Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-05-07
= 3 3 3 3 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 3 3
: : The Bubble Reputation ::
. p p - n - y u
q xAA By Martha McCulloch Williams O
q ;, ;: Copyright 1900, by Meeuuoch Williams q
3 3 3 = 3 3 = = 3 3 3 = 3 8

u . . S - . u
Major Thornley, had spent the last
quarter Of an hour pacing between his
easy chair and the high window which
gave upon the street. At perhaps the
twentieth look through it his face
frightened, though fretful line drew
in about the mouth.
"Cornelia is late" he said, glanclng
at the clock. II must speak to her,
though it is hardly likely my daughter
fails to understand that a lady, if she
Is forced into business, does not linger
in places of business"
Then he sat down, rigidly upright,
with his eyes fixed upon the outer
door Of the apartment. 1t was a gray
day and raw, with mists blowing In
from the sea. Although 1t was only a
o'clock Of November afternoon, the
flare of gas and electric lights already
made paths Of dim radiance athwart
stone and asphalt. Within the wan
daylight seemed to catch new duski-
ness from the Pickering CLEANS Of a
low fire. Fuel in plenty lay ready to
his hand, yet it had not occurred to
Major Thornley, to replenish the CRATE.
He was thin and stopped and old,
very much older than his years. They
might have been GO, yet his hair was
whittier and thinner than his fathers
had been as he lay in his coffin, aged
eighty odd.
Illness had to answer for some part
of that. He walked slowly and pain
fully, his right arm was drawn, his
right hand knotted and writhen till
the fingers could grasp nothing. Not.
withstanding Major Thornley, kept an
air Of force and authority. His sound
hand clasped and unclasped itself mas,
terfully upon the arm Of his chair; his
ear was alert for steps on the stairway
outside.
They did not come as quickly as he
knew they should. Cornelia had lin
gered reprehensibly to pat the head OF
the small lad on the first floor. That
delayed her upward progress, and SHE
was not sorry Of 1t in spite Of being
cold and wet and very, very tired.
A figure of contradictions. with no
youth in her face, but certain elastic
springiness of motion, she went on to
her own door. In the dim rays tilterine
through the skylight you saw that she
was slight, but well knit, with shad
owed eyes and a mouth whose curves
were richly humorous and withal faint
ly cynical. A brave face hers, that OF
one who under crushing weight faced
it down with laugh. Just now there
was no mirth in it; 1t was too tensely
weary. A half sigh struggled over her
lips as she set her key in the lock, but
as the door swung inward she called
cheerily:
"How late am l, governor? l know
you have been looking for me at least
five minutes"
Half an hour, you mean! Why did
you stay?" Major Thornley, said with n
complaining accent. "You must have
known l would be anxious to hear
about-everything. Sit down! cannot
listen while you tidget So"
Cornelia had slipped Off her damp
outer garment and knelt in front Of the
fire, stirring 1t to blaze. She seated
herself beside it and turned her face
toward her father. Her fingers were
drawn with cold. her feet soaked, her
wet skirts clung depressingly about
her ankles, yet she said with just the
least hard breath, 81 am sorry to be so
late, pappy. but what can one do but
wait when ones goes for money and
finds the cashier outT
"They must be very slack In thei:
business methods. Syndicates are poor
things anyway. am sure 1t would be
ever so much better for us II you con-
fined yourself to the magazines-and-
well-say the comic papers" Major
Thornley, said complainingly.
Nothing would please me better If
only you will show me how to bring 1t
about" Corne.ia said with smile,
stretching her numb fingers toward the
reddening fire. Her fathers head went
up.
"You should certainly know how aft
er all these years Of experience" he
said, "but what did McCullom say to
the work you took him today? hope
he was pleased with It,"
81 think he will be when he looks at
the sketches. He had not time to do
more than run over the titles" Corne'
liza said then for the first time averting
her eyes. "But when he read them he
said: That's a various lot. Really,
Miss Thornley,, you're getting quite a
reputation
"Ahw Sharp interest beamed in the
majors eye. "Then hope he paid
you better than formerly. OF course If
your work attracts attention.
mo; just the usual rate" Cornelia
broke in rather abruptly. "And did
not get what expected either. One OF
my articles was crowded out-will not
be used till next week."
"Did you 60 to The Bugle office!
Maybe they have used Major Thorn
ley In turn interrupted. stopping with
a tentative. wistful look his daughter
found 1t Infinitely hard to bear.
"Yes, went, but there was nothing
for me. Mr.. Blake said he did not
know when the little story he asked for
would get in," she said. But never
mind, pappy. The McCullom money
will answer"
She had opened her purse and now
thrust q thin roll Of bills into her ia.
TIERS hand. He took them, gravely
unrolled and scrutinized each one, then
folded them over a thinner roll from
his inner pocket. COrnelia made to