The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1913-12-10

Illness OF her expression lnsuited. she
was enjoying to the full her pious sat. |
~isfaction of ~martyrdom.
Dear Mrs. Gregory" said Fran
kindly. I'm sorry to have TO do this,
but Il isn't as IL you were adopting
n penniless orphan. I'm adopting q
home. want to belong to somebody.
and I want people to feel that they
have something when they have me-"
Il reckon they'll know they've got
something" remarked Simon Jener.
son. shooting a dissatisfied glance nj
Fran from under bushy brows.
Fran laughed outright. I'm going
to like you. all right" she declared.
You are 40 human"
II Is exceedingly difficult TO main.
tain satisfaction In silent martyrdom.
Grace was-oblIged to speak. lest any
n think that she acquiesced In evil
Ia II customary for little girls to
the streets ut night. wandering about
the world alone, adopting homes &C.
cording TO their whims?"
Il really don't think Il In custom.
ary." Fran replied politely. but I'm
not a customary girl" At that mo-
ment she caught the old lady's eye. II
was sparkling with eloquent satisfac-
ton: Mrs. Jefferson supposed terms
OF service were under discussion Fran
laughed, grabbed the eartrumpet and
called, Hello. How are you?"
When an unknown voice entered the
large end OF the tube. half It's mean.
Ing was usually strained away before
the rest reached the yearning ear
Mrs. jefferson responded eagerly.
And will you wheel me around the
garden at least twice a day?"
Fran patted the thin old arm with
her thin young hand, as she shouted.
III wheel you twenty times u day.
IL you say SOL"
But | DO not see.saw." rctorted the
old lady with spirit.
Gregory. finding Grace's eyes axed
on him se~archingly. felt himself
pushed TO the wall. "Of course" he
said coldly, 1T Is understood that the
daughter of-cr-my friend. comes
here as a-as an equal" As he
found himself forced into definite op.
position to his secretary. his manner
grew more assured. Suddenly II oc.
Cured to him that he was. In q way,
atoning for the past.
"As an equal. yes!" exclaimed his
wife. again embracing Fran. How
else could Il be-"
This Is going TO be q good thing
for you. II YOU only knew IT," Fran
said. looking into her face with loving
eyes.
Hamilton Gregory was almost able
TO persuade himself that he had re-
ceived the orphan OF his " free
choice. thus. TO make reparation. 1T
Is my duty" he said: land | always
try TO do my duty. M I see IT,"
would you like to know more about
me-" Fran asked c0nfidentially of Mrs.
Gregory.
Gregory turned pale. IL don't think
Il Is neces--"
DO tell mel" exclaimed his wife.
Father and mother married secret.
ly." Fran said. solely addressing Mrs
Gregory, but occasionally sending a
furtiye glance al her husband. HE
was q college.student. boarding with
uAb obFttt "eo chS w t' bIOttEs
sors. Mother was an orphan and lived
with her ~ha!t'uncie-a mighty crusty
old man. Uncle Ephraim was, who
didn't have one bit OF use for peoples
getting married In secret. Father and
mother agreed not to mention their
marriage Till after his graduation;
then he'd 20 to his father and make
everything easy. and come for mother
So he Eel and told him--father's ia.
Their was a millionaire on Wall street.
Mothers uncle was pretty well fixed.
too. but he didn't enjoy anything ex.
cept religion. When he wasn't at
church-he went most all the time
he was reading about II. Mother said
no was most religious In Hebrew, bu,
he enjoyed his Greek verbs awfuily.'
Grace Noir asked remotely. did
you say that your parents cloped?"
They didn't run far" Fran ex
planned. they were married In the
county, not far from Springfield"
Il thought you said" Grace inter
rup,ed. that they were In New York
!; Did you.' said Fran politely. so
|. father graduated. and went away "a
tell his father all about being mar
ried 10 Josephine Derry. ! don't know
what happened then, an he didn't come
back 10 toll. My mother waited ant
. waited--snd ! was born-and Their
Uncle Ephraim drove mother out O,
. his house with her tiny b~aby-that',
me-and I grew 10 be--as old as yo,
see me- now. We were always hunt
. ing father. We went all over the
: United States. frst and last--it looked
. like the son OF o millionaire ought Il
, be easy to find. But he kept himself
. close. and there was never a clew
Then mother died. Sometimes sh,
used to tell me that she believed hin
dead, that II he'd been alive he'd hav,
4 come for her, because she loved HIN