The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-12
THE CALL TO PRAYER.

tTE ONLL ~ FRHf Eh.
James Grayson stood at the doorway OF
his apartment. Until that hour he had
shared this home VITA his brother Robert
Now he was leaving in anger that dis
tcrted his face. There was hatred n the
heart of James Grayson for this, his
Lrcther, whom he had loved.
Robert Grayson stood within the room
With an appealing look in mis- eyes. Don [
90 this way. jim he said, I did not
/ know; never saw il, jim l may have
heen blind. but l did not knew; 1 had
rot even suspect, Jim. that your feel
! ing for Helen was deep. l never wronged
You in my life and did not mean it row.
| Stay boy. 1 can't bear this thing. We
| have always been brothers in much more
! chan name"
Stay? I hate you. Robert Grayson.
You call yourself my brother, and yet you
| undermined me in the affections of the
only woman 1 ever loved. I hate you. and
! l VIII hate you 10 alI-eternity. You trick
ed me; you ard the woman. My hope is
that IL shall never see you alive again.
JIM But James Grayson had gone.
James and Robert GraysOn, brothers.
: had been companions from their earliest
boyhood. The elder. James, had always
/ been OF a grave disposition, grave 10
/ stcrnness. The younger. Robert, had a
/ disposition like the sunshine. He was
I easy going. q believer in ali men and
with a love for us grave brother that
( filed all of his big heart. Their father
/ William Grayson, had died and left each
a fortune. Their mother they lost when
James was IA and Robert was 10. The
J brothers had grown to manhood and each
! had fallen in love with Helen Wright
! The girl was orphan, living with
! superanuated maiden aunt. Helen taught
/ in a North Side public school. The
Graysons had met her through the me-
dunn of a business matter which they
/ jointly had transacted for the aunt. James
/ Graysons love for the girl was like his
/ nature deep yet undemonstrative. The
! girl knew-what woman doesn't know
| when a man is in love with her-but she
gave him no elcourag cement though
James Grayson's temperament mace him
think the lack of demonstration did not
mean necessarily lack of love. He had
certain confidence in himself that kept
him free from the thought that his love
might not be returned.
Helen Wright held her heart for Robert
Grayson. He wooed her and won her
quickly.
James Grayson had taken Helen's kind
ness to him as Roberts brother TO mean
love He made himself believe that the
girl had led him on. and that his brother
lad undermined her affections. His ma
ture was one which made him hold to a
fencied wrong as one that was real, and
SO he left Robert with anger in his heart
and with something that was little short
of a curse on his lips.
This was twelve years ago. James
GTayson left Chicago and went to Eu-
rope. He stayed III capital after capital.
lie knew that Robert and Helen were
married. After the marriage he had re-
ceived letters from both, gentle, entreat-
-.
his heart. He had taken hatred into il,
and had shut the door. Il hate them
both" he said TO himself, and hate them
l always will
The years went by. James Grayson still
stayed abroad. Letters came from Rob
ert, but they were unopened and unan-
swered. One day there reached James
Grayson in London a letter with the ad-
dress printed in childish hand He was
puzzled and opened it. In printed letters
inside the first words which caught his
eye were Dear Uncle Jim A look that
had been a stranger 10 James Graysons
face for years was there for q second.
Then there came sternness again. and
the little letter was crumpled and thrown
into the fire.
One day James Grayson read an Ameri-
car newspaper. He looked at the finan-
cal column. II contained news Of the
less in a mining venture of every penny
~ the fortune of Robert GraysOn, million
are Chicago. Coupled with it was the
statement that Robert Grayson was i'll.
What James Grayson's thoughts were
after reading that announcement he alone
knows. He paced his room in the London
hotel for hours. and at the end of what
must have been struggle himself he
was the same unforving man as before.
A year went by. It was now nearly
twelve years since James Grayson had
seen his brother. Business called the
vanderer to New Orleans. 1t was an i'm
perative business call or ne would not
Rave obeyed the summons. He hated
America In New Orleans he met man
whom he had known in Chicago. The
man looked upon him as one returned
from the dead. and then blunderlngly
spoke. saying; You know about Bob, Of
course. He lost his money. saving only
enough TO pay his just debts. Then he
became i'll, and l hear he is dead.
James Grayson went his way. He work
&c at his business affairs all day, but in
his mind and heart and soul were the
words Bob is dead. He went to his
hotel. and from a recess in his trunk he
took a packet Of letters, selecting one II
was the last letter his mother had writ
ten to him when he was school boy.
She had written it just before her death.
stronger than Robert and of a deeper
nature. Look after the boy when your
neither is not here.
James Grayson paced his room again
The next morning he left New Orleans
for Chicago. He reached the city on
Saturday and went direct TO the Office Of
man who in the old DAYS was a friend
of the family. James Gravson was not
recognized. for he had changed much
with the vears He did no. make him
self known. but asked. abruptly, Is Rob-
ort GTayson dead?"
No. came the answer. but
James GFayson did not wait 10 hear tle
answer in fun He turned on his heel
and left.
Living, The old hate stole back Into
his heart. Dead he could have forgiven
Inn. but living never II was SUNDAY
morning Crayson went 20 the North
de and walked past The old familiar
places where he had played and lived as a
boy. and where he had grown 10 man
hood. he stood in front OF gray stone 4
church. He had worshlpel there with
his father and mother and-B0b Some f
thing stole over James Gravson At the f
sirht Of the cid church If 7 could only
p1ay." be groaned. He had not seen the f
81 side OF a church for more than twelve
years but something moved him and h
went IN. Fate and the usher led him 20 .
thu old pew re was late. cheruIl- 4
face1 choir boy was singing a solo. was T
+. fate again2 The hov. with voice
like that II the hermit thrush, vas sing
irg
go Thou by whom we come 20 Cod
The life the truth. the way,
The path n prayer Thyself hast tro5:
Lord. teach Is how to pray.
James Grayson felt something come in