The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-08-22
Billy's Sacrifice
By JOHN H. RAFTERY.

TT is name was William Lowther
ii Hereford, but the Gales all call
ed him Billy except Mr.. Gale. the
head of the family, who didn't like
the young fellow. Mr.. Gales dislike
for Billy may have been prejudice
or it may have been foresight, but
it began while his son Bruce was at
college and was founded upon and
strengthened by Bruce's stories of
his friends lawlessness. Bruce call
ed it Spirits" but his father, who
suspected that his boys extrava-
gance was due to bad company made
shrewd guess that Billy was at the
bottom of all the devilment which
in disfavor with his professors.
But Bruce was loyal to his friend,
brought him home for the vacation at
the end of their junior year and-made
him acquainted with Marjory, his
on.y sister, an impulsive, beautiful
athletic and self-willed girl of 20.
The Gales expected to find Billy a
"boy' of "a, and, as Mr.. Gale ex-
pressed it, nobody expected much
of him. but they were surprised, to
say the least, at his appearance. Of
good height, paler than the athlete
Bruce, with very black, wavy hair,
calm, wistful, gray eyes, mouth
like a woman's, gentle-mannered,
low-voiced, sure of himself, but mod
est, cheerful, without levity, hand
laughing; in a word, quite a contra
diction to their anticipations of a
young man famous among his friends
as the most reckless, insubordinate,
fun-loving roysterer that ever tan
talized worthy dominic or upset
the decorum of a morning chapel.
81 like him. said Mrs. Gale.
son his good behavior for a pur-
pose," growled Papa Gale, who evil
IDENTIFY didn't like him.
'He seems quite civilized said
Miss Marjory, rather spiritedly, but
as nobody gain said her opinion, she
left the room and joined Bruce and
Billy in the tennis court.
His visit lasted but fortnight
then, but when he said good-by and
drove away in the pony cart with
Marjory, ''who was going to town
anyway" everybody, including Mr..
Sale, felt trif1e lonesome.
"He's poor, isn't hep" the rich man
asked his son.
eyes, but he doesn't know it and
wouldn't care if he did," replied the
son.
Glow does he manage to hold up
his end,' as you call it, at college?"
Mr.. Gale looked very foxy now.
"Oh, he doesn't spend money!"
smirked Bruce, she doesn't have
to-"
'Not while there are spendthrifts
like you to spend it for him, sup
pose!" grunted the 'old man. whose
IDEAS of economy were forever get.
ting him into i'll humor. He march
I'd off with a warning about the ne
.essity for economy during the COM
ng year, but Bruce lighted cigar
cite and went whistling to the
stables. Marjory came back in an
hour looking quite forlorn.
"You like him, don't you, Martyr"
her brother said, tossing a crab ap-
Die at peacock.
Indeed / do" she answered frank
V. 'sHe isn't a bit like you-like
what I expected. If 1 were you,
though, I'd quit telling papa about
hose pranks at college. He's SO
,rejudiced already that he just can't
zee any good in Bil-in Mr.. Hereford.
Us for me. / don't mind telling you.
don't believe he could do a mean
hing if he tried
And Bruce was grateful to his sis
ier for these praises of Billy, for,
Ielfish as he was and necessary as
1ereford's superior talents were to
lis success at college. he came near
IT to loving Marjory than anyone ex-
:ept, perhaps, himself.
The winter after Eruce graduated,
rfter many objections from the
pleasure loving youth, he ''went in
@ business" with his father on con-
lition that Billy Hereford also be
:iven place in the Office. Mr.. Gale
lidn't like the idea, but as he hap
,ened to need a cashier, and as
sruce's heart seemed set on having
lis friend with him. and as he
ouldn't think of any serious count"