The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-03-08
woodwork than it had contained be-

woodwork than it had contained be-
fore the fre.
Gave Him Everything
In October everything was ready.
Lueders had spent several hundred
dollars in furnishing the house. Ev-
! erything was new and of the best.
He bought for Ralph a rosewood baby
grand piano-and there were already
two pianos in the house. He bought
Circassian walnut bedroom set. The
living room he furnished in fumed
oak great easy chairs, upholstered
N Spanish leather, a massive library
table with rough skin thrown over
it, wide and deep davenport.
The boy came. Lueders was jubi-
liant. All the affection of his starved
soul he poured out upon the lad He
bought a pianoplayer for him, that
the boy might enjoy music until he
should learn to play. He gave him a
beautiful gold watch and fob. He
purchased an expensive typewriter
and when the boy had some difficulty
in manipulating it, Lueders bought
him another.
And the boy was happy He had
brought from his home his tool chest
and his chickens. The latter he in
stalled in the barn and then after
school hours when his lessons were
done, he wired the barn with cleo
tricity. When Lueders came home at
night, he found hot supper awaiting
him, prepared by the boy.
So passed October, November and
December. Then came the first cloud
in their sky.
Wanted His Mother
Ralph had everything he wanted
that is everything material. What he
did not have was the companionship
Of girls and boys Of his own age and
for it he hungered. The schooling
for which he had longed was his, but
a boy Of Is, no matter how studious
he may be, still feels within him an
urge to the society of his kind. And
way down deep in his boyish heart
was a corner for his mother and
sometimes at night it ached
Shortly after the holidays, one OF
RaIph's old friends on the west side
invited him to party. Lueders re-
luctantly gave his consent and Ralph
went. When he returned at midnight,
for it takes nearly an hour to get
from the Beach home to the Lueders
home on Cameron avenue, Iueders
was pacing the floor in a passion of
jealousy.
When he saw Ralph's face he up
braided the boy, censured him for en-
! joying himself as it was his right
to do.
Wanted Him Alone.
! Lueders could not understand that
the solitary life was not suited to the
youth. He could not or would not
understand. Ralph enjoyed being
away from him. Never during their
life together had the boy seemed SO
| happy. Lueders was torn with the
sharp hooks of jealousy, which had
caught deep in his nature and were
rending him.
Ralph was surprised. He tried TO
explain but Lueders silenced him and
they retired without more words.
| Things went along as before. Ralph
was busy with his tools changing
! lights, fixing doors, doing all that he
could for the comfort of the man.
Evenings, Lueders would play the
piano and Ralph would write on his
| typewriter, sometimes composing let
| ters to his companion and sending
! them through the mail to him. Then
when they came to the house, Lueders
would open and read them pretending
he did not know from whom they
came and coming upon the signature
at the bottom with well-feigned sur
prise.
One of those letters read in part,
my Dear Fred, If live for 100 years,
1 will still be with you, your son,
Ralph" Thus did Lueders forget
about that one nights unfaithfulness
to him.
Mother Needs Boy.
Then came the break between them
the break which continues to this
day, widening and deepening, and into
it will go Lueders's reason, if not his
life.
Mrs. Beach is not widow, but she
might we'll be- Her husband contrib
utes little to the support of herself
and little daughter. The two sup
port themselves by taking in board
ers. When taxes came due this win
ter, Mrs. Beach could not pay them
and she went to Lueder.
81 cannot pay them, but if Ralph
were at work, his wages would helI
me to live and l could save enougf
for the taxes she told him. 'If
cannot get the money, l must have
Ralph
Lueders had spent all his available
cash for furniture and to rebuild Tho
house. Although his aunt had made
him her sole heir, her estate had no
been settled Not only did he lacl
money, but he was in debt. Findin: