The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-29
MOTHER MISSISSIPPPS VOICE
BY COLIN S. COLLINS

1t was excessively inconsiderate of
Mrs. Downs to die. just as he was
about to close that N, R. & NJ mer-
ger. argued Henry Yates. but with due
filial 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 him.
self living in the past.
He Weakened to a realization that
years had passed since his gentle,
shrinking wife had closed her eyes to
sight of him standing shocked and
wide-eyed with a wee baby girl in his
arms. He had been so busy. fighting
for a foothold in Chicagos financial
world, that he had failed to note his
wife's failing health, and even in the
hour of her death. he had not real
lied that she had died literally of
art-hunger-of longing for the COM
panionship 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 to make a great lady of her,
ACAA bC itlu NOll Ills lllldiCldl uSHI.
He hated the child who had robbed
him of his wife.
So the babe had been thrust into
the willing arms of his widowed sis
ter, and he had plunged back into the
business maelstrom The allowance
turned over to Mrs. Downs for the
support of the child had been liberal
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 with
out 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 some
how.
And it was. but not just as he had
expected.
Edith settled it for herself, when she
came to greet him. big-eyed. slender.
lily-like, and sorrowful The daugh-
ter was her mother of their honey
moon days. Yates reached out his
arms with a great cry. The paternal
instinct awoke with a rush that rob
bed him of speech. But the girl I'M
derstood. 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 ac-
uuirement of stocks and bonds The
latter were useful only in furthering
her interests. Mr.. Yates built palace
on Millionaire's Row. and cursed in
his heart the social lights who with
held their beams from his lovely
daughter. A iordling of depleted for
tune but irreproachable social connec-
tons came and saw, but did not con-
quer. Yates said the prince was too
high, and his daughter, curled up in
his never failing arms, thanked him be-
tween sobs of joy.
But all this did not help matters
when Allen Houston appeared on the
horizon, and. so far as Edith was con-
cerned. filed II completely. Young
Houston had a small patrimony. a ire
mendous fund of ambition. and the
profile OF a poet
Henry Yates said mo" Edith re-
membered the lonely years her father
had spent, talked pathetically, yet not
waveringly of duty" and Houston
flung himself into the wilds OF the
! West
Edith did not grieve openly. bur tho
loving eyes Of her father were not 10
/ be deceived. He became restless and
anxious, and 80 they decided that New
/ York was unbearable and the sight of
| New Orleans during the Mardi Graa
/ would do them both good.
Mr. Yates planned the trip without
/ consulting Edith They would 20 n
/ Memphis by rail and there board ono
! ~ the 0ld-faFhioned stefn-nheel rive
boats for New Orleans Somehow. with
/ the sting ~ social failure ana the mad
/ rush ~ he business ufe wearing ur0f.
] hiin, yates Nnf hungry fuf fhf oid iife
fbe 80 be- mad EHcNu WHOM Boz tsf
"ri' 'Nr fierk 90 The Belle ~ ths