New-York tribune., 1903-07-22
Obe Chameleon.
ccopyrish,. 1903. by Mcclure. Philips /. oos

The pickle maker was king-a modern king.
and royalty he looked upon the world
Here is your coffee. dear" Amy seldom
called him so; Murdoch knew that she was glad
with him
Uncle Jack7"
Yes. AmyT'
Does nobody else know about this yet?'
only old Barrett my dear"
DO you mean to give it to the college right
away?"
Murdoch's face elouded little. Amy" hs
said. with perceptible hesitation. you don't
think I'm ungenerous to you. giving this away.
do you? Why. little girl you're my luck you
know; you've always been my luck. since you
came to me, with your short dresses and your
long legs. Always. Amy girl You don't think
amt looking out for you. do you?"
She rose. and came round to him. "Sit So"
she commanded She sat upon his lap andsput
her around his neck Uncle dear" she
said do you think I'm only joking when I tell
you love you?"
''No, don't. Amy
well. then. Isn't the money yours? You
got it; never even knew where. know that
| have had more Of 1t than 1 could II you
told me you were all OF sudden poor. could
| stand that very easily. couldn't II You needn't
| be afraid for me. But
| We'll. Amy?"
! "I was only thinking-of DR.. Craven"
| If Amy herself had not been where she was
/ and Amy's arm had not been lying On his
/ shoulder. the pickle maker might have said sons-
thing stronger than Craven again." Fur, when
one really desires and is determined to do a
/ generous thing. it is certainly trying to find an
insignificant obstacle always in the way
| 'Yes. Uncle Jack When you give this ten
/ rnilIion-think Of it! ten miIlienlEwhen you
| give 1t, Dr. Craven will leave. you know"
| "And suppose he does Amy?'
| Won't he think it's rather-cruelE'
''Cruel?" The pickle maker spoke with We
| hemence He'll be doddering old fool If hs
does. Amy. It's all arranged about Craven; he's
| to have a pension of-oh, whatever he wants:
four thousand. If he'll take that much That'n
| be all right, won't il? He can't ask more than
| that?' For Amy's sake Murdoch made his an
| swer as gentle as he could; though secretly he
| was hurt that his own niece should fail to aP-
preeiate his beaefaction more highly, he would
not let her see it. But Amy's vision was at once
clear and narrow. When her eyes were opened
upon a matter. she could neither close them 70
1t nor easily see it from another angle Now
the vision OF the old doctor was vivid to her.
| she saw him as his daughter had pictured him.
He's an old man, Uncle Jack"
"Sixty-six or seven. reckon
eff you had built up a business. would you
want TO leave it when you were sixty-six or
/ seven and take pension. URcle JACKIE"
was not new to him. But what could he do?
Are we to delay the car OF Progress because its
! wheels run over an old scholar? The idea Is
/ patiently absurd. Such is not the law OF the
road. In other words and still gently. he
showed her this. But still she was unsatished
and persistent.
He isn't very strong, Uncle Jack; Miss
Craven told me to-day"
"She stretched it. likely" Murdoch was try
n IA
"Uncle Jaeki"
well; maybe I shouldn't have said that.
Butt He reIapsed into silence.
Dear, couldn't you put this of for a year?
Nobody knows about it but Would a year
make much diference?"
"Amy!"
"I was only wondering OF course suppose
yeu couldn't"
But what good would that do?''
'Dr. Craven might find that he wasn't able to
carry on the work. and resign That wouldn't
/ make it seem to him as if he were driven out.
you see. IF you told him about this right away.
of course he would go. but everything would be
so different to him. wouldn't it?'
Murdoch drew himself together. and pondered
while his niece sat quietly his knee In his
| minds eye he saw the faring headlines which
| announced his enormous gift:
TEN MILLION DOLLAR GIFT OF JOHN
| MURDOCH
| We'll Known Manufacturer Donates Ten Million
| Dollars to Carfax College. His Alma Mater.
Sketch of the Benefactor's Life
| One Of the sweetest drops in Murdoch's cup
was the quiekness of his success Now every
| month he delayed made his announcement moro
/ commonplace. Soon he would be forty years
| old and perhaps no one would know Of his gem
| crosby and ability by thenl he sat IN silence
long long minutes. with Amy's fingers IN MS
own. She waited, ready 10 accept unquestioa-
I ably his decision; she believed in her uncle, as
he knew.
| All right. little girl for year. then" he
! said.
! Il think it will be nicer so. dear" Those
/ were all his thanks. She failed entirely 10 ap-
preciate the strength of his desire and the meas
[ ure Of his sacrifice Her nature was as simple
I and clear her gray eyes To Amy Power.
| even at nineteen. a situation was something 10
/ be faced finished. forgotten She saw always
I two paths stretching out before her one was
4 right to choose, one wrong Happy Amy!
I So therefore because Marion Craven happened
/ to call that day and a girls nature happened
/ to be sweet, and a strong man happened 10 be
/ great hearted. the progress OF education must
\ be DELAYED a while: the ten million dollars which
I was tOaput Carfax College where II belonged
/ must remain for a time unheralded 1t is tire
/ mendous sum ten million dollars An empire
/ has been wrecked by a desire for less And
/ vet there are greater matters-smPls human
i kindness. for example.
! CTo be cOntinued)