Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-06-04
A BEAUTIFUL FIEND.

A BEAUTIFUL FIEND.
The Calverts, father and son, were
cast in iron mold. They were a bust
ness family. In early obscurity John
| Calvert had laid the foundations firm.
Ere young Stanley was born, Calyert's
was great in revenue and renown.
Stanley's mother died when he was 4
| babe. AS lad he went the usual round
of Elton and Oxford, and in social and
athletic circles was distinguished. With
his strong character and rich equipment
he might have done much in the intel
lectual departments. But he didn't.
Why should he? "Calvert's" was his
destiny.
| But when he went to London and de-
scended on the great firms offices, he
found himself superfuous. His fathers
natural force was undated. The bust
ness was safe in his keeping.
please yourself" said John Calvert;
II shall be delighted to have your help,
but / still feel fit to carry the load
alone. You are young. Enjoy yourself
awhile. Travel abroad or daily at home.
| will keep my hand on the helm till
you weary of ease or long for it."
| Stanley recognized that his father was
loath to share his throne. 1t was par
donable The elder man had long exer-
cised unchallenged power. Probably it
was hard to give up any portion of it
even to his only son. So Stanley Cal
vert went forth to test what happiness
could be got by seeing and spending.
| He met Tessa Duvont at Velma, in
| the south of Italy She was a peasants
daughter and queen misplaced. In
Tessa Duvont Nature had achieved a
| fla Hless work With her splendid
| beauty she combined great natural clev-
erness. and when Stanley Calvert
reached Velma she was leading lady at
the local theater during the summer
carnival.
She was older than the young Eng
| lishman, and in a land where coquetry
| is a fine art she was a perfect artist
| Stanley had intended to stay only one
day in Vienna. But he fingered. The
result was inevitable
| Stanley Calvert's abrupt return to
London surprised his fathe,.
| This is Unexpected he said let
us move warily, and bear with me while
/ go back on my lifes history. | was
born a paupers brat. The gutter was
my nursery. By sheer concentrated
strength l raised up Calvert's. If sue
cess meant happiness l should have it.
But there is always the one thing lack
ing, Mine was the thought of my pau
per origin. Honorable pedigree became
more precious than money But / could
do nothing. The stigma was upon me-
My hopes, therefore, centered in you
You had all the elegance money could
provide The most exclusive parents in
England would give you one of their
daughters. You could make our line old
and honorable by an alliance with some
old and honorable family The dream
has haunted me all these years. and
now, this-a strolling player in a coup-
try fart"
Stanley Calvert bravely checked back
words that would have sounded unfilial
Il shall marry Tessa Duvont at once,s
he said. with your permission, prefer
ably; if not, without it,
He spoke with significant quietness,
and, without waiting a retort quilted
the room.
John Calvert had another card, and it
must be played promptly to win. He
knew the type of woman he was about
TO deal with; he knew what method
would be effective She had her price,
and he had blank check with him.
He pointed to the blank check and
offered her his pen. She pushed pen and
paper back and rose angrily.
"You are SANKEY'S father!"
Yes"
"He inherits none of his gentlemanli-
ness from you. Keep yonr gold and
your son; / shall enter nowhere unwel-
come. Stanley is pledged a thousand
times over to marry me. | shall make
you a gift of the many documentary
proofs, instead of humiliati2g you in the
public courts. l came to England con-
fidently trusting the son. l came trust
ing that he resembled the father. / was
mistaken"
John Calvert felt himself shriyel up.
He was conscious of a strange subtle
influence. His pulse beat fast, his blood
ran warmer than it had done. for
wears. He had been angry with Stan
ley. He was already feeling jealous of
him Why should such vision of love
liness fall only to youth? He was not
an old man himself yet.
When he had gone Tessa Duvont
laughed softly. 1t had been difficult
card to play; but she had played it we'll
Stanley arrived later, talking of in
slant marriage and defiance to his
father. She handled him skilfully. and
sent him off soothed and unsuspecting.
For weeks she worked with perfect
dexterity the strings which bound her
puppets to her The shrewdness of the
strong was brought to naught John
Calvert Stunned the presence of his son
and gave himself up as bondsman to
love and Tessa D1Ivont
Stanley restrained an impulse to fell