Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-08-31

selflshness. The game goes to him
who can get It, There are common
ly accpeted rules that he can observe
or not, as he chooses. What justi
fies him is his success, and If he wins
the question of honor or dishonor isn't
raised. Now, dear, your father is an
amazingly clever player of the game.
Ie can win 1t when his opponents
hold all the best cards and more than
half the trumps. 1t isn't his place to
consider them; it's his duty to take
the tricks. If he takes great many
tricks-a great great many tricks
his skill can't be called dishonor, can
it? It's skill, that's all; and moth
ling Is more admirable than skill in
anything"
But II it's skill to bring trouble
and worry and want to some people
and to others-to us for instance
millions more than we can ever
use
There's no such skill as that,
dear" Mrs. Trafford argued in vir-
tuous tone. From the beginning VI
history wealth has always been a
stewardship, and 1t has gone into the
hands of certain stewards II you
are a steward, dts much more i'm
portant to fulfill your stewardship
than to question the means by which
you we're appointed
But said Paula, doubtfully,
couldn't part of the stewardship be
TO make PREPARATION? z"
Preparation isn't as easy as it
looks, dear. It's not only matter
of giving, but a matter Of taking.
When one side is willing to offer it.
the other, perhaps, isn't ready 20
accept it,
But If 1t were money? Anybody
would accept money"
"No. nobody won't accept money,
strange as 1t may seem. There are
people-we may not know many OF
them-but there are people who put
money long way after pride. I've
got a good mind to tell you some
thing that George and l have ALWAYS
kept from you. 1t would show YOU"
Paula looked her Interrogation.
cts about your father
"Do tell me, Laura, please"
"Well, the beginning of 1t was a
long time ago, when we lived In Tur-
tonville Wisconsin. 1t was ages be-
fore ever imagined I should marry
one of the Traffords. Your father 1t
. that time had some trouble out there
with a man named Marshall. don't
know exactly what 1t was, but 1t was
something like what we were talking
Of last night
mot the Winships?" Paula cried
painfully. There wasn't another
case like that?" Tell me. Laura!"
mo; it wasn't bit like that; 1t
was just something in the same line
What I'm coming to is this: Marshall
was the rich man Of Turtonville. He
had something to do with coal, oi
course; and he had four daughters
all very plain. One Of them was an
old maid from the time can begin tC
: remember. Well, when the trouble
! started, your father began pushing
! Marshall and pushing him and push
= ing hin1-till at last he pushed him
. out Of his business altogether. Their
Marshall shot himself
= "Oh, Laura, don't tell me any more
ct was all Marshall's fault, dear
: Your father didn't make him shoot
= himself. That was perfectly gratui
y tous on Marshall's part But it's
: ). about the old Miss Marshalls that
Z want to tell you. After their fathe,
!. died and they were so poor, they had
: to turn their hands to anything for 8
= living. They did sewing and made
= cake and put up pickles and painted
:. doilies-"
ooh, how dreadful. Laura"
= "And they did pretty we'll till the
= eldest one fell ILL., That was the sum
= mer was married; and one day, II
= the winter after. / happened to men
). ton them to your father
a ooh, I'm 80 glad. l know he was
q good to them!"
= eyes; he sent them Thousand
: dollars anonymously, through theil
minister. He gave the strictest orders
d that his name was never to be known
h but when they had spent couple o
y hundred Of it the foolish clergyman
e told them That was enough. Thu
4 sick one got up out Of her dying bet
4 and went to work. It was as If he
It pride had healed her. For two year!
they toiled and saved till they hat
got together as much as they hat
g spent. Then they returned the full
q thousand to your father. He told nj
q about it, and know 1t cut him t
Y the quick. He's forgiven them
q though, great heart that he is! Ant
g lhe's asked me several times to d.
u what can for them"
3: "And you've done it, Laura?"
It Indeed l have! couldn't sen,
u them money, of course, after thet
d treatment Of Uncle Trafford. Be
q, sides. never run the risk of pauper
=, izing any one. What I've done ha
"a been to give them work. They sey
u beautifully, and i've managed to lie
u them have all the house-linen, bot
r for Newport and Tuxedo, without
suspicion on their part that 1t wa
1t for our family. Naturally, had to q
o. 1t through a third person. for the
wouldn't have touched 1t If they ha
Il known"
1 "Are there really people In tn
d world who feel towards us like that?
1t Paula questioned. with an air Of dis
ar tress.
II suppose" Mrs Trafford reptile
It. in her practical Way-"I suppose the