Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-01-02

me gothic chapel where he shepherded
his fashions bic flock or trampinC across
the country with n brier pipe IN his
mouth and his brown spaniel Rummv
nOsing NJ his heels BIS athletic frame
and clean chiseled features made him
rare figure FOR the reading desk. a.
bis violin practice. the cut Of bis goll
hannels the immaculate elegance Of
bis motor car. even the white carna.
ton be affected IN bis buetonhOle.
made him for the younger men a good.
~ pattern OF the cloth. and II had
speedily grown 70 be tho fashion 10
hear the brilliant young minister.
Something OF all this was IN the law
yer's mind as be paused-a perfunctory
psuse-before be continued:
Il do give and beQueath the sum Of
$1,000 and the memory OF bis misspent
= nth"
Harry Sanderson's eyes had wan
dered from the chair to the slim fg
ure Of the girl who sat by the screen
This was Jessics Holme. the orphaned
daughter or a friend OF the old mans
early years. who had recently come 20
the house in the aspens 10 al the void
left by Hugh's departure. Harry could
see the contour OF throat and wrists.
the Wild rose mesh OF the skin agalnsf
the Romney blue gown. the plenteOus
rcd bronze hair uncolled and falling ln
single braid and the shadowy pathos
OF her eyes. Clear hazel eyes they
were. wide and full. but there was 10
them no depth OF expression. for Jes
sics Holme was blind As the crisp.
deliberate accent pointed the judicial
period as with a subterranean echo OF
irrefutable condemnation Harry saw
her under lip indrawn. her hands clasp
tightly. then unclssp In her lap PLANT.
graceful hands. be thought which even
blindness could not make maladroit
Go on" rasped the old man
The residue OF my estate. real and
personal ! 90 give and bcqueath 20
my ward. Jessica HOlme"-
lie broke OF suddenly. for the girl
was kneeling 10y the chair cropping for
the restless hand that wandered ON tho
afghan ana crying In a strained. agi
tated voice: "No-no-you must not
He Is your SOM
"ln the eyes or the law. yes But
not otherwiser' His voice rose What
has be done 60 deserve anything from
me- what has he bad all his life but
kindness And how has be repaid it,
BY being a waster and prodigaL By
setting me in contempt and finally Boy
forsaking me Ia my Old age for his
own paths OF rihaldry"
The girl shook her head You don't
N,.. a.
doing on. he was wilG aud reckless. ,
have no doubt, but when he quarreled
and left Won wasn't It perhaps because
he was too quick tempered2 And If ne
hasn't come back isn't Il perhaps bee
cause he IS too proud"
"Jessica, I've not forgiven him seven
times I've forgiven him seventy times
seven. But he doesn't want forgive
ness. To him / am only the old man
who refused 10 put up longer for his
fOppcries and extra vagances, When be
left this house six months ago he de
clared be would never enter Il again
Very well; LET him stay away He
shan't come back when am in my
grave 10 pay ducks and brakes with
the money he misuses, And I've fixed
It so that YOU won't be able to give Il
away either JesSica"
The girl still kneeling. turned half
about with hopeless gesture "Oh
won't you help mef' cine said She
spoke more 10 herself. IL seemed. than
10 either Of the men who waited
'Sanderson." said the old man with
bitter herceness. lifting his hand. Il
FIur
tell you there has never been day
since Hugh was born when / wouldn't
have laid down my life for him, You
are so likel When / look at you ] seem
to see him as he might have been but
for his own hayward choice, II he
were only as Ike you IN other things
as he Is In feature, You are nearly tho
same age. You went 10 the same col
lege. ! believe You have had the same
advantages and the same temptations
Yet you. an orphan. come ont divinl
ty student. and Hugh-my onl-comes
out roisterer with gambling debts. a
member OF the fast set one Of a disso-
lutte fraternity known as The Saints.
whose very existence no doubt. was
shame TO the institution
Harry Sanderson turned slowly 10
the light \ strange panorama IA that
moment had flashed through his brain
pictures Of an early
reckless era when he had not been
known as the REV. Henry Sanderson."
Il think ! ought to say that was
the founder. and at the time you speak
or, the abbot OF The Saints. was IN the
same year with Hugh We sowed our
wild oats together. a tidy crop. ! fancy,
for us both That page OF my life Is
pasted down | speak OF IL now be-
cause IL would be cowardly not 10. !
have not seen Hugh since college
closed four years ago. But then I was
all you called him-a waster and a
prodigal And ! was more. for while
others followed 1 lnd .-oIlo.-. Z