The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1905-02-11

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purple as the hyacinths about to
bloom, scurried up and on-sWlttly. "A
bunch of belated leaves, crisp and dry
in the great oak over the ''ofice," just
across the lawn from the Great House,
kept up noise enough for a goodly
forest.
Gen. Pelham stood at the office win
dow and listened to the crisp tutter'
| ing of the few dry leaves overhead.
Any hour and all weathers the gen
eral might be seen looking out that
open window to the grave on the lawn
where wild grass and bluets grew.
The grave always seemed fresh and
new to the general, though to the rest
of the world it was forty years old.
This afternoon his eyes tried to
avoid it, though custom kept them con-
stantly turning toward it.
"A man should employ the best
means" the general unused aloud, the
best of means. Yes" he unused, every
resource should be used for the pres
ent and for those in it"
Now the present always came -ane'
went from the general before he rec
ognized the guest, howbeit he was
always politely acquiescent at a
chance introduction. For himself, his
heart beat in the past. For his grand
children his thoughts bore all on the
| future.
This widow Lamont"-the general
walked with the light, alert tread OF
the military man back and forth from
the window to his stout plantation
homemade desk-"seems cheerful
soul; woman of parts; very pretty
wit. Doubtless very pleasant eyes be-
hind her glasses-ahem! A woman OF
wealth, of great wealth."
He handled the letters laid out on
his desk, letters showing very pretty
wit.
"Joscelyn Pemam'-he stopped
short in his walking to and fro, and
addressed himself in stern arraign-
ment-"do I find you a seeker after
paltry lucre? Do 1 find you marring
mans finest sensibilities-
But what are the antique SENSIBLE
tiles of age against the pressing ne
cessities of youth and the present?
"But-those children-Edith, so like
her''-an involuntary turn to the open
window-"her grandchild-they are
her grandchildren as well as
mime
Grandchildren! For that golden
haired darling of the twenty years out
under the duets.
Lamont? Lamont?" unused the gen.
eral. II recall no statesman, no great
acknowledgements with that
name-Lamont. Wealth, even great
wealth without-somewhat OF proml-
nence-a name of honorable repute-
perhaps is not by the discerning
deemed wholly sufficient"
The old general, Strengthened to his
full height.
1.-THE neutrality-suspicious.
not be all upon one side. Expedlency!
Adjustment! Faugh! Miserable words.
Let a name, widely and creditably
kpown-ahem!
With that he reached to the row OF
encyclopedias above his desk. He
chose out that stout leather volume
XVII; "Pag-Pug."
Turning the leaves midway, read
ing: pelham, Joscelyn, Gen. B. 1S-
(ahemD Led famous charge, etc.,
neutrality-suspicious. military achieve
ments, etc.
Replacing the volume-"A line
three lines-only. But, then-who to-
day has three lines in the American
Universal? Many a better man, per-
haps. has not. True! Every resource
for them-for her grandchildren as
well az mine. ..@ =.
"And tonight she comes, the widow
Lamont, to visit US here at Prairie
Lodge. And tomorrow unless-per-
haps-the foreclosure of Prairie
Lodges mortgage will be advertised.
Every resource ~ .
He touched up his white hair and
mustache before the tiny mirror that
hung on the, Office wall, and stepped
lightly across from the office to the
house. r."
"And SO, Edith" the old man seated
himself stimy, but elegantly; near the
cracking wood blazes, "and SO the
widow Lamont is to come this even
ing
s'The widow Lamont, as we and the
world have long called her." with a
yipple OF Laughter. sis already. here,