Omaha daily bee., 1903-06-07
Mother Mississippi's
Voice
Short Story by Colin S. Collins

1t was excessively inconsiderate of Mrs.
Downs to die, just as he was about to close
that N, r. & M. merger, argued Henry
Yates, but with due hlial respect for his
sister he turned his back on his New York
Office. boarded the "twenty-hour train for
Chicago, and Of a sudden found himself
living in the past,
He awakened to a realization that years
had passed since his gentle, shrinking wife
had closed her eyes to sight of him stand
ing shocked and wide-eyed with a wee baby
girl in his arms. He had been so busy,
fighting for a foothold In Chicago's hnan-
cial world, that he had failed to note his
wife's failing health. and even In the hour
Of her death he had not realized that she
had died literally of heart-hunger-of long
ing for companionship and the protecting
love, but not the dollars, of the man she
had married.
OF one thing he was sure. He had loved
her, in his passive way, and had meant tn
make a great lady of her, when he had won
his financial fight. He hated the child who
had robbed him Of his wife.
So the babe had been thrust into the will
ing arms of his widowed sister, and he had
plunged back into the business maelstrom.
The allowance turned over TO Mrs. Downs
for the support of the child had been lib
eral. He had been informed that her edu-
cation had been carried on after the most
approved methods, but he never saw her,
and when from Chicago he had plunged
into New York, still bent on acquiring more
and more wealth. he had passed out of
their lives without even a sight of the child.
And now, of course. with Mrs. Downs
death, something must be done. Doubtless
his sister had had intimate friends among
her own sex. The problem would be solved
somehow.
And it was, but not just as he had ex-
pected.
Edith settled It for herself. when she
came to greet him, big-eyed, slender, N.Y.
like and sorrowfuI. The daughter was her
mother of their honeymoon days. Yates
reached out his arms with a great cry. The
paternal instinct awoke with a rush that
robbed him OF speech. But the girl under
stood. She was the sort who could read
men Alright.
From that hour Edith's happiness and
social success were Of more vital interest
to Henry Yates than the requirement of
stocks and bonds. The latter were useful
only in furthering her interests. Mr.. Yates
built a palace on Millionaires' Row. and
cursed in his heart the social lights who
withheld their beams from his lovely
daughter. A lordling OF depleted fortune
but ir-reproachable social connections came
and saw, but did not conquer. Yates said
the prince was too high, and his daughter.
curled up in mis- never-failing arms, thanked
him between sobs OF Joy.
But all this did not help matters when
Allen Houston appeared OF the horizon.
and, so far as Edith was concerned. filled
It completely. Young Houston had a small
p~atrimony, a tremendous fund OF ambition.
and the profile OF a poet.
Henry Yates said NO" Edith remem-
bered the lonely years her father had spent,
talked pathetically, yet not waveringly. OF
duty" and Houston flung himself into the
wtlds Of the west.
Edith did not gTieve openly, but the loving
eyes OF her father were not to be deceived.
He became restless and anxious. and %