The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-02-10

purple as the hyacinths o TO
bloom, scurried up and on-sWlttly. A
bunch of belated leaves, crisp and dry,
in the great oak over the office, just
across the lawn from the Great House,
kept up noise enough for a Soodly
forest.
Gen. Pelham stood at the office win
dow and listened to the crisp iutter'
ing Of the few dry leaves overhead.
Any hour and all w%eathers the gen
eral might be seen looking out that
open window to the grave on the lawn
where wild grass and duets grew.
The grave always seemed fresh apd
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
stantiy turning toward it.
"A man should employ the best
means the general unused aloud, tine
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 and
went from the general before he rec
oenized the guest, howbeit he was
always politely a~cqliescent 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 a cheerful
soul; a woman Of parts; a 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 a very pretty
wit.
'Joscelvn Pelham"-he stopped
short in his walking to and fro, and
addressed himself in stern arraign-
ment-"do | find you a seeker after
paltry lucre? DO l find you marring
mans finest sensibilities-
But what are the antique sensibil-
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
mine
Grandchildren, For that golden
haired darling of the twenty years cut
under the duets,
Lamont? Lamont?" unused the gen
eral. 81 recall no statesman, no great
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES with that
name-Lamont. Wealth, ever great
wealth without-somewhat OF promi-
name of honorable repute-
perhaps is not by the discerning
deemed wholly sufficient"
The old general, Strengthened to his
full height.
"The
not be all upon one side. EXpediency!
Adjustment. Faugh! Miserable words.
Let a name, widely and creditably
known-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, J%oscelyn, Gen. B. IS
(ahem!) Led famous charge, etc,
(reading)-splendid 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
for them-for her grandchildren as
we'll as mine.
"And tonight she comes, the widow
Lamont, to visit us here at Prairie
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.
"And so, Edith" the old man seated
himself stifiy, but elegantly, near the
cracking wood blazes, "and so the
widow Lamont is to come this ven
Ing"
1.-THE widow Lamont, as we and the
world have long called her." with a
ripple Of laughter. lis already here.