Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-10-06

valid, 81. James richest parlSnlOner,
for this young man of twenty-five who
had come to the parish only two
months before. fresh from his theo-
logical studies, to fill q place tempo
rarly vacant and had stayed by sheer
force of personality He wondered If,
aside from natural magnetic qualities,
this liking had not been due first of
all to the curious resemblance between
the young minister and the absent son
whom David Stires was disinheriting
for as far as mold of feature went the
young minister and the neer-do-well
might have been twin brothers.
No one perhaps had ever interested
the community more than had Harry
Sanderson. He had entered upon hi:
duties with the marks of youth. good
looks, self possession and an amnl, in.
come thick upon him and had brought
with him a peculiar charm of manner
and an apparent incapacity for dom.
| things In a hackneyed way Ccnven
ton sat lightly upon Harry Sandesson
He recognized few presidents either
in the new methods and millinery with
which he had invested the service or
In his personal habits. Instead Of at
| tending the meeting Of ST Andrews
guild. after the constant custom of
his predecessor. he was apt to be found
| playing his violin "a passion with
HIM In the smart study that adioined
| the gothic chapel where he shepherded
his fashionable flock or tramping across
the country with q brier pipe In his
mouth and his brown spaniel, Rummy,
nosing at his heels. His athletic frame
and clean chiseled features made him
rare figure for the reading desk, as
his violin practice the cut of his golf
| hannels, the immaculate elegance of
| his motor car. even the white carna-
ton he affected in his buttonhole,
made him for the younger men good
ly pattern of the cloth, and it had
speedily grown to be the fashion to
hear the brilliant young minister
Something of all this was in the law
yer's mind as he paused-a perfunctory
| pause-before he continued
II do give and bequeath the sum of
$1,000 and the memory of his misspent
youth"
Harry Sandersons eyes had wan
dered from the chair to the slim fig
IRE of the girl who sat by the screen
This was Jessica Holme. the orphaned
daughter of Il friend of the Old mans
early years. who had recently come to
/ the house in the aspens to fill the void
left by Hugh's departure. Harry could
| 500 flla ,f
the wild rose mesh of the skin against
the Romney blue gown. the plenteous
| red bronze hair uncoiled and falling in
a single braid and the shadowy pathos
Of her eyes. Clear hazel eyes they
were, wide and full. but there was In
them no depth of expression, for .Jes-
sica Holme was blind AS the crisp,
period as with subterranean echo of
irrefutable condemnation Harry saw
her under lip indrawn, her hands clasp
tightly. then unclasp in her lap Plant,
graceful hands, he thought, which even
blindness could not make maladroit.
60 on" rasped the old man.
''rhe residue of my estate. real and
personal, do give and bequeath to
my ward. .Jessica Home"-
| He broke off suddenly, for the girl
was kneeling by the chair cropping for
the restless hand that wandered on the
afghan and crying in a strained, agi-
tated voice: "No-no-yon must not!
He is your son"'
"ln the eyes of the law, yes But
M 9TH -ir.,r
has he done to deserve anything from
me? What has he bad all his life but
kindness? And how has he repaid it?
BY being waster and prodigal BY
setting me in contempt and finally by
forsaking me in my old age for his
own paths of ribaldry'
The girl shook her head. You don't
know where he is now or what he is
doing. Oh, lie was wild and reckless, |
have no doubt. but when he quarreed
and left you wasn't 1t perhaps because
he was too quick tempered? And if he
hasn't come back isn't it perhaps be.
cause he is too proud 2"
"Jessica. I've not forgiven him seven
times. I've forgiven him seventy times
ness. To him am only the old man
who refused to put up longer for his
fOpperies and eXtravagances! When he
left this house six months ago lie de-
clared he would never enter 1t again
Very well; let him stay away! He
shan't come back when am in my
grave to play ducks and brakes with
the money he misnses! And I've fixed
1t so that You won't be able to give 1t
away either. Jessica"
The girl, still kneeing, turned half
about with hopeless gesture. "Oh.
won't you help me?" She said. She
spoke more to herself. 1t seemed than
to either of the men who waited.
"Sanderson." said the old man with
bitter fierceness, lifting his hand, IL
dare say you think | am hard but
tell you there has never been Il day
since Hugh was born when | wouldn't
have laid down my life for him! You
are so like! When look at you seem
to see him as he might have been but
for his own hayward choice! If he
We're only as like you in other things
as he is In feature! You are nearly the
same age. You went to the same col
lege. l believe You have had the same
advantages and the same temptations
Yet you, an orphan, come out a divini
ty student. and Hugh my son. comes