matthew with I
ave poIiteness, and he took a bright I
wv dime out of little roll of coins
esh from the mint and handed it to S
". So she looked little Disconnected l
I'd abandoned this method of attack !
Matthew. l am bankrupt, insolvent, '
reed to make an assignment" she /
id in a plaintive, spoiled-child tone. &
want some money-a lot of money. i
factor a very special purpose. / t
av I have it,
"A lot?" repeated Matthew. V
Yes. that is, at least hundred" \
Matthew looked grave. What is the
ecial purpose?" he inquired, fervent- s
hODing she would tell him all about h
. nroposed theater party.
That's a secret said Miss Idlewild ;,
TIL an air of mystery. !,
I can not let you have any money u
st now, Eve" he said gently, after
pause. and as he spoke he carefully
oided her eye and stared with rapt t
sorption at the carpet.
But. Matthew, I haven't any s.
,ney,' she said piteously, half laugh W
:. half embarrassed, and Howard is