The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-06-25
Our Daily Short Story

lawyer, as the young man picked UP
his hat and started out, his face gray
er than 1t had ever been before. he
turned at the question.
TT looks like adding insult TO IN
jury" said he: but. after all. we dldn p.
have any absolute rights in his oid
i money--and he was a pretty good TEL
low to me. Get some decent sort OF
monument and take the cost out OF
my share"
Harold went directly to his club and
| sat a long time in the smoking-room
buried in thought For the first time
| he faced the real problem of life. ana
the natural difficulties accentuated by
his absolute unpreparedness and the
mountain of debts he had acquired.
| There was another complication, too
"a woman, of course. Only a few
weeks since he had fallen in love with
| q sweet-faeed nurse who had cared for
| him through an illness, and had re-
/ solved to marry and settle down. he
had proposed and been accepted. To
give her up seemed more to him than
all the rest-the loss of luxury, the
prospect of hard work, the sneers of
T, his fellows. But it was inevitable. for
he could figure no way to support him
| self. to say nothing of her.
| After several hours of absorbed
| thought-the longest period of serious
| thinking he had ever known--he threw
away his cigar and walked briskly out.
Taking a north bound car he made his
way to the home of Alice Newton, and
| a few moments later had laid the whole
case before her and released her from
the engagement.
What are you going to dor she
asked with a white face. {
"oh. can Join the army, guess,
and go to the Philippines" he replied,
grimly. They will feed me and clothe
| me and shelter me after fashion.
That's more than I can do for my
self"
you will do no such thing" she re-
piled, with spirit. you will go to work
and use those abilities you have al
ways abused. and make a place for
, yourself. And--and-I will wait for
YOU
He started forward eagerly, then re-
lapsed into his old cynicism. TITS no
use," he said. I've thought 1t all over.
know my limitations better than
you. can do nothing, and all my as
sociations and acquaintance and habits
are a handicap and not a help. No,
will go my way and exc out some sort
of an existence, and you will go yours
and God bless you"
He turned quickly to go, but she
gave he< a passionate embrace and
their lips met. but in his eyes there
was no hope.
At the club he found a message from
the lawyer to call at his office next
day.
Here Is catalogue of monuments
j thought you should decide what sort
to put over your uncle's grave. I do
not care to take the responsibility of
N a a r. n To-
are to pay for 1t, you should make the
selection"
oh, 1t don't matter" replied Harold.
I am no connoissieur in grave stones"
Here" persisted the lawyer, open
ing the catalogue, is a simple stone
that can be put up for $3.50. Perhaps
with your means that is all you ought
to pay. Here is very respectable thing
for $500. Here is a shaft for $500, and
81, 600"
Harold looked careiessly at the pic
lures.
"oh. better do it right" said he.
grimly. The money might as we'll go
that way as any other. He never hest
tated to add cipher to my check when
debts got pressing. Better give him
the $1,000 shaft and fix up some sort
or lettering for 1t, will your"
az lawyer UOWeO AS you say" he
said. Come in a week from to-day.
and l will pay you the balance of your
Inheritance"
A week later Harold appeared at the
lawyers ONCE. The other heirs were
there. "eFe
The old lawyer showed signs of great
There was a codicil to Mathew
Whitman's will" he said. TT was in
sealed envolep to be opened by me
AFTER the monument had been placed
over his grave. 1t provides that the
FAMILY heirs shall have a further leg
aey or an amount equal to 400 times
the cost of the monument, providinr
that did not exceed the value Of The
estate; said further legacy to he al
Vioed among the heirs in proportjor
TO the amount they shall have contrib
uted toward the monument"
There was dense silence for a mo-
ment. IL would require a camera to de- |
pct the expression of utter woe Ge-
pleted on the faces of Jefferson Frank-
I'm ana the female heirs-especia1Iv IN |
that of the astute Jefferson.
haroId Oiney sat as one in n Trance |
iheh ne gave a whoop ana leansd -
the elevator. A moment later he we.
hurrylng northward in a cab with tho
morse on a gallon, H
ne purst into the home of Alice New.
Ton ike whirlwind. What hannenad
ton. Ae iinaslna-