Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-19
: THE EVENING STORY J
HIS FAMILY'S PLANS.
BY JOANNA SINGLE.


airy Press.
With an intent frown, young John
Markham listened while old John
gave thousand last directions about
the management of the mutual bust
ness of Markham & Markham.
"Confound that doctor!" he fin
ished, wincing with a sudden pain, 81
know he is right, and that l. simply
must spend the next three months
traipsing about Europe, worrying
your mother into FRAGILE and trying
to forget business as much as pos.
sible. It's that or die. But, doctor
or no, I've got to attend to some
things myself, so shall be obliged to
take Miss Spencer along. She knows
the business almost better than either
you or l, and she's cheerful person
to be with us. I'm sorry about this
sudden plan, but you'll have to get a
new stenographer-don't trust bust
ness colleges. Call up Slavery his
business runs on the same general
lines. He's my best friend, and he is
sure to have good girls, and one to
spare in the summer. Well, see you
later. I'll go home now
Young Markham, who always did
things now went to the phone and
asked Mr.. James Slavery for the loan
of stenographer for few months
one that could spell and mind both
her own business and that Of her en-
ployer. The old man thought mo-
ment and promised to send one over
in the morning. This was done.
Markham Junior then proceeded to
other matters, determined that no de-
tail should suffer in the enforced alb
sence of his father.
But as he worked he ragged, for the
night before he had overheard a
parental conversation which he could
not escape without letting them
knew he had heard, which would
have troubled them terribly. He
wished he didn't know that they
were cold-bloodedly worrying about
his marrying, though he was but
twenty-fo and that they had i'm
agined they could choose wife for
him. They seemed worried lest he
be captured by the wiles of "some
woman" some girl without money
and position, some one not in their
own particular social set. He would
show them that he would make his
own choice. sincerely hoping the
family would like it. But, if they
didn't, they could-go to thunder!
Which sentiment was more forceful
than filial But it was the limit that
they should plan to force old Sa-
very's daughter on hint was Mar
garet his mother mentioned, though
there were several of the motherless
girls.
They had been in England with an
aunt since childhood and were COM
ing back any time now. Let's see,
he remembered that Margie was the
flossy topped, tomboyish child he
had quarreled with at the seashore
one summer when he was twelve and
she a bit younger The mater said
she was sorry the girl was a little
frail, she would have preferred a
stronger girl; but Margaret was
charming-she had seen her in Lon
don last summer. She had been
presented" and was beautifully
hammered. The mater had gone on to
tell her husband that his old friend
Slavery was crazy. He had had all his
girls taught to earn their own living
in case something happened to him.
Maude had learned to cook, Elizabeth
to dressmake and heaven only knows
what he had taught Margaret! She
was the youngest, and marriage would
save her. She had hoped to throw the
girl in John Juniors way that sum-
mer, and here she had to trail all over
Europe? She was quite pathetic about
it.
The young man sat on the veranda
that night after he had dutifnlly seen
his parents off. He had promised
them anything, and was to be made
comfortable in the old house by the
family servants. He hoped the pater
would improve in health-and tenn