Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-06-23
CHAPTER K.


fee building, with a basement and a
short stairway leading 70 the main cor
ridor. 1t was no longer fashionable, as
the better class of lawyers and real es-
tate brokers had sought building of 4
later type that offered electric lights
and elevators. The Cameron Block
faced the court house square, and was
the habitat of divers small attorneys
and real estate men. In the basement
below, a justice of the peace sat in
judgment next door to a musty old
hook-shop, where the proprietor,
quaint figure with a great mop Of
iron-gray hair, sold pens and paper
and legal blanks to Dogberry Row, as
this quarter Of the street was called.
Zelda strayed into this thoroughfare
by chance one winter afternoon short
" before Christmas and was arrested
BY the sight Of some old books in the
booksellers window The venerable
bookseller came out into the barement
area and spoke to her Of the books,
holding a volume meanwhile, with his
forefnger cIoseI upon the page he had
been reading. Yes; he kept French
books, and she went into the shop and
looked over his shelves of foreign
books
There is very little demand for
them" he said. Some Of these are
rare. Here is a little voI&me of HUI
COS poems; very rare. l should be
glad If you would take it for a dollar
any of these poets for a dollar. But of
course I can only offer 1t is for you
to decide"
7 shall take the Hugo" said Zelda.
He wrapped it for her carefully, even
regretfully, and held the packet for a
moment, caressing it with his hands,
while she produced a dollar from her
purse and took it from him.
Call again. 1 have been here for
twenty years; Congdon, Cameron
Block"
Yes, Cameron Block" repeated Eel
da
The constabIes and loungers on the
sidewalk in front of the Justices court
stared at her as she came out and
glanced for a moment at the upper
windows of the building. A galvanized
iron sign at the caves bore the name
Cameron Block, 1870" in letters that
had long since lost the false aspect Of
stone given to them originally by gray
paint.
Zelda went into the dim entrance
and read the miscellaneous signs that
were tackled there. One of them was
Inscribed e, Cameron, Room 81; and
passing on she presently came to
frosted glass door where the same
legend was repeated. 1t was late in the
afternoon; possibly her father would
go home with her. she thought and
turned the knob.
She entered a dark room on a court
way, evidently used as a place of wait
ing; there was another room beyond
reached by a door that stood half-open
Her father was engaged; his voice rose
from the inner room; and she took a
chair by the outer door of the waiting
room. She looked about the place Gu
ciOusly. On a long table lay in great
disorder many odds and ends-pack-
ages of garden-seed under dust that
afforded almost enough earth to sprout
them: half a dozen fence pickets tied
together with a string; and several
strata of old newspapers. On the floor
IN a corner lay a set of harness in 4
1isreputable state of disrepair; and
pasted on the walls were yellowed
sheets of newspapers containing tables
Of some sort. Zelda did not know what
these were, though any of the loafers
on the curbstone could have enIighten-
ed her as to their character-they were
the official advertisements of the sales
Of tax titles. Ezra Cameron always
talked poor" and complained of the
burden of taxes and street improve
ments. but he had been the chief buy
or of tax titles In the county.
I'm sure that I've been very lenient
very lenient indeed" Ezra Cameron
ed it a family matter. calling for con-
5iderate treatment on the score of my
friendship with your husband If it
had been otherwise, I would have been
obliged to take steps-steps toward
safeguarding the interests-the inter
ssts of my trust, should say"
But another extension of two years
would be sufficient for me to pay. I
wish very much for Olive not to know
hat her schooling was paid for with
borrowed money. She gives me all she
earns Her position is assured. and I
am putting aside something every
month to apply on the debt We owe
nothing else"
But two of these notes are already
n default, Mrs Merriam. / have in
,urred obligations on the strength %
them. a woman can't understand the
requirements and exactions of busl-
aess"
Il am sorry, very sorry. Mr.. Damer-
on, All 1 ask is this extension. It can't
pc a large matter to yout"
II regret more than / can tell YOU
hat it Is impossible. If it were myself
If it were my own money that I ad-
RANGED you, 1 could perhaps be less In
sistent, but as it is, this money belongs
% another-in fact, 1t is part of nv
daughters estate. She is perfectly
helpless. utterly ignorant of business;
is necessary for me to exercise the
greatest care in administering her at
,airs. 1t is sacred trust, Mrs Mer-
'iam, a sacred trust from her dear
mother"
7 came to-day" said the woman's
voice, apologeticauy, hoping that pay
nent could be deferred"
Yes, to be sure; it's wise to be fore
handed. But the loan must be paid at
he maturity of the last note. in May.
must close my wifes estate very
soon. have timed all my loans to
that end"
The purring voice stole through the
lnteroom, where Zelda sat forward in
ler chair, listening with parted lips and
wonder and pain IN her eyes. The book
IN her lap fell to the bare floor max
ing a sharp clatter that startled her
She gave little gasp and reached for
t, scarcely STOPPING, so intent were
her eyes on tic door of the inner room;
and when she had regained it, she ran
into the hail and down the steps to the
street
She felt a great yearning for sympa-
thy, for some one to whom she could
confess her misery and heartache, 1t
was growing dark, and when She
reached her unele's house, the lights
shone brightly in his library. She knew
he was there. and that she could, at 8
word. make his house her home and
shake herself free forever from her
father. The was always rebuffing and
thwarting her Uncle Rodney in his eff
forts TO help her But at the gate she