Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-06

Dave shook his head mournfully; Lucy
the younger turned her quick. bird-lise
glances from her brother to Reuben,
while her mother sat as IL more wrapped
in thoughts Of another world than In
those of this. The children felt instinc-
lively the generosity In the atmosphere
of their uncle's personality: their parents
had fought too long and too unsuccess-
fully to have any spring left. At last
Dave spoke and his voice was plaintive:
LIT amt but what I'd do anything I'm
dod's world to give the boy what he's
hankering after. but, Reuben. / haven't
got the necessary money for it: SO where's
the use Of stirring him up just to disap-
point him."
No one answered him: the moment had
not come quite yet to tell all that Reuben
had in his heart TO tell; he wanted TO
show his brother in figures how much he
possessed. and how he had the right as
well as the capacity to help in family
matters.
Mrs Reed pushed back her chair. say
ing: I'VE might just as well go into the
sitting room; there's q fire there, and L
coughs troublesome" she added. her eyes
full Of dread as she spoke, but it's only
the leave-over after an attack of grip;
it's nothing serious Her voice almost
seemed to defy an answer.
II know what's going to cure that
cough" said Reuben. He laid his hand
on his nieces shoulder as he spoke. Thee
had let the others leave the room before
them, and no one could overhear Lucy's
low reply: There's nothing but COM
plete change Of air. can cure it. Uncle
Reuben" she said, bravely, land / might
just as well cry for the moon as that.
I've seen the doctor about 1t. but ] mean
to keep them from knowing till 1t can't
be helped any longer"
Its going to be helped. and that before
you and I are a week older, and don't
you forget it," said Reuben, emphatically.
Then he pushed her across the entry be
fore she could do more than turn wide,
grateful eyes upon him.
Dave was standing in the sitting room
at the bookcase between the windows: he
had unlocked its doors end taken out the
old family Bible that Reuben remembered
well: the one bright spot Sunday even
ings had been to look at the engravings.
and one of his rare, agreeable associa-
tions came to him. Before he could speak.
Dave beckoned to him to- draw near, and
laid his gnarled. veined hand on the yell
low leather cover.
Reuben, 1 hate to go back to unpleas-
antnesses i'm this hour Of reunion and
happy feelings, but 1 must make one al
fusion to the past; then L promise you
never to mention it again; it's too full OF
shame and bitterness for my own blind
ness for me to want to-
Lets not say anything tonight urged
Reuben, uncomfortably; III come up the
first thing in the morning, and it'll be
easier to talk it out in the sunlight"
NO. Reuben; what l have to do now
has waited twenty years to be done. and
that's a good deal too long for me to put
OF an hour more. Ever since you left
I've kept that ffty-dollar bill between the
leaves of this Bible, ready for you when
you should come back. My wife can tell
you of more than one night I've laid
awake tossing and turning. thinking that
maybe you was i'm cruel want and that
money idle here. Now. 1 want you should
take 1t, the same 1 unjustly wrenched
from you twenty years ago"
Reuben took the bill held out by his
brother. and smoothed 1t on the palm of
his hand; this was the bit of paper that
hac changed all his life; IL he had been
allowed to use 1t, what would he have
been today? A moderately successful
farmer. perhaps. and he would never have
known that Grace was in the world
waiting for him, for him alone, the one
woman made for him. He almost
caressed the bank note; gratitude was in
his heart as he pondered on his lot.
81 guess I'll keep 1t and show 1t to
Grace some day; shall tell her 1t marks
the turning point in my life. Dave. II
you'd let me hold on to this I'd never a
been the successful man am
II didn't know that, Reuben" said his
brother. solemnly: God il my witness. 1
never took that $50 for my own profit /:
but 1 was full Of pride and thought I
knew better than you; and / was too stiff
necked to try and explain matters like
an older brother should have done. So
turned to my lists. and your going has
taken the sweet out Of every joy I've ever
had and added bitterness to all my sor-
rows
Now, Dave, look here; and you. too.
Lucy-you, l mean," he said. giving his
sister-in-law q gentle little shake that
made a quick. rare smile brighten up her
faded face and called back an echo Of
the pretty schoolmistress. LAS for those
two kids there. i don't care q cent
whether they attend to their old uncle or
not; Reub probably thinks he knows It
all a big sight better than / do, and
Lucy's already planning how many gowns
I mean TO give her to take out to Colo-
RADIO with her.
Reuben! Reuben" gasped the mother.
shaken out of her apathy.
Now. don't interrupt. I've made a good
bit of money and my wife's not poor, SO
there's plenty to do what 1 want to with
And there are four things l want to do
bad, and, what's mofv. mean to do
them. First. i want little Lucy to get
away from here as quick as she can, and
you can settle between you who's going
with her. There'll be plenty of cash 10
take the whole lot II you all care to 60.
Second. Reub Is to enter college In the
fall: I'll talk about details with him to-
morrow. Third. I assume tho mortgage
on the farm"
Dave WINGED. How did you find out
there was ons?" he asked in his old.
harsh voice
II let it out. Dave; it was my fault 1