The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-03
Our Daily Short Stories
GRIT THAT WAS IN HIM.
BY WILLIAM WENDHAM.
Copyright. 1901. by Authors Syndicate,

gered him at first. But he only plunged
the harder into debauchery.
After he had exhausted his ingenuity
IN nnding fresh ways to shock the
community and humiliate his father,
he went to New York taking with him
a more or less brilliant train of satel-
htes. There his fast life was contin-
ued. His luck did not follow him, and
as the months went by his store of
cash grew less and less One day
something over a year after he left
the home city he awoke to the realiza-
ton that he practically at
the end of his pile This
news he gently broke to the
satellites who had been feed
ing off him, with the effect
that there was a great scurrying of
rats to get away from the sinking
ship. All were more or less hurt at
his lack of consideration at going
broke and all accepted a last little
loan from the dregs and faded away.
One night he turned into a popular
roof garden, heavy with liquor, and
came directly face to face with his
father and Irene Dawson. The old
man looked him full in the face and
without sign of recognition. Irene
with an expression of disgust drew in
her skirts that they might not touch
him. a smile came into his flushed
face.
Il could show them a thing or two
yet-and the others. too, if it were
worth the while. Is it worth the
while? This sort of thing surely is
not"
Some months later Godfrey Whit
ford, president of Consolidated Trac-
ton system, sat in his private Office
bending over his papers when the door
opened and a man entered. The man
came close to his desk before the old
man looked up. He faced his son
plainly dressed, perfectly sober and
with clear eyes and steady hands.
Well, sir?' he said. frowning.
Pardon my intrusion, SIR said the
son, II have not come to ask for any
thing nor to make apologies. sim
ply want to say to you, that 1 am
through. l have had all the fun I
want and am now going to work. 1
have decided that l will work out my
career here, where l had my fling and
l have curious desire to begin it
in the very business in which I could
have started near the head. l come
only to tell you of my plans, so you
may not think I am doing anything
except in the open. I can doubtless
get a job down at the barns washing
cars or oiling tracks or something. I
will apply to the foreman-unless you
object. l will do so under my own
name. but without any reliance on your
favor Good-day, SIR
Good day." and the old man turned
to his papers. After the door closed
he looked out of the window long and
thoughtfully. Then he sighed and re-
turned to his work.
About this time Irene Dawson re-
ceived letter from Earl Whitford in
which he said that he appreciated fully
how dastardly he had acted and that
he realized what he had lost; that the
only PREPARATION he could make was to
live a decent life and try to make
something of himself; that he asked
nothing from her-indeed, he realized
he could not but for his own sake he
proposed to show her that she need not
draw her skirts away when she pass
ed him.
Earl Whitford pursued his lowly
work in the barns with the same ar
dor of spirit which he had thrown into
his dissipation. His identity was not
known. but his quiet industry and ap-
plication told and he was advanced
rapidly, within a few months being
placed on a car as conductor. There
the great test came. AS luck would
have it he was given the run penetrat-
ing the most aristocratic section of the
city and was compelled to collect fares
from those with whom he had asso-
ciated in the days of his prosperity.
But he stuck it out and made no sign.
Then came the great strike. One ter
rible day when everything was at the
worst there was a fearful clash at
Fifth and Plutarch streets and the is
sue depended on the motorman. who
deserted. The conductor rushed through
the car, grabbed the lever and amid
volleys of bricks, cobblestones and bull
lets won the day--then was carried
sepseless to the hospital. Godfrey
Whitford when asked what should be
done about it Git being known by his
subordinates at that time who the hero
was) said:
Follow the usual course" but 1t was
observed that the old man was in high
feather that night.
But he never relented and Earl won
his way from one place to another
until he became assistant superintend-
ent Then one fine day the old man
died and 10, and behold, there was no
will and Earl inherited the entire es-
tate. There was only one sealed note
from the father to the son. 1t read:
MY boy: you did it your way and
/ am proud of you"
Earl Whitford is now the president
and general manager of the Consoli-
dated Traction system and in his heart
OF hearts he knows that he was the
arbiter of his own fortune.
P. S.-The author forgot to relate
that when Earl was in the hospital
a lady whose face was concealed by a
heavy VEIL visited him daily, and as
soon as he was convalescent knelt by
his bedside and buried her face in his
bosom. And that she forgot and for
gave all the past and that they were
quietly married one spring morning