Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-01-02
Godfrey
DHIinghan7'S
Awakening

November nau set In as usual, Win
dull gray skies and chilly, penetrating
winds. Up the broad avenue that led
to the Dillingham; residence the dead
leaves whirled and eddied and set
tied with many a melancholy fiutter
into their annual graves, while the tall
trees tossed their bare arms about, as
ii lamenting the loss OF these CHEEKY
little harbingers of spring and sum-
mer
In the house beyond. however. all
was bright and charming with glow
ing fires and soft, mellow lights. Geof-
frey Dillingham; and his wife sat in
the library, she with a beseeching look
in her gentle eyes, he with a slight an
noyance in his.
so you wish me to invite your peo-
pie here for Thanksgiving" he
queried almost harshly Il tell you.
Elizabeth. it's impossible"
"But why Godfrey" returned his
wife, with a little catch in her soft
voice, only think. we've been married
seven years. and you've never asked
them here once" moments silence.
And they feel it," she added in fall
tcring tone. and so do |. After all.
they're my parents. dear"
Godfrey Dillingham; frowned and
turned again to his desk. Scratch
went his pen with rapid strokes, then
ii stopped suddenly. and wheeling
around abruptly he faced his wife
and If they are" he began. II feel
that have repaid them in a measure
for The loss Of you; from poverty I've
placed them in comparative ease.
What more do they WANT" he demand
ed. irritably
But you forget, Godfrey" returned
his wife. gently. They love me.
too.
Her husband pushed his papers
aside impatiently.
IF YOU please. Elizabeth" he said,
CURLY, well dismiss the subject AS
20 Thanksgiving day. I've already in
vited Wilson and his family to din
ner" Wilson was his law partner.
Elizabeth Dillingham; smothered a
heavy sigh. and rose to leave the
room
Truly heredity isn't everything.
That anything so beautiful as Eliza
beth Dillingham; should emanate from
he Tracy family was little short OF a
miracle. When Godfrey Dillingham;
At S6, saw Elizabeth Tracy, at Is, he
loved her. Yes, aristocrat, autocrat.
courted and wealthy as he was. some
thing about her touched responsive
chord in his heart of hearts. hereto
FORE unrea hi. and he resolved to
win he Pat her family. He groaned
in spirit as he thought of allying the
roud name Of Dillingham; with that
Of Tracy--bit Elizabeth was so beau
tifu. and as pufe as she was lovely.
Ephraim Tracy and his wife were
decidedly common people. He was a
little man, pretty well advanced in
years, with a kindly. wrinkled face. a
back somewhat bent, and serene. be-
fashion he managed TO keep soul and
body together, and that was about all.
lie could turn his hand at almost any
thing. however.
II he was lacking in pride for him
self he had an abundance for his
daughter Elizabeth, or Lizzie. as he
fondly called her. which affection
Elizabeth fully reciprocated. He had
lived always i'm the same village. con
sequently his two sons. Jim and An
drew. grew up there.
Elizabeth was the youngest of the
| family. Where she got her beauty. no
one could understand That she pos
sessed il. everyone acknowledged.
All the family pinched and saved to
clothe and educate her properly. and
Andrews lives when they could con-
tribute something toward Lizzie's
schooling and Elizabeth went to
school aud studied hard She meant
TO be teacher. she said. But the
summer she was Is. she met Godfrey
Dillingham;. the leading lawyer in Dex-
ter. thriving manufacturing city a
good hundred miles from Elizabeth S
home. After a brief. impetuous WOO
ing. they were married
When a few weeks afterward Eliz-
abeth began 10 make happy plans for
the promised visit of her parents. her
1 husband. with cruel candor, told her:
My guests must be OF my choosing,
/ Elizabeth" he said, and don't want
To hurt you, but | can't have your pa
\ rents here.
He never forgot the expression OF
4 the lovely eyes.
II had been seven years now since
/ Elizabeth's wedding day. Only rarely
aid she visit home. ana even then. the
visits were not satisfactory. Eliza.
/ beth knew, and they knew.
Godfrey Dillingham;, with all his
I faults was not stingy. and generous
checks came from his hand TO the
/ TRACY family regularly.
So the years rolled on. bending old
! Ephraim Tracy's back more and more
and silvering the hair OF Elizabeth's
mother
November with its short days passed
rapidly away. until IL lacked but two
weeks till Thanksgiving.
Elizabeth, in her home. seemed TO