Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-09-04

not changed, as she had sworn, he
/ recognized that she had changed In
/ the two years since he had seen her.
out of the chrysalis had come the but
+ teray. and this radiant girl was his
daughter For one brief instant he
unlocked the neglected chamber of his
heart which was the prison OF the
/ past, and thought Of Gloria's mother.
/ Then the present with its obligations
/ and its stern realities recalled him 20
the life that was from the days that
once had been.
Welcome home, daughter" he said.
making a peck in the general direc-
ton OF her mouth do duty for an an
sWering kiss. With David Kerr kiss
| ing had long ago become an obsolete
| custom. Then, too, no one had ever
| accused him of being unduIy demon
stratiye.
Seeing the negro driver bowling and
scTapiDg, Gloria left her father to
/ speak TO him, She might have for
/ gotten Locust Lawn. but she had not
forgotten Locust Lawns chief fac
/ t0tum. Old Tom, who had been in
Kerr's employ for a generation. had
been her constant companion when
| she had outgrown the continuous
vigilance Of her nurse
How d you DO, Tom, she said. ex
tending her hand. I don't believe
yoG remember me, Now, do you?'
Bless 20 heart, Miss Glory.
grinned the old negro, I'd sho'ly know
you anyWhares. An it does me j
pow'ful sight o good to see you. Why.
chile when you went away you wuZ
jes, d little gal. An now look at you;
yOu's a regular growed-up woman All
reckins you'll want to git married
soon. Hey
Gloria laughed: that same fresh, in
fectious laugh Of hers which had
warned many wary sutton that he
had not found the combination to her
heart and had brought him TO that
plane Of friendship on which he |as
always welcome. AS we'll try to de
scribe PATHS singing, in the days
when her charm was greatest, as try
to describe Gloria's laugh There be
those persons so presumptuous that
on hearing it would aver she had
never loved. Whether David Kerr was
one of those his countenance did not
betray As he waited for her answer
to the question put her by the old
negro, a privileged servitor. his face
was as impassiye as ever it was on
the night of an election.
Why. Tom she explained when
she had ceased to laugh at the fool
ishness Of the question, q love every
body, of course. but nobody in the
wide, wide world like that. I'm never
going 10 marry any one: do you think
500"
Miss Glory, you neveh do know
what de LordlI pervide. Look at me.
All done say dat, too. when 7 wuz
young lax you: but Abs had 70 wives
already, an nah time amt come TO
die yit."
All right Tom, / don't know what
the Lord viii provide, but I'm not go
ing out of my way to help Prori-
dence
The words of this coHoquy were
neither more nor less than David Kerr
had anticipated. 1t was from the
spirit rather than from the wording
of her reply that the father sought to
ascertain the answer. 1t had been his
one hope that somewhere on her
travels she would meet a man worthy
the love Of a woman such as she, that
she would marry him and never re-
turn to Belmont. Almost unconscious
Iy, with that end vaguely in view, he
had been diminishing his activities.
He had money enough for Glorias fu-
ture, already she had her own income.
and his age made even power irk-
some. He would move away from
Belmont when Gloria married, and
when she came to visit him it would
be to some charming rural spot in the
east she loved so well. Other men
Of his type had retired why not he?
One had even raised q horse which
had won the greatest classic of the
English turf. But for him, he had
muscd, there would be no such pur-
suits to bring him into the public eye
That he wished to avoid for Glorias
sake. And now all his plans seemed
70 be coming to naught-Gloria had
come home, free of heart and anxious
to mingle in Belmont society.
The drive to Locust Lawn was I'M
| eyentful Gloria watched for land
marks along the way. and commented
On the changes twelve years had made
Locust Lawn seemed closer to town
than in the old days. Most of her re
marks about places they passed were
addressed to Tom, because together
when she was a child, they had been
over the road many times. David
Kerr. never much of a conversations
alist, was content to listen, hoping
some chance speech might aid in clear
ing UP the situation. Everything
Gloria said, however, seemed only a
confirmation of her determination to
enter at once into Belmont's gayeties
Oars de first sight o Locust Lawn.
Miss Glory"
They had just reached the top OF a
hill and Tom pointed with his whip
to a house Oh the next eminence.
Looking up Gloria saw. not the estate
of her Imagination. but square red
brick house looking rather desolate
through the bare branches of many
trees. Locust Lawn at the end of
winter was no enchanted fairy bower:
but she was far too clever a girl. and
| far too good at heart, to hetray any
, disappointment. To her the place was
home. and she was anxious to recog-
niZe Ii as such.
The interior OF the house was 10
more inviting. AS soon as possible
, | Gloria wandered from room IN room
| her inspection making her give silent
| thanks that she had not asked any of
: around the bottom of which was a ring