The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-07
WAS HE A COWARD2
BY CARL JENKINS.

Dr. Hargraves, retired and said to be wealthy, had
more or less business do with certain safe deposii
company. He thus know young Austen Park
er There came to be social as well business
house.
Dr. Hargraves widower and in poor health.
daughter May. 4 sister oversaw the house. but the
doctor used to say that his daughter oversaw him.
Mays handsome face attracted but she
them all as callers until MFR. Parker In his
case, after bit the father thought detected more
than usual interest, and was secretly pleased. He
knew that his ailment must him of at the end
q a rev years and he hoped the daughters future
would be settled before the dark day
the doctor =, and his daughter were at the Harbor
was simply chance that brought them together there
week had passed very pleasantly when day
the doctor, Miss May and Mr. Austen were on the
and enjoy the cool breeze. There and
children about, and here and there a lazily
boy OF I'VE climbed the railing and fallen into
the water There were shouts and screams from 9TH
ers and hubbub all along the wharf.
The accident occurred within thirty feet of the
band stand Mr. Parker reached the railing In four
shoes. and was the point of leapng into this
water ts when he suddenly halted and stepped back
rises"
"oh, go-go-go!" called Miss May to the man who
stood wringing his hands and his face pale the
- can't they heard him say
"Man--man are you going leave the boy ia
drown cried the doctor in establishment and indig-
Mr. Parker advanced to the railing. looked over al
the child struggling in the water and then threw up
his hands with groan and retreated He even pick
ed up the things he had cast Off and almost from
the wharf
Splash. Splash! Splash! Three men eaped the rails
ing one after another, and the little lad sink
ing for the third time, he rescued. were
tears cheers and shouts of congratulation Ths
tor and his daughter returned to their seats and
for long time without word between them. Then
the girl asked in hesitating way:
Was it because Mr. Parker can't swim?"
He could have got the boy and hung to a pile until
boat came. Heavens but If / had been ha
'"rhen--then what allied him? He seemed to bs
Father, you can't mean"
He vast the grim reply.
But do, dear You have only TO hear what the
people pie around us are saying Too bad feel sorry
A hundred people on the wharf had words of praise
Ii is at such times that in their and
women refuse to forgive man is either recorded
a day; If coward. for years. If ever,
| Mr. Parker hurried straight to the hotel. People
Parker had not The burst into he's
room and flung himself down and covered his faca
What is it?" she asked she stood beside hiru
with her hand his head.
time
And You were there?"
| II the have eaped in after hirrs
Poor boy! We should not have come TO the water"
+ WIN that she turned away and commenced taking
4 htr garments down OFF the hooks and folding and
When the son could control his voice he steppeS
to the telephone and asked for his bill and ordered
carriage for the depot Two hours later mother
and son were on their way home when they talked
it not of what had happened on the wharf
Don't YOU Sc see he couldn't have done anythina
said that the coward" had departed He passes
out of our lives, of course"
And II so comes about When the doctor again vis~
tied the safe deposit company he saw young Mr..
Parker, but neither bowed. Some else waited on
the patron People who had met the young man
socially at the doctors residence inquired about him
IN careless way and were as carelessiy answered.
Now and then the father wondered II the daughter
had been Interested enough disa pponted
but he could not make up his mind The AFFAIR ha d
never been referred TO again after the first day.
whole year passed Father and daughter were
again bound for the same hotel but this time they
by chauffeur.
In the middle of the afternoon "A broad Highway,
tour foreigners VINO had struck work In quarry not
far away and were ripe for mischief. halted the
TO commit highway robbery. The chauffeur a.
halted the machine.
the and struck at the fellows who sought pull
the daughter out. Such one-sided conflict could
not last long, and must terminate victory for the
attackers They We're pushing the advantage OF num-
hers when second auto rolled up quietly behind
them and young leaped without any
weapons but his bare fists he sailed into the four.
AND sa a ns
waged fer FIVE minutes. and when the used-up men
The doctor and his daughter had watched 1t wth&
out word They knew the attaoker and they saw
blood on his face and hands he waved to them that
the road was clear and walked back to his mas
chine.
1T is Mr.. Parker" whispered Miss May
Hanged If it isn'ti" replied the father.
but folks said he coward"
II "um! was among those who said Guess wa
made q mistake somewhere"
II hope SOL
Eth? Eh? You hope what?"
The words repeated
week later, at the Harbor the doctor calad
, his daughter into his room to say.
Il wrote to a friend of mine In city and asked
him to do me favor. He had an interview with MI.
Parkers mother Say, dear while the public has q
notion that father is great doctor. / want to
admit to you that he is "a great fool"
Why. what 1t is?"
Il ought to have suspected something of the kind
from the first When MIR. Parker child or
TWO his nurse let him fall into the He had i.
close call from drowning. 1t him dread and a
horror OF the water, and Ii Will always him.
hes no coward lie simply fears the thing
Plenty OF cases like it. I'm writing him abisot
letter this afternoon Don't you want to incoss
something? II he'll be sensible and forgive, I'll take
him for SON law about hence Eh2 Eth Z
That makes you blush. doesn't it? l believe YOU'VE
been his champion right along."
han ha o1clx1