Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-07-14


THE cost of living is high, very
high"
Yes, father; I know that things
cost, of course"
"I have lived on very little while you
were away, Zee With one servant It's
possible to keep down expenses. Ser
wants are ruinous. And I'm not rich,
Zee. like your Aunt Julia and Uncle
Rodney"
Il want to do just what you would
have me do, in everything 1t was
kind and generous of you to let me
stay away so long know my ex-
penses abroad must have been a great
tax on you"
Ezra Dameron looked quickly at his
daughter
Yes, to be sure, Zee, to be sure,
Mariona is a simple place and your
sojourn abroad has hardly fitted you
for our homely ways. You'll find that
things are done very differently here.
But of course you will accommodate
yourself to the conditions And you'll
find the house quite comfortable. It's
a little old fashioned, but 1t was your
grandfathers, and it rarely happens
nowadays that girl lives in the same
house her mother was born in. or
course any little changes that you
want to make will be all right; but
you must practice economy"
They were studying each other with
a shrewd sophistication on the faith
er's side; with anxious wonder on the
part of the girl. She knew little Of her
father Even the memory of her moth
er had grown indistinct. The thing
that had always impressed her about
her father was his seeming age; she
remembered him from her childhood
as an old man, who came and went
on errands which had seemed unrelat-
ed to her own life. The house had
stood in large tract when Zelda went
away, but this had shrunk gradually
as Ezra Dameron divided the original
Merriam acres and sold off the lots.
The front of the homestead was now
only a few feet from the new cement
walk on what was called Merriam
street, in honor of Zelda's grandfath-
er. Sun and wind had peeled the paint
from the brick walls and the green of
the blinds had faded to dull monde
script
Your aunt probably told you some
thing of your business affairs-of the
he said.
"Oh, mol Aunt Julia never discuss
ed it, but I remember that she told
me once had some property. | knew
nothing more-except that there is Il
steeship-whateve that isl" And
she laughed.
Yes; it was a very wise idea of
your mothers in providing for you
She always maintained her separate |
estate. She inherited some property |
from her father. l never touched your
property at all; never cent"
the old man went on. He did not know
what Mrs Forrest might have told
Zelda. He was dropping down his
plummet to measure her ignorance.
Zelda knew nothing; and she cared
very little. Her wants had always
been provided for without any trouble
on her part. Mrs. Forrest INDUCED |
herself, and she had indulged Zelda.
Ezra Dameron was wondering just
what Rodney Merriam and Mrs. For
rest would expect him to do for the
girl. His position as her father had
been anomalous ever since his wife
lied, ten years ago. The Merriams
had taken his daughter away from him
at once and then they had sent her
out of the country, and now that they
had brought her back he was not
without curiosity as to what their at
titude toward him would be.
THE trusteeship will not be termi-
mated for year-on your 21st birth
lay, unless you should marry before
the end of that time. This is always
an emergency to look forward to; but
[ trust you will be in no hurry to leave
me-"
Zelda laughed abruptly.
IT'S funny. isn't it?-the getting
1 honestly hadn't thought of
It before. 1 don't know any young
men. We didn't meet any men abroad
except very old ones. Aunt Julia was
afraid the young men weren't respect
lble!"
There's nothing like being careful
where young men are concerned. There
ire many bad ones about these days.
The temptations of modern life are in
,reasing fast. A young girl can have
10 idea of them"
ITO be continued.)