The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-11-13
Frederick Van
Slasson's Shock
BY MAITLAND FuRBusH
Copyright. ieOs. BY Daily Story Pub. Coz


results that were visible manifested
themselves by violent outbursts OF
| abuse and most eloquent cursing.
| Nor was Freeman Dustin altogether
to blame, although partially so, for
giving the white-haired old arisjocrat
such a shock. Dustin was q man of
| the world-the big, seething, doing
lworld-nOt the narrow stratum that
| thinks it is the world because it has
the means and taste to sip the elegant
designations of life, but the world
where men battle for a living and sue
cess in a free-for-all contest, throw
down the gauntlet to all corners and
abide by the decision of the joust.
Consequently how could he be expect
ed to understand the exclusive idols
that Frederick Van Slasson worshiped.
How was he 10 understand that Van
Slasson had been accustomed to be
obeyed, flattered, bowed down before
all his life iong-to be petted of women
and consulted of men, until his dig
nifty and self approval had become a
mantle which enveloped him and
which all his little circle of friends re-
spected as the mantle of Elijah.
With Dustin life had been very diff
ferent. Born of good family, but with
out patrimony, he had dashed into the
arena of active struggle for existence
early in life and, possessed Of an ad-
venturous spirit, he tried life at its
worst. He had punched cattle in the
west, tried Ais hand at coffee raising in
South America, taken a hand at ba-
mana raising in Honduras, roughed it
to the Klondike to search for gold,
soldiered it in Cuba and the Philip
pines-in fact, had let the strenuous
life in the strenuous way. He had not
the gifts of the money-makef, how
ever, and his ventures never had met
with marked success. although he al
ways managed to get through. pay his
bills and have rollicking good time.
Naturally intelligent and fairly well
educated, his experiences broadened
and informed him and everywhere he
went he made warm friends Of all men
whom he met. The rough life he had
led had scared the original polish he
had inherited and acquired at school
and had roughened him in many ways.
but he was always a gentleman as the
term Is used in the broad sense.
After the war he. received an offer to
enter the employ of a mining engineer
in western city, where his wide and
accurate knowledge of minerals and
mines made his services valuable, and
for the first time since his school days
lived among the softer graces and the
more ordinary conventionalities that
pertain to city life. He did we'll as the
standard goes and became quite at
tached to the luxuries about him His
salary was not large. but ample for his
needs. and he saw promised promotion
ahead Of him.
How was a man of this sort to I'M
derstand born aristocrat like Fred
erick Van Slasson, who was born to
great wealth and taught from his era
die that only the softest things. the
most excellent and delicate luxuries of
earth were for him, and that he was
made of finer clay than the rest of
notwithstanding the Van Slassons in
all the collateral branches, and a few
other families favored in some eX-
- AL way Ny dlNluS
Van Slasscn at the time of the shock
was man of 55. with hair as white
as snow. although his features were
ruddy and almost youthful. His fea-
lures were delicate and aristocratic,
his forehead distinctly intellectual. He
was scholar and read widely. owning
a great library of the rarest ana hest
selected books. He was a connoiseur
in art, drew some himself and owned
many rare paintings. He was an in
tense lover of music and played well
on several instruments, besides pos
sessing charming voice He was in
every way dillitante, an artist and an
aristocrat
Now it would appear that there
would be no natural way for these two
men TO come in contact. But in every
situation the woman must be taken
nto account or your answer will be in
error
So it happened in this case that
Toman brought together these anti
Iodes. She was Van Slasson's niece
and ward. beautiful girl whose physi-
al graceS were crowned by an alert
mentality and a spirituality which
charmed and attracted all who met
Ter.
She was the orphan of Frederick Van
slasson's only brother, and an heiress
IF considerable wealth. By the terms
IF her fathers will she was made
sacred charge upon Frederick Van
Slasson, and all her interests were
placed in his hands. He had accepted
the charge reluctantly, but discharged
1t most conscientiously. Not only had
he devoted himself to the care and en-
haneement of her fortunes, but had
given his best thought and care to her
own education and development. He
had grown to love her as his own
daughter. all the starved affection of
his nature had turned upon her; and
- - A.