Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-01
THE AWAKENING OF
HELENA RICHIE.
By MARGARET DELAND,
Authof Of dr. Lavendars People," Od Chester Tales"
eopHan. by Harper o,Ae Reserved,

sent to see his-mother. If there was no
other way to accomplish it,
At that DIR. Lavendar stopped smiling.
Benjamin. he said. solemnly. IF any
foolishness on the part of the boy brings
you to such wisdom, the hand Of the Lord
will be in it,!
Il don't want to see-his relations!
cried Benjamin Wright, but Sans got
to get away from this place for a while.
and if you won't persuade his-mother to
allow it. why l might be driven to seeing
her. But why shouldn't he try to get
his truck published?'
DR.. Lavendar was very much moved.
IF you'll only see your son." he said,
this other business will straighten itself
out somehow. But" he paused: get
ting Sans play published isn't very
good excuse for seeing him. I'd rather
have him think you were worried be-
cause the boy had an attack of calf-love.
No, I wouldn't want you to talk about
theatrical things" DIR. Lavender ended.
thoughtfuily.
why not?'
well. the fact is, Samuel has no SYM
pathy with dramas or playhouses. Il do
not myself approve of the theater. but I
am told respectable persons have
adopted the profession. Samuel, how
ever, can't find any good in 1t"
:He can't, can't he? Well. well; II was
efficacious-it was efficacious!
What was efficacious?"
Benjamin Wright laughed louuiy. You
don't know? He never told your"
You mean what you and he quarreled
about? No, he never told me-
He was a fool.
Benjamin, If you were not fool at
twenty-four. you missed a good deal"
And now he objects to theatrical
things?''
He objects so intensely" said Dr. Law
endar, that anxious as am to have
you meet and bring this foolish and
wicked quarrel to an end, / should really
hesitate to have you do so IL you in
sisted on discussing that subject
BENJAMIN Wright lifted one trembling
fist. ut was eff1cacious!'
And you would give your right hand
to undo it, said DR.. Lavender.
The very old man lowered his shaking
right hand and looked at It. then he
said. sullenly. II only wanted his own
But you forget; don't know what it
was about"
Mr.. Wright's face twitched. We'll" he
said. systematically, "rll-teil you. /
i his voice broke. then he coughed,
then he tried to laugh. Simple enough,
simple enough. I had occasion to send
him to Mercer. He was to come back
that night Mr.. Wright stopped. poured
some whisky into his glass and, forgetting
to add any water, drank 1t at a gulp,
He didn't come back until the next
afternoon
Yes Welr?'
I'm those days I was of-of somewhat
hasty temper"
80 / have heard" said Dr. Lavendar.
Benjamin Wright giared When I was
young, listening to gossip was not thought
becoming in the cloth. When he came
learned that he had stayed over in Mer-
cer-without my consent. mark you-to go
to the theater.
"Well?'' said DR.. Lavender. HE was
twenty-four. Why should he have your
consant?''
MIR. Wright waves this question aside.
when he. came home l spoke with some
severity
not built on such folly as that
Benjamin Wright shook his head and
made a careless gesture with his trem-
bling hand. "Not-entirely. reproved
him. as I say. And he was impairment,
Impertinent. mind you, to his father! And
lin those days my temper was somewhat
quick-I-"
"Yes?" ~.
But Mr.. Wright seemed unable to pro-
coed: except to say again, '1-reproved
him.
But Dr. Lavendar protested, you
don't mean to tell me that. Samuel, just
for reproof. an unkind and unjust re-
proof. would-whyiI cannot believe it!''
1T was not unjust BENJAMIN
wright's melancholy eyes famed angrily.
HE Is obstinate; I've told him SO hun
dred times, And he's conceited-so's
everybody. more or less; IL In nothing
else. we're conceited because we're not
conceited. But he's not a fool. SO.
whether he is right or not. / am sure he
thinks he had something more to COM
plain of than good blowing up?''
I'm way" said the old man, examip-
ing his ridgy finger nails and speaking
with a gasp, "he had. Slightly"
DIR. Lavendars stern lip trembled with
anxiety. WHAT"
"I-chastised him; little
"You-what?"
Benjamin Wright nodded: the wrinkled
pouches under his eyes grew duly red.
my God!'' he said, plaintively; think OF
that-a hasty, moment. Thirty-two years;
my God! spanked him..
eTo be Continued Tomorrow