The Springfield herald., 1909-12-24

December 81 she walked into the of.
fee of Dunbury 4 Bordeau and quietly
announced to those two gentlemen
that she had come to claim the $780,
600 for a rhyme for Rachel"
For moment the two men stared
at her without uttering a sound.
Mr.. Dunbury was the first to find
his voice. 'Impossible!" he ejacu.
lated. Then noticing the sudden flush
upon the girls face he checked him
self. Pardon me, my dear young
lady! did not mean to doubt your
word; but you have astonished us be-
yond measure. Let me explain" and
he placed his chair beside hers.
THE extraordinary offer to which
you have responded was made in com
pliance with the will of our late client.
Mr.. Benjamin F. Morton. He was a
trifle eccentric. and one of his hobbies
was writing poetry. He took a great
fancy to a nephew of his and spared
no money to have the boy well edu-
ceted. The old gentleman himself had
a very limited education, and he was
determined that his nephew should
not be handicapped as he had been.
Well. Just about the time the boy got
through college the old gentleman
struck snag in this poem of his
about Fedora Lillian Hildegarde ct al.
and he called upon his nephew to help
him out with a rhyme for Rachel
The young man informed him that
there was no such rhyme. but his
uncle refused to believe it. He insist
ed that as the lad had had a college
education he could find n rhyme II he
chose. Well. the upshot of it was that
the old gentleman took it into his
head that his nephew was obstinate
and ungrateful. and he cast him off. A
short time before he died, however. he
finally concluded that perhaps there
really was no rhyme for Rachel and
he decided to reinstate his nephew in
his will; but with this proviso: That
a rhyme should first be advertised for
and that should any person produce
such rhyme within year. then the
money should go to such person. in
stead of the nephew.
las the executors, we. of course. fol-
lowed the provisions of the will. but
we were definitely satisfied there was
no such rhyme. And yet you say you
have found one. l am free to say 1t
seems incredible. incredible. Still. at
the same time. the offer is bona fide
one and will be carried out to the let
ter II your rhyme proves to be legiti-
mate one. It will certainly prove
most astonishing revelation to US and
to the nephew. Carter Dillington."
Marjorie .elt that she was about to
faint.
MAY l have just moment to
Think" she asked family.
Certainly, certainly! did not
mean to hurry you. OF course, l I'M
derstand, you feel trihe agitated;
but take your time, and you'll recall
the rhyme in minute or two"
Several moments passed in silence.
Then Marjorie arose. She faced the
two lawyers, and with tremor in her
voice that she struggled bravely to
subdue, she said slowly; 81 have not
forgotten the rhyme; but-but have
decided not to submit it,"
1t was New Years day when Mar
called late in the afternoon. Why had
he come? she asked herself. Was 1t
to torment her? To cause her wound
ed heart to bleed afresh? He appeared
not to heed her constrained manner.
nor the quick fiushes that Redeemed
her cheeks.
Marjorie" he said suddenly, with
an impulsiveness and familiarity he
had never before manifested; you
have wished me happy New Year.
Do you know that it is you alone who
can make the year happy for me
supremely happy? l did not dare ex-
press my feelings before l was abso-
lutely sure that I coNld offer you the
comforts and the pleasures you de-
serve. Now. am Independent
wealthy; and you. Marjorie. will you
share my fortune with me?"
1t was late ere the lovers were ready
to part. "Is it any wonder" he was
saying. as he llngeringly prepared to
leave. that l avoided the subject of
my uncle's outlandish Offer? Suppos-
ing that by some possibility there
had been rhyme for Rachel sup
rosing some one had succeeded In
finding 1t! But tank fortune, dear,
there is none!"
"Yes. but there is a rhyme for 'Ra-
chel,'" she answered softly. casting
down her eyes to hide her sudden
emotion. Would you like to hear it,
Let us sit down here-on the sofa,
and l will tell it to you"
She waited a moment after they
were seated. and then in a half tremu-
lous whisper she recited the following
lines:
"a fitting rhyme has long been found
For each and all of these
Fedora, Lillian. Grace. Lorain
And Hildegarde. Louise:
And in these names themselves we find
The hidden rhyme for Rachel;
For. 10. the letters of these names
Are +. L., G. l.. II. L."
Then in the quiet glow of the mid
night freight she told him her little
story.
Woman as Creator.