The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1907-03-07
Der Brilliant
failure
BY Katherine LstOiS

With chin upllfted and lips firmly
compressed. Margaret advanced TO
meet fate
Fate In this particular instance was
represented by Margarets father, n
self opinonated, self made man with
q grievance. Margaret realized fully
that she was factor In the grievance.
..yras,. tb.oe. aiaf.ra constituted tho 10.
manning factors.
John Leckie felt that he had been
played scurvy trick when, having
proved that he could surmount Obsta
Giles before which the average man fell
back dismayed and could rise from
nameless, pennlless 0bscurity to a posi-
tion Of power II not popularity among
men and affairs, nature had sent him
daughters instead Of sons, His wife
had died Of very shame for having
failed so signally to fulfill her duty IL,
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 few friends at dinner.
The second daughter had chosen art
and had opened small studio in n
western city. Anything, in her estlma
tlon, was preferable TO being told
whenever she met her father that II
she had been 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 20 out and do
things"
Margaret. fresh from the trip abroad
which Leckle considered the essential
finishing 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 md the intimate fam.
lily friends and to recover her eQuilib.
rum. 80 to speak Now, when he sent
for her TO Join him In the library, she
knew what his question would be- Nor
was her surinise Incorrect
John Leckie leaned back In his un.
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 to dc
with ltr'
- think shall take charge OF the
Sc" she said, calm, without quak.
.ng within
Take charge OF the honser' echoed
her father harshly II pay Mrs. Jen'
kins TO do that"
"And the whole house looks ss II II
were handled by hlreling." replied
Margaret, meeting his angry gaze
without Gnchlng Bought. Hired
The words are stamped all over the
place We have no home lie. no home
atmosphere. and I want TO make things
more pleasant, more like some OF the
homes In which have visited. ! think
that Is my forte"
A deep purple nush mounted to Lee
kie's forehead. and bis fist came down
on the table with ringing thump
so, after all the money I've spent
on you, after all the plans I've made
for my girls 10 take place IN The
world a. good as their father made fo'
himself. you have no bigger ambition
than to mend socks and bake pies.
That will add TO the luster OF our fam.
ily name. won't itY'
Margaret bif her lip I.eckie had
spoken as II the name had been handed
down through ten generations Instead
of one
Now. see here. That gag doesn't 20
You're going 10 Do something Th;nt
Of your sister Harriet
Margaret did think. and then she al
most shnddered She remembered
Harriei's untidy room. some cigarette
stubs she had seen lying on the unpol
isbsi brass tray. Harriet had said thai
after the long day iB tbs oihoe .hs