Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1903-02-19
The Call to
Prayer
~ EDWARD b. CLARK.

8 JAMES GRAYSON stood at the
u doorway of his apartment. I'm
ii that hour he had shared this home
with his brother Robert. Now he
was leaving in anger that distorted
his face. There was hatred in the
heart of James Grayson for this his
brother, whom he had loved.
Robert Grayson stood within the
room with an appealing look in his
eyes. "Don't 60 this way, Jim," he
said, II did not know; I never saw
it, Jim. I may have been blind, but [
did not know; I did not even suspect,
Jim, that your feeling for Helen was
deep. I never wronged you in my
life. and did not mean it now. Stay,
boy. I can't bear this thing. We
have always been brothers in much
more than name" ..-.
'"Stay? l hate you, Robert Gray
son. You call yourself my brother,
and yet you undermined me in the
affections of the only woman I ever
loved. hate you, and I will hate
you to all eternity. You tricked me;
you and the woman. My hope is that
shall never see you alive again."
~Jira-" But James Grayson had
gone.
James and Robert Grayson, broth
ers, had been companions from their
earliest boyhood. The elder, James,
had always been of grave DISPOSE
ton, grave to sternness. The young
er. Robert, had disposition like the
sunshine. He was easy going, a be-
lever in all men and with love for
his grave brother that filled all his
big heart. Their father, William
Grayson, had died and left each for
tune. Their mother they lost when
James was IA and Robert was ten.
The brothers had grown to manhood,
and each had fallen in love with
Helen Wright. The girl was an or
phan living with superannuated
maiden aunt. Helen taught in a
North side public school. The Gray
sons had met her through the me-
jointly had transacted for the aunt.
James Grayson's love for the girl was
Ike his nature, deep, yet undemon-
strative. The girl knew-what WON
an doesn't know when a man is in
love with her-but she gave him no
encouragement, though James Gray.
sons temperament made him think
tho lack of demonstration did not
mean necessarily lack of love. He
had a 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. He was ignorant
of his brothers feeling, and when
he came to tell the brother thai
Helen was to be his wife he knew
nothing of the blow that he was Ia
inflict.
James Grayson had taken Helen'a
Kindness to him as Roberts brother
to mean love. He made himself be-
lieve that the girl had led him on
and that his brother had undermined
her affections. His nature was ono
which made him hold to fancied
wrong as one that was real, and sc
he left Robert with anger in his
heart and with something that was
little short of a curse on his lips. E
This was IL years ago. James
0rsyson left Chicago and went to Eu
rope. He stayed in capital after cap
ital He knew that Robert an,
Helen were married. After the mar
riage he had received letters from
both, gentle, entreating letters, bu
James Grayson had closed his heart
He had taken hatred into it, and ha,
shut the door. IL hate. them both,
he said to himself, land hate then
I always will"
The years went by. James Grayso,
still stayed abroad. Letters cam
from Robert, but they were unopene
and unanswered. One day Their
reached James Grayson in London
letter with the address printed in
childish hand. He was puzzled an,
opened it. In printed letters insid
the first words which caught his ey
were "Dear Uncle jim" A look tina
had been stranger to James Gray
sons face for years was there for
second. Then there came sternnes
again, and the little letter wa
e1umpled and thrown into the fire
One day James Grayson read q,