Middletown transcript., 1902-05-10

4 4t4A k<*t - -
adopt Miss Bright as ! dauglste3
mother withholding her consent Iis tol
me lie should divide his properly b
tween yourself. your n,otlier md Alil
Bright, and . win was drawn Up aeeefs
| ing to those terms Il lacked only b
signature to make It = legal documen
This he withheld hoping that on y0t
cousins graduation when she should 3!
come member Of lis family, you
mothers preiudices would disappear III
the young girl might be adopted an
made joint heir with yourself.
s'And my motherf'' queried the youn
man. g.
"Why that is just it!'' said the old Law
yer with smile and shrug. "She
your mother and her love and ambitiel
we're, naturally, all for you. Besides,
have reason to believe she disliked th
vances. tie family Of Miss Bright,
mother. Besides all this, Mr.. Stephen
your mother, though perfect lady, is N
less woman, and, my dear sir, there i
no accounting for q woman's reason o
unreason. You cannot have lived nearll
thirty years and visited every court il
Europe to learn that fact of an old recIus'
like myself
Ny couss.n did not come to my mothel
on her graduation as my father hac
planned,
"No. She did not feel that she wal
expected. Your mother never wrote hel
except in formal recognition of her cards
and invitation to her college commence.
ment She came to Oakhurst. on visit
to- Miss Gresham but as her allowance
bad ceased, she laughingly said she wouL1
SEQ what her education was good for, and
Gresham & Gresham gladly took her into
their employ"
And her homer"
rs with my family. The Greshams
protested, but she sensibly said that, as a
working girl, she must give up society
and live with working people, and, Mr..
Stephen, i could not let the young kins-
woman Of my old friend go among stran-
gers, So she is with US, when she is not
at 0akhurst, and very happy and con-
tented she seems.
Mr. Stephen grasped the old advocates
hand and thanking him heartily for his
patiels recital and for the care and pro-;
lection he had given Miss Bright, added:
'It remains for me to carry out my
fathers wishes regarding my cousin, and
still preserve unhurt, the love evisting
between my mother and myself; the task
will Y q very easy one if can bring my
moth pok with unprejudiced eyes
upon Miriam"
Mr.. re-entered his carriage and
had / driven to the publishing
house ssham & Gresham.
Mrs. t had been social leader
until th Eh of her husband had caused
her reti int from society, but with the
return 7 son her old social aspirations
revived 4 Brightwood, as the family
residence las called, was renovated, re-
d thrown open to the elite
Of this of the wealthier and most
ur western inland cities.
Not far lay stood 0akhurst the home
Of the G hams. Mrs. Gresham who
had long IN semi-invalid begged Mrs.
Bright I'd haperone Miss Katherine
Gresham Al her college friend and guest
Miss Nath4Ss She assumed the welcome
for it gave her additional |
ocial imp hnce, and she had further
eward in ding her two charges the
most brillit and admired girls in So
iety.
They ursF fitrasts in appearance. Miss
iresllam be tall, slender girl with a
ose leaf co iexion, mass of fluffy,
londe hair soft brown eyes; while
liss Nathan, less tall, was more gen.
rously round n figure; her red-brown
air waved FRI Is parting over the low
row and ripplsI over the delicate ears /
srming q pale heaIthful complexion
hile her hazel q lei shaded by long, curl
e lashes had a trusting, ingenious look
hich was certainly very winning. +
Mrs Bright hoveted like mother-bird !
'er the two young things who gave
emselyes up unFeseryediy to her guild
ICE. She ordered their gowns, selected
cir escorts, paige.l them off at dinner
d seemed to be wing over the days OF
r own bellehod In, their social tri-
nphs.
1t was summer, and, Rs is customary in {
land western cities, society divided its
ne between brief sojonrns in town and
lg periods Of festiSitt at the lakeside
'orts. Dinner parties, flower fetes,
aching parties. Yachting, hops and all
3 delightful pastines that enthusiastic
ung people and their indulgent elders /;
nd plan and carry out followed each :
ler in happy succession until summer
$ quite over and autumn began. :
Sfr. Stephen Bright and Mr.. Donald
esham, with reckless disregard Of /
siness interests, gave themselves and /
'ir time up to Mrs. Bright's guidance, 4
one evening Stephen, after having Il
N ordered to devote himself to Miss I
than, said to his mother: =
Aren't you giving me rather more d
pretty Miss Nathan than is quite fair 8
aer other admirers, mother miner" q
Are you having more than you want, a
phen?" 8,
Why, that depends Who is She I
way? l fancy she is sort OF semi
ached young person, ID she not?
My dear boy, have never cared to
uire. know her only Dc a very charm
and superior girl. / fancy she is nj
neless and rather dependent Oh the il
'shems. I hope your European edu- &C
on hasn't made you over conserve d
!? Personal worth counts for more SC
n money-or fansily.n oil
Certainly, mother. BY the way, | fl
n from Gresham thnt Nfisa Rri0Lf,s an