The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1906-10-03
A Great Gun
By GRETCHEN GRAYDON
Copyright, 1905, by Homer Sprague


this time very bad" Mrs. Wheat said,
nodding across at her son. but you
won't wonder at it when you hear the
new sweetheart's name Sarah Susan
Miss Sarah-Susan Gunn'
Billy turned all eolors. Common. his
chum, laughed eXplosively and said as
soon US he could speak: Billy, | call
that positively immoral! You had bet
ter be counting twins How ever will
YOU fix it? You may propose TO Susan
aud he rejected or accepted by Sally.
You may even be married wrong.
Think. too, of being always n mere
gunper'S matte
"Shut up" Billy INTERCEPTED, his face
scarlet. bnt giinning in spite of him
self. "Wait till you've seen her at
least Mother makes fun of her names
because she can't find fault With her
any way else. And Sue isn't to blame.
She didn't name herself or choose the
family she had to be born in
'No. hut you do choose the family
YOU marry Into Mrs. Wheat eooed.
she was less than twenty years older
than Billy and still very pretty and
very lively woman.
Conuors thought her stunning. So
did his Uncle Tim. Hnrking back sud
denly in his mind TO something year
old. he whistlcd aloud and asked alb
ruptly Say, Nanny Wheat Is 1t the
same way with Tim? Did you turn
him down because you wouldn't be
Mrs. O'TooleF'
It was mammy's turn to blush. The
blush made her Younger and prettier
than ever. "Who says had the
chance to he Mrs. O'Toole%' she began,
bat stopped rs both the youngsters
groWled dcrisiOn and unbelief.
Tim was the worst ever" Connors
said decidedly; couldn't eat or sleep;
used 10 hang ont of the windows all
prom. week Just to stare up the street
toward where you We're staying; IN
the greatest tidget, too. 10 get his place
fixed III nov And then. after he'd
walked about with you one teeny half
hour, he quit cut out everything ex=
cept my allowance and scooted across
the pond with just half steamer kit.
Don't say you don't know why, NAM
my 1t won't do any eood-not with
us two. We know. lie wented-be-
cause YOU scented him Poor old Tim!
You have n heap On your conscience.
nanny, How could you do it,"
Don't you understand, Larry, dearf"
nanny said. still blushing. ut was
all on your account | couldn't bear TO
supplant YOU" Her eyes laughed. but
Larry Gonuors saw under the laughter.
eff that was your game you went
blind" he said Don't you see Tim is
SO near the years of Understanding
begin mt forty fve=he'll sure fall Vie
tim somehow somewhere. You ought
TO have taken him. nanny. Then. in
deed. my future would have been Sc
cure"
"WhCrc is hef Have you heard from
him lately?" NANNY asked. her eyes
suddenly downcast
Larry shook his head lie was tear
ing around toward the midnight sun
thought maybe the ieebergs would re
mind him OF you" he said. but that
was six months back long enough for
him to be buried or married. .
"IIe AWAY talked of Ireland"-
nanny began signing faintly.
But he a. n care for it unless you
were there =, -cc it With him." Larry
Interrupted IL think I'll cable him to
come back right away. Maybe he will
be ready to sacrifice himself for your
within carry off the adorable Gum and
so save Billy"
81 had rather almost-she had Billy"
nanny said inconsequently Tim
is dear but-'IIon. Mrs. Timothy
O'Toole" Dear me, ! could cry when
| think of it, Why wasn't he born
something else?'
"Smlth. Jones. Brown or Robinson"
Larry commented
Mrs. Wheat got up and walked quick
~ away.
Billy went TO the window Larry,
staring after the vanishing lady, was
amazed to see her head droop and her
bosom swell Clearly She was on the
point Of sobblng. He followed her soft
ly ana said as she flung herself on
couch: Tell me. nanny, You're play
ing a game. What is it?'
GLOW did you guess?" nanny said,
speaking very low. with her finger on
her lip. "You mustn't ever let Billy
guess it," she said. "IIe doesn't know
about our money. It came to me from
my uncle. the dearest, straitlaced
soul. He thought second marriages sin
ful-splrituai bigamy, he called them.
SO | kept my fortune, which will be
BIllys fortune, on condition of remain
Ing always a widow. Now you see
why had 10 send Tim away"
"As If he cared for your money!
And he'd never let Billy lose" Larry
said exultantly But he bent his head
reverently to kiss mammy's hand as
he added: Put. oh. you are brick!
You made up all this about the name
to blind that blessed boy?'
81 had there-there wasn't any
thing else. Tim was such n gentle
man. Mrs. Wheat said. smothering a
sob "You won't tell him, Larry, but
all this teasing over his sweethearts
name is just to keep him from suspect
ing. l don't really oppose him. although
think he IS making mistake. He has
to find it out for himself"
whats wrong with herr Larry
asked.
Everything, but mostly that she's
too old and wise and hard" Mrs. Wheas
said comprehenslyely. Il mean thai
she was born too old; actually they are
but month apart. She Is much too
clever to care really for my dear, big,
laundering, pretty boy, but she cares a
whole lot for what he can give her.
You ought to see her eying my pearls.
| could forgive her a little If she had
no pearls of her own. TO be rich and
graspng is so much worse than to
yearn for what one never has had. |
could break up the match tomorrow by
letting her know | hold the purse
strings, but that would lose me my boy,
I...f.. Al.