The Holly chieftain., 1903-04-24
MRS. HAROLD stage.
Copyright Sons

oiotc uoHleStlC TulcS. III appearance,
she was tall, slim and nervous, with
fine dark eyes, vivacious, brisk man
rers, and a rapid utterance. She had
reen married later than many of her
contemporaries. but she had been max
ing up for it ever since by her display
Of social energy.
Perceiving that his wife was en-
crossed by domestic details, Harold
Stagg began to make preparations for
his journey. Only an hour before, he
had received telegram, announcing
the death of his brother-in-law, Silas
Baldwin. the husband of his deceased
sister Eleanor, who had died dozen
years before, at the time her young
est child was born, leaving beside that
baby boy, another son, and daughter
with the same name as her own.
These children had continued to live
in Illinois with their father, a civil
engineer in the employ of large man.
ufacturing concern. Harold had not
seen them since his sisters funeral
though he had never failed to re-
member his nephews and niece at
Christmas time, and he had duly re-
ceived in acknowledgement of his
gifts-which were invariably liberal
remittances--three carefully penned
epistles, the handwriting of which had
steadily improved from year to year
An attack of pneumonia had carried
off Silas Baldwin; Harold had not
known that he was i'll until he re-
ceived the telegram, which was signed
by Eleanor, announcing that her
father had died the day before.
Harold knew enough of his brother
in1law's affairs to feel confident that
Silas had left very little if anything
in the way of property. To begin
with, Silas had been handicapped at
the the time of his marriage by Ger.
tain debts contracted by his father,
who had died suddenly, leaving his
affairs in confusion, which debts he
felt in honor bound to pay. Then,
too, he had been in the habit of sink
ing whatever he could save from his
salary in the development of various
patents, for he was an inventor of
diverse mechanical appliances, no one
CT which had proved profitable. Har-
old had on more than one occasion,
both since and previous to his sisters
death, advanced him money for this
purpose. He liked and respected his
brother-in-law, although they were but
slightly acquainted, and there was lit
tie In common between them in point
Of tastes But Harolds strict sense
OF rectitude had been early attracted
by the resolute stand which Silas had
taken as to the necessity of repaying
what his father owed, and he had
reen willing to believe that some day
his sisters husband would devise
machine that would be worth a mint
of money. Harold had himself found
it an easy matter to make money, or
rather, his efforts to do so had been
early crowned with success, which
was chiefly due to his own sagacity
and strict attention to business. In
the year of his sisters marriage he
had organized banking house which
to-day was one of the most prominent
and prosperous firms In New York
city.
By little computation, he had
figured that Eleanor must by this time
hc about eighteen, little Silas fourteen,
and Harold, his namesake, twelve. No
photographs of them had been re-
ceived for several years so that they
must have grown beyond recognition.
His own two children were mere in
fants, and the introduction into his
household of his nephews and niece
would confront him with all sorts of
educational problems that he had not
expected to face for another decade.
But Harold Stagg was not the sort of
man to balk when a resolution had
been taken, or to let himself be wor-
ried by apprehensions of future diff
culties. Moreover, he knew that here
again he would be able to rely upon
his wife. She was sure to have de-
cided views on the various questions
that would present themselves. AL
ready, in Mr.. Simpsons boarding
school, she had suggested happy
method of dealing with the boys;
doubtless she would be able to settle
other points as they arose, with equal
facility.
Accordingly, he ensconced himself
comfortably in the smoking compart.
nent of the train, and lit his cigar
with tranquil mind, thinking with
self-congratulatory fondhess of his
Gear Emma, from whom he had not
been parted more than half dozen
days in the seven years they had been