Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1907-01-16
Der Brilliant
failure
BY Katherine LesOis
Copyright. 1905. by Nj. NJ. Cunningham

meet fate.
Fate in this particular instance was
represented by Margaret's father,
self opInionated, self made man with
a grievance. Margaret realized fully
that she was a factor in the grievance
Her three sisters constituted the re-
Naming factC<s.
John Leckie felt that he had been
played scurvy trick when, having
proved that he could surmount obsta
clcs before which the average man fell
back dismayed and could rise from
nan,eiess, pennless obscurity to posi-
ton of power II not popularity among
men and affairs. nature had sent hiin
daughters instead of sons. His wife
I had died of very shame for having
failed so signally TO fulfill her duty In
! this respect.
! The eldest daughter had tried to ex-
plate her mothers offenses by enter
ing her fathers Office as bookkeeper.
| Today she ranked as his right hand
] man. She wore mannish clothes. too
and talked shop with her father from
soup TO coffee and was tremendously
bored when her sisters proposed enter
tanning a few friends at dinner.
The second daughter had chosen art
and had opened small studio in a
western city. Anything, in her estima-
ton, was preferable TO being told
whenever she met her father that IL
she had been a man she might have
built iron bridges instead of air castles
in art.
One thing John Leckie had done-he
had given them the best educational
advantages money could buy, and then
he had said. NOW go out and do
things"
Margaret, fresh from the trip abroad
which Leckie considered the essential
flushing touch Of girls education,
knew that she would be expected TO
"do things" Her father had given her
time to unpack her. trunks, to call on
her few relatives and the intimate fam
lily friends and to recover her equilib-
rum. so to speak. Now, when he sent
for her to join him i'm the library, she
knew what his question would be. Nor
was her surmise incorrect.
John Leckie leaned back In his rn-
tufted leather chair and stared frankly
at the tall, slender girl, who from some
unknown and far distant ancestor had
inherited a grace almost patrician.
''Sit down. Margaret. I've spent
good many thousand dollars on your
education What d'you expect 10 dc
with it,"
IL think / shall take charge OF the
house." she said, calm, without quak
ing within.
Take charge of the houseT echoed
her father harshly. 81 pay Mrs. Jen
kins to do that"
"And the whole house looks as III l
were handled by a hlreling," replied
Margaret, meeting his angry gaz'
without fiinching. Bought Hired
The words are stamped all over tn
place. We have no home life, no hom
atmosphere, and want to make thing
more pleasant, more like some OF tn
homes in which have visited. / thinl
r that is my forte"
A deep purple flush mounted to Lee
= kie's forehead. and his fist came dow
OH the table with a ringing thump.
$50. after all the money I've spen
on you, after all the plans I've mad
for Tsy girls to take a place In Tn
- world as good as their father made 70
3 himself you have no bigger ambition
than to mend socks and bake pies
That will add 10 the luster Of our fan
lily name. won't itT'
Margaret bit her lip. Leckie ha
spoken as II the name had been handle
down through ten generations instea
n of-one.
n "Now. see here That gag doesn't e
" You're going TO do something! Thin
of your sister Harriet
Margaret did think. and then she a
= most shuddercd. She remembers
> Harriet's untidy room, some cigarett
stubs she had seen lying on the unpo
ished brass tray. Harriet had said tina
after the long day in the Office sh
simply had to smoke to quiet he
nerves.
Harriet is credit TO her fathe
Men down street call her wonde
And you want to mend socks! Goo
heavens Say. do you think you coul
sell EOOuSf Il III StdIl you III hh'ih'i
, shop-a lot of society women are goin
i'm for that sort Of thing-or a te
.. room. IL you like. But you've got
do something"
IS Margaret rose and half timidly lai
s her arm around her fathers thick neci
Father, dear, I'd so much ratht
p. lust make tea for you and your fe'
friends. Perhaps we might have NOR
. friends IT,
\ He dung aside the encircling arm.
Now. see here. you're not going
sit back on your launches and do mott
C ing lust because have money. YouS
cot 20 make a name for yourself
e. something" lie was brutal now in n
~, disappointment IF you can't do an.
thing else, you can teach. | know
csan; lelped him out of tight pla'
ahret three months ago; name rs era.
n don. lie lives somewhere out In Yves
chester county and is on the scho
re board He has pull enough 10 get yo
he a job at teaching out there. and yo
ies can try your hand at that. III yo