Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-05-27

the present Now get down to facts"
II am your sons wife," repeated the
woman, somewhat less throatily, but
still with brave resolve. "He sought
me out and wooed me. He told me |
should receive welcome in his home.
He made me love him. Didn't you,
Gerald? And l married him. All, but
we were happy, we two! Then, like
thunderbolt from the blue sky fell
! your command that we part. He and
I. For long-oh so long, have tried
to be patient, to wait for time to soften
your heart. But at last | couldn't
here to meet you in person. to cast
| myself at your feet if need be. To"
She paused. The cold, inscrutable
gaze of the Railroader's light eyes did
not tend to inspire her very creditable
recitation. AS a matter of fact, Caleb
was at the moment paying very little
attention to her words. He was noting
the hard dryness of her skin and the
only half-hidden lines about mouth,
brow and eye; and contrasting them
with Anice Lanier's baby-smooth skin
and the soft contour of her neck and
cheek.
Her pause brought him back to him
self
"Well?" he demanded.
$50 I am here to implore you to be
just, to be generous" resumed the
girl, slightly raising the pitch of the
scene as she approached the climax.
II throw myself on your mercy. I,
Enid Conover-"
Enid Conoyeri" snorted the Rail
roader why
eyes. Enid Conover How / have
learned to love that name."
Have hey? Then take my advice,
young woman, and stif1e that same
wild alteration for my poetic cogno-
men, for you aren't going to have the
renting of it any lOnger'n | can help"
Mot
"Oh, you'll get over it easy! Just
as you got over your love for that
high-sounding title Enid Montmoren-
cy. And just as. before that, when
you left your mothers Germantown
clearinghouse, you got over any pas
sion you may have had for your orig
inal name, Emma Higgs. You see /
know some little about you. I took
the trouble to have you looked up.
You and your family You told Ger
aid your family's Old From all |
hear, I guess the main difference be-
tween you and that same family is
that ones older'n you make out and
the others younger. Take your choice
as to which is which. And now"
"You insult mel" acclaimed the girl,
her eyes flashing, her figure drawn to
the full height of a really excellent |
pose, her pompadour nesting protect |
ingly above the arched brow
"No, I don't l couldn't. GERRY,
you sit down there and behave your
self or I'll spank you'll If you think |
I'm wrong, maybe you'd like me to |
tell my son the way you first happened |
to go on the stage. No? I guess I've |
got this thing framed up pretty near
straight It's a grand-stand play, and |
Papa is 1t, Ell? A masterstroke of |
surprise for the old man, and a final |
tableau of the bunch of us clustering |
about you and Gerald in the centre OF
the stage, while you fall on each |
others necks and do a unison excla
nation of God-bless-the-dear-Ol |
HoW-much-w ill-he-leave-us? AndhoW-
soon?' You waited in town awhile. |
But Papa didn't relent and send Hubby |
back to his lonely wife. Then you |
sick Gerald on to acting like human
being, hoping to win Papa over by be- |
ing good boy. No 60 Then as a
last play you butt in here on sud
den with all your lines learned down /
pat, and do a grand appeal. Well, |
Mrs. Miss Emma-Higgs-E Enid Montmor
ency-Conover, it doesn't work. That's
all. If you've got the sense | think,
you'll see the shows frost and you'll |
start back for Broadway. Take my
blessing, if you want it, and take
Jerry along for good measure, if you
like. It's all you'll ever get from me,
either of you"
To Caleb Conover's unbounded hor-
ror and amaze, Enid, instead of
spurning him haughtily, burst into
crescendo, throaty gurgle of contralto
weeping, and flung herself bodily upon
him; her long-gloved arms twining
about his neck. her pompadoured head
smuggling into his bosom.
ooh, Father! Father" came muf-
fed, yet artistic wall from somewhere
in the region of his upper waistcoat
buttons "How can you? You've
broken Gerald's heart. And now
you're breaking mine. Forgive us!"
miss Lanier!" Numbered Caleb,
struggling wildly to escape the snake
like closeness of the embrace, for
heavens sake won't you come and
and unwind this person? Sizes spoil
ing my shirt-front. Lord, how I do
hate to be paved"
"Do not touch me! Do not dare to,
menial!" commanded the bride, relin-
gushing her hold, and glazing like a
wounded tigress at Anice, who had
made no move whatever in response