The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1904-02-13
After all. the hardest blow was N.


two sons and two daughters, not count.
ing Archie (Archie never counted any
way, because of his inhrmity). All OF
the four were married and very we'll to
do, owing largely to the wise and liberal
provisions made by their father. AS
soon as the full meaning of the blow be-
came evident and they realized that the
catastrophe would involve every dollar
OF their fathers estate and leave him a
bankrupt, the affection of these four
sons and daughters and their consorts,
for their father and their interest in his
affairs as well, cooled so perceptibly as
to make the white-haired unfortunate
vince, as even the aloofness of some of
the men ION the street" whom he had
befriended. had not.
But when they approached him and
explained individually why they could
not, owing to various domestic reasons.
| throw open their homes or any of them
to himself and their mother, and while
each and every one was most terribly
hard up for various reasons, yet they
would all deny themselves and con-
tribute enough to make up pittance
for the economical support of ma and
you,' the old lion in him arose and he
drove them from his presence with all
the force and dignity of his best days.
I'VE can go to the poor house, Helen"
he had said to his wife after it was over,
but We cannot eat the bread of be-
grudged charity from our own chill
dren."
I'VE were too lenient with them
Homer" she eaid, simply. 'Tt is our
own fault"
This attitude of his children whom
he had denied nothing played on him
the most strongly. The idea that hts
own flesh and blood could take such a
character seemed to take away his last
spark of courage.
There finally came a dreadful night
after they had moved into three cheap
rooms over store, and the bankruptcy
affair had been finally settled, that
Homer Warfield came in and, bowling
MS head In his hands, burst into tears.
Helen, Helen" he said, 81 don't |
know what to do. | have tried eyerv-
thing ! can think of. have Inundated
myself before men have always sum-
moned as lackeys, but cannot get even
minor position of any sort. thought |
surely l could get some sort of clerk
ship at salary of 500 or $3.50 month. !
with all my connections-but get moth
Ing but cold shoulder. And-and. I
haven't $40 in my pocket I wouldn't
are, but for you and Archie-you. to
Vhom | owe everything, and Archie.
Vhom | robbed because, like a fool. /
bought | always would be able to care
or him. His well and sound brothers
nd sisters were given to lavishly and
his poor cripple, without means to care
or himself, is to be thrown into the
treet to beg" and again the man burst
ITO tears.
Helen comforted him and soothed as
My loving women can.
"Oh, | can do something" the man
aid, bitterly. Il guess they would let
re run an elevator or drive street car"
hen suddenly-"where is Archie?
ayent seen him for week or two ex-
'pt at breakfast"
don't KNOW" replied the mother.
diy' HE used to tell me everything,
ID 10 be always playing his violin.
or some weeks he has been avoiding
e. | don't know" and for the first q
ne In his life the husband saw tears !,
the eyes of his wife, In his ewes
rned the light of insanity.
Al this moment the door flew open and
'cnie burst into the room-Archie. the
the cripple, the misshapep. n
carried his violin case and his sunken p
eeks were flushed unnaturally. d.
Mother, father" he cried, staggering 81
ross the floor and dropping on his p
ees with both hands on their clasped al
es. Listen Oh, the great luck I've n
d. I've been bursting to tell YOU for q
er week, but | wanted to be sure In
81 You've always been SO good and
Id to me and spent so much on INV til
sic and everything that l thought l tie
uld try and see if it was really worth M
gthirg now that you need help YOUR kl
yes SO much. And | went to Prof 81
ado and some others, and what do pa
think? ! have been engaged at the a
ceum theater to play in the orchestra m
40 week to start on and maybe ph
re later Oh, it's true. That's why.I on
2 tell you before wanted to show Ice
/. began week ago and here is NV nj
weeks wages" and the excited how of
sw down five crisp five-dollar bills. co
men In sheer Mysteries the how beoar do
Try and the tears of the mother aud did
Ter Joined his.
men aid they realize that what they in
considered their greatestfailure was ors
4 greatest success, and that they had mi
N the world something worth while. mn