Daily camera., 1901-06-21
The Pride of a Name
by John Castor.
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Copyright. 1901. by Authors syndicats)

NTHEN within two weeks after
w her fathers death Helen Parker
returned to Bradyvile the wife of
Millard French, cx-convict. the social
fabric of the town certainly was
strained. There always was some
thing dreadfully mysterious about
the Parkers. The community had
whispered about them for half CEN
tury.
But heretofore the gossip had been
founded upon speculation, inspired
chiefly by the eNclusiveness main
tanned by Philip Parker, the owner of
! the great Parker estate. lie had
moved along the pathway OF life,
neither seeking nor giving friendship.
Now the action of the daughter in
leaving the parental estate and re-
| turning n few days later, the wife of
/ the man who had been convicted of
cmbezzling from her father after en-
joying his fun trust and confidence,
gave an edge TO the gossip which
/ Bradyvillc was no. slow to grasp.
/ Speculation was easy but facts diff
cult TO obtain, for the newly mar
ricd pair had secluded themselves
provokingly in the privacy of their
estate. Whereupon Bradyville gave
full vent to its imagination and its
tongues.
But IL Bradyville had only known
the truth it would have realized what
puerile fancies these whispered tales
were. For back of the incidents upon
which the people were trying to con-
s,ruct n scandal was a series of the
mos, thrilling of tragedies. I tell of
them now, knowing that the recital
can do no living person any harm.
Parker was the son Of an English
gentlcman-a second son-and he
came TO America to enjoy possibil-
titles his unfortunate sequence in
birth denied him in his own country.
He acquired a landed estate. the value
of which increased with the years.
Upon his fathers death he was
wcll-cducated, handsome, proud-spir-
tied youth, with an ample income, an
inherited self-esteem and pride of an
ccstry and consuming passion
(born, perhaps. of his fathers long
repression of the pride OF BIRTH to
keep his name above and beyond the
familiarity of the common people
about him. He despised and dis
dancd the simple folk Of the COM
rauniiy. He fulfilled his duties ms
citizen and was prodigal in his char
ity, but he kept his fellows at dis
tance. He married when well along
in years. and before his wife's death
she presented him with daughter.
For many years these two. with the
servants. were the only members of
the great house.
One day in 1884. when Philip Parker
was 45 years of age, he was in
BradyviIle attending to some busi-
ness when the first incident in this
series of tragedies took place. 1t was
| the week of the county fair and the
town was throngcd with people, Late
/ in the afternoon Parker entered the
/ tavern, as was his custom. to drink
[ n mug Of ale before returning to his
/ home. The room was filled with
roistering crowd. Among them was
Peter Mack. cattle buyer. who
| pridcd himself on his shrcwdness in
driving n bargain and on his personal
strength. Catching sight of Parker,
who was always Immediately dressed
and whose aristocratic face betrayed
I = N - AA al
lurchcd toward him and greeted him
with offensive familiarity. Referring
to a recent purchase OF cattle, Mack
with \ sneer told Parker how he had
bcttered him.
"Ye think We are the whole thing
with yer white face and woman's
hands and yer money" said he, with
an oath, "but ye amt man enough to
deal with Peter Mack"
Parkcr's face never changed express
sion as he replied in an even voice:
Being in the habit of dealing with
honest people, I do not watch the
person with whom trade. However,
l. -. rn,:e-: LEGATIONS to you for in
forming me that you are thief. and
I shall give orders to set the dogs on
you should you ever enter my prem
ises again."
The crowd stood aghast. Mack
was the "bully" of the county, was
always looking for trouble and his
voice and stature were terrors to
timid souls. The cool insult Of Park
er made him frantic. He stepped for
ward and yelled:
"What's that ye say? What's-d'ye
know who ye are talking to?"
Without glancing at him Parker
pocketed the change handed him by
the barkeeper and started toward the
door. But Mack, by this time beside
himself with rage, leaped forward
and struck him in the face. In an in
slant all the aristocratic calm van
ished from Parker's features. His
face grew purple and his veins stood
out like whipcords as he turned on
his adversary. A dozen men leaped
between them, and it was all they
could do to prevent Parker from hurl
ing himself upon his foe. Pr"~ently
however, he calmed down and walked
deliberately to the door and wen'
home.
Some weeks later Peter Mack wa!
found dead on the highway, killed BY
knife which had reached his heart
instantly the name Of Philip Parker
was connected with the affair, bu
investigation developed the fact tha
Mack had large sum of money will
him at the time he was murdered ant
thatit was gone when the body wal
/ found. This served to dissipate tn