Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-10-17
Az CROSS PURPOSES
Two Of a Trade in, One Small.
Poor Family.
BY MARTHA M'cuLLocH WILL
z LlAMS.

|
vane, his cousin. along the mario"
!! street Lura was plain as he himself
was handsome, further as staldly
! proper as. he was wild. Therefore. he
+, told him self, inevitably she. not ne
would inherit Grandmother Vane,s
money-grandmot had a clinglng
to her, blood, and had set her heafe
since their childhood upon making
match of the two.
Unwisely she had tried to bring
Allonby up with that In mind by
nature rebellious. also by nature
beauty-loving and wilful. he had been
as nearly insolent over the matter as
| his fathers son could show himself.
His. father was the one thing In lie
he reverenced-and discourtesy 10
any woman John Allonby, the elder,
could not forgive A real man. saia
he, owed such courtesy to himself
regardless Of whether or 10 the
woman deserved it.
SO his son had only said "lmpos'
sible, granny" not trusting himself 10
explain the impossibility. Dad was
told: IT wouldn't look at Lure one
year, let alone my whole life through
for all the money in the Bank OF Eng
landed alone granny's little hand
full"
That was before: the crash came
by several years. The crash besgarea
John Allonby the elder. and brought
a stroke that left him but living
shadow of himself But when after
months OF silence he could speak with
difficulty, he said: "Son-it ts-worth
-everything-to find you-what you
are" Allonby muttered something
gruff, and turned away his head
blushing like q girl. Later when MS
father slept in his wheel chair, be got
up from his desk and fondled the
withered right hand as mother
might fondle her sleeping baby.
He had not been bred to work-hi:;
| profession. the law. meant years o.
sta!~&.IIH. waiting for clients. IL
extre.:,.ty: in had turned 10 writing
Tx re;u:as were p.cCa-ious enough.
YET !:c could do the work, and keep
with his dear Invalid The dear IL
valid must lack. nothing. AS to him
self-it did not matter. a small
house remained to them-the sole
relic Of their once great possessions
BY the help Of his fathers sometime
valet. now cook, chamberlain, gard
ner, and man of all work. the estab'
lshment kept going in ramshacklo
fashion. Grandmother Yanes weekly
hamper helped lot: also. he: weekly
dinners Allonby went to them by
his fathers express orders.
1T is the least return you can dc
Gently make for your mothers moth
er's Kindness" said his elder.
Lura was rarely at the dinners
managing some way to have other
engagements At first Allonhy had
i been glad.
Later he had come to resent her
absences. They were not cousinly-
and he wns bent upon keeping up a
surface Of amity such as should pre-
vail among folk Of one blood.
He had not spoken with her for
three months An impulse he did try
to understand. sent him to cross her
path. He waited there, still sneering
little. but also smiling.
Accept my fluctuations" he said
half extending his hand. This is no
place to offer them-that l know well
but you give me no other chance.
81 am not sure l understand you.
Lura said, coloring family. She was
slight and dark. with an oval face.
and eyes deep set under heavy brows
You surely have not heard" she
went on. breaking off uncertainty.
Allonby smiled more confidently
az did not need to hear" he said.
TT flashed over me that you and Dick
Helm we're made for each other the
very minute I saw you together. Let
me know when the wedding is to be
SO l may turn you out love-verse.
having nothing else to give"
I'm just a little afraid you will
suffer from suppressed poesy if you
wait for that OCCASION" Lura an
| swered-and now she smiled. "But
don't be downhearted-it Is secret
but Dick and Lesta Mills have come
ito an understanding at last. There
! is no talk Of marriage yet-but l dare
! say you will be warned in time"
when the scoundrel has been at
, your apron strings this year and
ImoreI AS your next Of kin, ought
/ to call him to account" Allonby said
! The sheer was quite banished, the
smile sunny. Il was jesting," he ran
on. you know that. You are not
the sort of girl man plays fast and
! loose with Did you know about
Lesta all the time?"
Everything. And l did my best tc
! bring them together. They had quar-.
relied over such little thing" Lura
answered, making as though to pass
! on.
; Allonby flung open the gate, say.
ing. entreatingly, Dad wants to see
! YOU: are YOU big enough to shame me