Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-10-25
Grit That 80
Was In Hin,
BY WILLIAM wENDHAM
hT,HIS is the end, sir-do you hear,
.,aaptlpttdtt11taptrrttdrtsrt1r t1rH,
Copyright, 1901, by Authors syndicate)

the end, Leave the house and
never enter it again. | will pay these
Infamous bills, but they are the last.
Tomorrow l will advertise your shame
to the world and warn all men that
will never again pay debt that you
contract. Not one dollar of mine will
ever 90 into your hands" SO spoke
Godfrey Whitford to his only son and
heir, Earl.
"Where would you suggest that 1
go? suggested Earl in his lazy drawl,
crossing his aristocratic legs and lean
ing back in the chair. "As you know,
the present state of my finances does
not permit of trip abroad nor a
suite at the Union"
The old man flashed one blazing
glance at the younger from his keen
gray eyes and the square jaw became
more set than was usual.
"You may 60 where you please. Per-
haps the disreputable companions
with whom you have chosen to consort
can make some appropriate sugges-
tions."
an other words. may go to the
devil" remarked Earl.
"Exactly-or where you please" re-
piled the other. "Good day"
1t was the climax of long season
of wild oats by the boy, and which had
been borne with more or less impa-
tiently by the hard-headed millionaire.
He had long realized that Earl was
going rather swift pace and was
spending more money than was good
for a young man, but he had re-
fected that his son had been brought
up in an atmosphere of wealth and
luxury and he did not wonder that he
did not know the value of money. He
had hoped all along that he would set
tie down after his college days and take
hold of his business with him. But
when he returned from few months
trip abroad and was faced with bills
run by Earl during his absence he was
appalled,. The bills ran high into four
figures, and the boy began to show
signs of dissipation. There had been
q stormy scene, and Godfrey Whitford
had laid down the ultimatum.
This had been but four months be-
fore, and now again came another
batch of bills-only this time they
were all combined in one loan from a
money-lender, and the total exceeded
the amount that had so scandalized the
old man upon his return from Eu-
rope.
Earl Whitford, after calming his
nerves with a series of cocktails, took
account of stock and sized up the pos
sibilites. 1t resulted in his calling on
a favorite uncle, and laying the case
before him. His uncle gave him good
dressing down, and plenty of good ad-
vice, and ended by letting him have a
thousand dollars.
The papers the next day gave the
city two distinct shocks, Society read
On the morning issue that Earl Whit.
ford had been disowned and disinherit,
ed by his father, and that Godfrey
Whitford would no longer be respon.
sible for any debts he contracted. The
evening issue related in big headlines
the story of the most sensational skill
Ing, in the history of the local race
track, which "killing" had been ac
compiished by Earl Whitford, who hat
appeared on the track with a thousand
dollars which he placed on thirty
to-one shot" and won; afterwards plac
ing the entire $4,000 winnings on O
favorite in another race, and doubling
his money.
This was but the beginning of ht
sensations Earl Whitford gave the pa
pers. With 100000 in his pocket ht
gave the staid old city an illustration
OF painting the town" Fast horses
desperate gambling at race track am
gaming rooms, where the stakes cause,
the modest gambler to gasp; wine sup
pers so elaborate and so free as Il
become common talk; midnight or
gies-every form of dissipation tha
would burn money-all these thing
were spread daily before the peopl
in the newspapers, and the strang
thing was that EarPs money did no
diminish. His marvellous luck clung t
him, and the more reckless were hi
bets the more he seemed to win.
After awhile the young man rt
ceived a letter which startled him
bit. 1t was from Irene Dawson, hi
second cousin, sweet little girl VIII
lived down in the country, and to whoI
he was engaged. She had been sun
moned to town by his father and tol
the circumstances of Earps dismissi
from home and advised 10 break O
the engagement She had arrived
the middle of his great debauch, an
she wrote him Immediately. She tol
him how shocked she was and that ht
heart was broken; that she had love
him thoroughly, and never could 10y
another. but now 1t was manifest