Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-11

/ S1'AASSAS ~ tuuI part Oh 3LuG UOWu. II
was there she was born, in its quaint
DID parlor she was married, and all hel
glrlhood, her brief welded life and heI
widowhood were connected with it
Mrs. Gray and Montgomery's mother
mad been schoolmates and playmates
and their friendship endured. When
old Edwin Peter Brewster looked about
Tor place to house his orphaned grand.
son, Mrs. Gray begged him to let her
care for the little fellow. He was three
years older than her Margaret, and the
children grew up as brother and sis
ter. Mr.. Brewster was generous in
providing for the boy. While he was
away at college, spending money in a
manner that caused the old gentleman
to marvel at his own liberality, Mrs.
Gray was we'll paid for the unused but
well kept apartments, and there never
was a murmur of complaint from Ed
win Peter Brewster. He was hard, but
he was not niggardly.
1t had been something Of struggle
for Mrs Gray. to make both ends meet.
The property in Fortieth street was
her only possession. But little money
had come to her at her husbands
death, and an unfortunate speculation
of his had swept away all that had
fallen to her from her father, the late
Judge Merriweather. For years she
Kept the old home unincumbered,
teaching French and English until
Margaret was well into her teens. The
girl was sent to one Of the good old
boarding schools on the Hudson and
came out we'll prepared to help her
mother in the battle to keep the wolf
down and appearances up. Margaret
was rich in friendships, and pride
alone stood between her and the adj
vantages they offered. Good looking,
bright and cheerful, she knew no natu-
raj privations. With heart as light
and joyous as q May morning she
faced adversely as though it We're
pleasure, and no one would have sus-
pected that even for a moment her
courage wavered.
Now that Brewster had come into
his splendid fortune he could conceive
no greater delight than to share it
with them. To walk into the little
drawing room and serenely lay large
sums before them as their own seemed
such natural proceeding that he re-
fused to see an obstacle. But he knew
1t was there. The proffer Of such a
gift to Mrs Gray would mean a
! wound to the pride inherited from
naughty generations Of men sufficient
unto themselves. There was a small
but troublesome mortgage on the
house, matter of two or three thou
sand dollars, and Brewster tried to
evolve plan by which he could as
sumo the burden without giving deep
and lasting offense. A hundred wild
designs had come to him, but they
were quickly relegated to the growing
heap OF subterfuges and pretexts con-
demned by his tenderness for the pride
Of these two women who meant so
much to him.
Leaving the bank. he fastened by
electric car to Fortietil street and
broadway and then walked eagerly of
! into the street Of the numeral. He had
not yet come to the point where he felt
like scorning the cars even though q
roll Of bank notes was tucked snugly
away In pocket that seemed to swell
with sudden aff1uence Old Hendrick,
faithful seryitor through two genera
tons, was sweeping the autumn leaves
from the sidewalk when Montgomery
came up to the house.
Hello. Hendrick!" was the young
mans CHEEKY greeting. mice lot of
leaves you have there
"So?" ebbed from Hendrick, who did
not even SO much as look up from his
work. Hendrick was human clam.
Mrs. Gray in:"
A grunt that signified yes.
You're as loquacious as ever, Hen
drick."
A mere nod.
Brewster let himself in with his own
latchkey, threw his hat on a chair and
unceremoniously bolted into the libra
ry. Margaret was seated near win
dow, a book in her lap. The first evil
dence of unbiased friendship he had
seen in days shone in her smile. She
took his hand and said simply, I'VE are
glad to welcome the prodigal to his
home again"
II remind myself more of the fatted
calf"
| Her first self consciousness had gone,
Il thought Of that, but didn't dare
say It," she laughed. Zone must be
respectful to rich relatives
Hang your rich relatives, Peggy!
If l thought that this money would
make any difference would give it UP
this minute
Nonsense, Montyw she said. "How
could it make a difference? But you
must admit it is rather startling. The
friend Of our youth leaves his humble
dwelling Saturday night with his sal
airy drawn for two weeks ahead. He
returns the following Thursday a daz
zling millionaire"
I'm glad I've begun to dazzle any.
way. I thought it might be hard tc
look the part"
well, l can't see that you are much