Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1905-02-10
BE- Martha XotIz1g

The February air was null or per
fume and damp .breeziness. Clouds
purple as the hyacinths about tt
bloom. scurried up and on-swiftly. A
bunch of belated leaves, crisp and dry
in the great oak over the office" JUS,
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 flutter
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 duets 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 and
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; a 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 Pelham"-he stopped
short in his walking to and fro, and
addressed himself in stern arraign-
ment-"do 1 find you a seeker after
paltry lucre? Do find you marring
mans finest sensibilities-"
But what are the antique SENSIBLE
ities 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 out
under the bluets.
Lamont? lamont" unused the gen.
eral. 81 recall no statesman, no great
deeds-ahe m!-connected with that
name-Lamont. Wealth, even great
wealth without-somewhat OF promi-
nence-a name of honorable repute-,
perhaps is not by the discerning
deemed wholly sufficient"
The old general, Strengthened to his
full height.
"The ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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, Joscelyn, Gen. B. 1S-
(ahemD Led famous charge. etc.,
freading)-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 better man, per-
haps. has not. True! Every resource
for them-for her grandchildren as
we'll as 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.
"And so. Edith" the old man seated
himself stiffiy, but elegantly, near the
cracking ,od blazes, "and so the
widow Lamont is to come this even
ing"
"The widow Lamont, as we and the
world have long called her." with a
ripple Of laughter. sis already here.