The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-09-01


not forbear pointing with his cane
with sort of a smile to make il
appear that he considered it in the
light of joke, at some placards
which appeared above the sacks anC
boxes at the South Water street cor
ner. The pointing was hardly neces
sary, for Frances Marvin's quick eye,
had caught their significance. This i.
what they read:
Observation-Disclosures.
MEADowCRoFT's MILD ONIONS.
MEADowCRoETs PRIME PoTA-
) People all had it fixed that Frances
Marvin was to marry James Parker
, The girl halfway thought so herself
She knew that several times Parker
, was on the point of declaration.
Not yet" the girl had said to her
self and she had ayerted diplomatic
ally the crisis, though she was be-
ginning to think one day it would
come and she would say yes. Her
mother urged her and her own
knowledge told her of an easy future
as the wife of a man who had what
was needful and plenty more.
One day the board of managers of
the Mortimer Pierce Hospital for Grip
pies held meeting. Funds were need
I'd and a number Of the young wom-
en- of society who were interested in
the charity agreed to ask some Of those
whom they knew we're wen able to
give to help along the cause Frances
Marvin was one of the soliciting com
mittee. Perhaps the mother was wiser
than most in her generation. for she
suggested to Frances that they ask
james Parker for contribution. She
and her mother went downtown and
at the mothers suggestion went into
the office of James Parker, stockho older.
Mr.. Parker wasn't in. The office boy.
who was new and not up to snuff, said
that Mr.. Parker was in his other office
further down the street. You'll find
him on the third floor at the corner"
said the boy.
Mrs. Marvin and her daughter did
not know that James Parker had two
offices. They reached the third floor
of the corner building. 1t was a dingy
place and on rather dirty glass door
appeared y. Parker. Loans" They
entered. There was an ante-room with
two smaller rooms beyond separated
from the first by glass partition. A
boy told them to sit down and Mr.
Parker would be at leisure in few
minutes. Then-they couldn't help
it-they heard a conversation. The
voices were those of man and a wom-
an, and the mans voice was that cf
James Parker. The conversation ran
like this. - 49, ado. ten
per cent. n month is what you agreed
to pay and what you are bound to pay
BY this writing. You have already paid
me, you say, an amount equal to the
principal. That has nothing to do
with it. If you can't pay you shouldn't
borrow"
I'VE are in trouble at home, Mr..
Parker, and wish you could be a bit
easy with us"
you should have thought of all that
before madam. This debt is legiti-
mate, and the law can't pick a hole
in it. want and must have my money
or your furniture goes"
There was something like a dry sob
from the inner room. With a common
impulse Mrs. Marvin and her daughter
rose and left the room, though not
till each had placed card before the
office boy. saying, softly: Tell him
we were here" When they reached
the street and were hurrying along as
though to get away from a neighbor-
hood Of contamination. the girl said:
Mother. have heard Of such things.
that men in business made much of
their money in other businesses Of
which only small part of the world
knew anything. ! did not know that
Mr.. Parker was one of these"
Some time after this little party Of
people went to BOwmanville to see
the flowers. John Meadowcroft met
the visitors at the gate. He had
wounded squirrel in his hand. There
was tender solicit,:de in his eye as
he examined the little animal and at
tended to its injuries. Miss Marvin
thought of something else that had |
in downtown office not
long before. Something like thought
of comparison went through her mind, !
and not even the fact that a faint odor
of onions came from the acres beyond
the house could turn her from the full |
that here was the man.
People don't know yet how it came
about, but just before Ash Wednesday |
some one who didn't know about it,
luizzed James Parker about Frances
Marvin. and asked when it. was to be.
Don't you know" said Parker. and
lis face was bit white "She mar
-ied the man with the hoe Chi |
AGO RRcOrdJHerald