The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-11-19

Whats that?' he asked.
 Have you ever heard of the Emily Halford Home for Friendless Girls?"
 The old mans eyes opened wide and he slowly shook his head.
 'It is in 8 great western city in a beautiful park. There are more than a hundred girls within its sheltering walls who otherwise might be homeless in the streets"
 The old man opened his lips as if to speak. A troubled look came over his face and he turned away.
 That evening after the quiet supper the elder Halford brought out the great family Bible and impressively read aloud the story of the Prodigal Son, and in the dim shadow beyond the range of the lamp the new prodigal sat and listened. When the reading was done and the great book was reverently closed, the younger man looked up. "Thank you, dad" he said. The old man looked toward him and slowly shook his head. Then he sighed, and, replacing the Bible on its shelf, i took a candle from the window ledge and gave it to his son You will sleep in your old room" he said.
 Good night" said the younger man as he put out his hand. The old man hesitated Good night" he said, and they sol- emnly shook hands. "I hope your dreams will not be un- pleasant" said the old man a little grimly.
 'I hope so, dad"
 i But somehow the dreams did not come. He was restless and his mind was busy. He remembered his boy hood; his mothers early death, his fa- ther's severity, his flight from home, his early struggles .,-.... ~.- '. His father had quite failed to under stand him. No doubt he was a disap- pointment to him. Farm work he grew to hate. Then he broke the bonds and flung himself into the unknown sea of | the great world outside. l He felt sorry for that boy of long ago. And yet he felt no anger at the father I who had misunderstood him. He thought he was kind, he thought he was doing for the best. No man could question his fathers honesty of pur- pose. Poor old man. How unlike he I was to that father of the Bible story. The thinker smiled. And how unlike \, he himself was to the Prodigal Son.
 The clang of a distant bell aroused him. He went to the window. There was a dull red glow over the village in the valley below. It was a fire. The glow deepened as he stood there. It was serious fire, serious in that little hamlet of frame dwellings, and ancient methods of fire fighting. The man at the window turned and hurried into hi clothes.
 I As he reached the outer door he en- countered his father. What is it?" the latter asked.
 'sIt looks like a bad fire. I'm going down." .*- .-...
 "I'll go with you" said the old man. T Side by side they hurried to the scene of the grdwing confiagration. It was indeed a threatening blaze. A strong wind had risen and several frame dwellings were burning furious Il ". and the villagers seemed quite pow erless to stop the progress of the Sl flames. The old hand engine had just arrived on the scene and the men were IlldTIllHS the UFdheS.,
 The younger Halford seemed to stif- fen up suddenly and a new color came into his face.
 Here's work for me, dad," he cried. Look our for yourself" T He pushed into the little crowd of dazed spectators.
 You must get outside help" he shouted; If you don't your town is doomed" They stared around at him.
 "There's not moment to lose. Where's the nearest fire steamer?"
 'At Angora," a voice replied.
 Telegraph Angora at once"
 'eThe office is locked, and the opera tor lives three miles away"
 "We must break down the door. 4 will telegraph"
 A dozen men followed at his heels. The door was crushed in and Jim Hal ford called for help. The reply came promptly.
 "They will send their steamer as soon
 as locomotive can be fired up-in a half-hour at the outside.'' l And then he was up and back to the scene of the conf1agration. And some-
 how it wasn't many minutes before he
 seemed to dominate the whole affair.
 He encouraged the firemen in their al
 most futile efforts, he gave orders fol
 tic destruction of a barn that threat ened the spread of the flames in a new
 direction, he set the women to work lspreparing coffee and making sandwich. eS.
 And nobody questioned his authority
 nobody rebelled against his orders. Il
 WIS great emergency that confronted the villagers. A leader was needed
 Jim HaIford seemed to have sprung 1 out of the very smoke clouds to succol these frightened ones. When the shrill shriek of the locomo tive echoed against the hills Jim start. ed on run for the station, with z
 band of the younger villagers at hi: heels. They joined the Angora men ir unloading the fire steamer and manned
 the ropes that drew it to the scene. , "Hustle, lads!" Jim shout ed. A stout man on the opposite ropt looked up quickly.
 Great Scott!" he cried, tits Colone 'JinI Halford."
 'Who are you?" Jim shouted.
 1T as Captain Billy Manning. n mavnr nf Angora now" "Captain Billy! Then you talk, charge here"
 "Not much. I'm still serving unde the colonel"
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