Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-23

head? Where lay his highest duty?
The soft rustling Of silk and hand
laid in light caress upon his head
aroused the miserable man from his
reflections
Bennett looked up to see his mother
standing beside him. She had thrown
on wrapper and in slippered feet had
stolen noiselcssly into the study.
81 was awakened by voices" she ex-
planned. Il thought heard some one
talking excitedly in here. Is anythn.
the matter?"
/ Nothing, nothing dear he answer
ed gently. drawing the little old lad!
knee and smiling manfuly into he
sleep flushed face: nothing is the mat
ter. Only a business call"
"a business call at o'clock in tn,
morning." she exclaimed. "Dear boy
you are working too hard. Your fathe!
never brought his business worries and
work home. He always left them at
the Office. Can't YOU do the same!
You'll wear yourself out"
MY father" hegnn Bennett, but
the name choked him.
"You are growing to be so much like
him." went on Mrs. Bennett fondlv.
And 1t makes me SO happy that You
are. Your splendid fight against that
! infamous Borough bill. for instance
How proud lie would have been of
i that! 1t Is Just the sort of thing he
himself would have done in your place
He was surrounded with wicked and
dishonest men just as you are. But
| through it all he remained true. hon
| orable, incorruptihe. What grand
heritage for my son! He Alwyn"
she broke off. alarmed. why do you
look at me that way? never saw
such lcok in your eyes before. Are
you III? Has something happened that
| you are keeping from me?"
| "No no" evaded Bennett. Il only
"You had caller here before l
came in.' pursued the mother, refusing
to abandon the clew to which her wo-
manly intuition had led her. Gle
brought you bad news? Tell me. dear!
| I'm your mother. and love you"
"You are making my course more
difficult for me by asking such ques-
lions, mother" he answered wretched-
". land r.
Il only want to help you. Alwyn. l
can't bear to see you miserable. a
woman's wit and "a mothers love are
, often a combination that can solve
problems beyond even the wisest
mans powers of logic. Let me help
YOU"
II was trying to make up my mind"
vaguely replied Bennett. sorely dis
tressed by her pleading, whether a
man ought to follow his conscience.
even if it leads to heartbreak for those
he loves, or whether he ought to let
conscience go by the board for once
and protect the happiness of his loved
ones"
"A)wyn! How can you hesitate 81
second over such question. One must
do right. no matter what the conse
quence."
81 don't know about that" he said
modify.
"You know it perfectly we'll. 1t is
what your fsther would have advised
and But. Alwyn. you surely are not
making yourself unhappy over mere
suppostitious case?
Well" he continued. ''let us take
mere supposititious case If you like.
Suppose. for instance. that aeman hold
ing a POSITION of trust had had a ia
Their whose memory he hOnored and
revered as | do my own father's"-
"Yes?" prompted Mrs Bennett as he
paused
Suppose some one tempts him to be-
tray his position of trust. even as l
have lately been tempted. and threat
ems in case of his refusal to make
public certain facts which would prove
his dead father to have been scoun-
drel. Now. what should the man do?
Should he let his fathers sacred men,
DRY be trampled in the mud. let his
duty go by default and save
"It would be an awful responsibility
to decide such question" said Mrs,
Bennett. with little shudder "but
there could be only one reply"
"And that is?'
HE, must do his duty, be the results
what they may"
"You really think 500"
"There can be no doubt Right is
right and
1T shall be as you say" groaned
Alwyn. r
"What?" queried Mrs Bennett. star
tied at the despair in his voice. DO
you mean it is an actual case? Some
friend of yours, perhaps?"
Bennett nodded.
ooh, the poor, poor fellow!' she SYM
pathized. What Il terrible position
for him! 1t was he. perhaps. that
heard talking to you in here just now.
No wonder lie seemed excited! The
sins of the fathers shall be visited upon
the children even unto the
at is something less hard on the
children than on the wives" unused
Bennett, half to himself.
"rhe wives? Your friend has
mother living? That makes it doubly
hard Oh. my son. every day thank
God in all humility that my husband
lived so blameless life and left so
honored name! How grateful you
and | both ought to be for
at is easy enough to decide for some
one you have never seen. retorted