Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-01-26
SO Fair, SO false
By Charles 0arvice

By Charles darvice

Duu LhpIt III Imam -
nobleman, not very good taste In him,
and-and--"
"Hush--hush! cried Carrie, spring.
ing to her feet "Papa!"
The door is opened and the little
stumpy figure Of the indigo merchant
clad In his bran new evening dress,
with huge diamonds glitterfng in his
shirt front, and sparkling on his fat,
red hands, the master of all the new
and dazzling splendor against which
the girl has been inveighing- passes
In between the two footmen.
At sight Of him Mays variable mood
changes from fiery scorn to Intense
though suppressed mirth He looks
so uncomfortable In his shining broad
cloth and glittering diamonds, so
pompous and so absurd, and so con.
scious Of his absurdity.
"Er--haye you finished, my dear?"
he says II trust you enjoyed 1t. Car.
rie--er--run into the drawing-room."
Carrie walks slowly instead OF run.
ming, and Mr. Dalton closes the door,
and stands warming his back at the
empty CRATE.
May, uncOmpromlsing as ever, sits,
and looks, and waits. After one or
two blasts on the red bandana, over
which he eyes her with covert merry.
BUSINESS, he clears his throat and be-
gins:
n need not say that ! am glad to
see you back, May"
"Thanl you, papa" comes softly,
but calmly from the red lips
And I--er-hope that you are glad
to get back. Your late occupation
ahem-was scarcely appropriate and
suitable to the sphere into which we
have moved, and am glad you are
back"
mo doubt Carries letter gave you
full account of the changes which
have come over our fortunes"
ut would have done, If had receiv-
ed It," says May, cheerfully. "But
Carrie has made up for the loss. She
has been telling me all that has hap
pened. am very glad. papa"
"Yes--yes" says the millionaire,
complacently ut is a wonderful
change; but, If you remember, al
ways said that | should make great
1t"
May does not remember 1t, but Is far
too wise to say SO.
"Of course, am very pleased and
-gratlfed, too, not on my account
so much as on that of my two chill
dren."
Two says May, in low voice.
Mr.. Dalton blows his nose loudly,
and browns the obnoxious exclama-
ton.
ut is, of course a great comfort
to me to feel that | have raised them
by my eXertions CeXertions' Is good
word for speculations0 --my own eX.
ertlons To positions which--er--to
positions which will place them In
posltlon-that is to say In short, you
understand, May, the old life has
gonc forever; that what we have to
do is to forget it, and endeavor to fill
the place we have made for ourselves
In the world And-and--that we may
thoroughly understand each other,
think It well to remind you of the
condition upon which you---"
Are allowed to return"
III YOU like to put 1t So well, you
must What | want to say is that
viii not have the old cause of quarrel
and pickering in this new life"
What you mean, papa" says May,
lis that we are not to mention sgd.
neys name. that we are to forget that
we ever had brot' =, and are TO
make ourselves comfortable In all
this luxury, without giving thought
ms TO whether he Is starving or dead"
That's just what do mean" says
Mr. Dalton, II wash my hands of-of
your brother, have done with him
done with him What said two
years and sin months ago, say now
vagebond spendthrift he Is no son
of mine. Starving or dead. Il matters
not to me. He Is no son Of mine
And-and | forbid anyone TO mention
his name in my hearing, think
have spoken plain enough.
quite, and--I promise to obey you
in part. will not speak Of him.
but-but--l cannot forget him."
You can please yourself about
that, II It's any pleasure to remcm-
Der that YOU have II brother who is u
disgrace to the name he bears, | know
You too we'll, my dear May, To think
that YOU win debar youreslf that
pleasure for my sake. Think of him
as much as YOU like but don't lot me
hear the scoundrels name"
May springs to her feet and stands
painting for moment. her beautiful
] eyes blazing with wounded love and
indignation.
Then do not YOU speak OF him to
me, papa, she says, at least until
sinking down again and shaking with
suppressed tears-''until YOU can
speak more like a Christian and less
like heather of your own son, oh
Syd--Syd!"