El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-12

SUDDEN ana great sorrow Psy-
biologists tell US that the mind
| is so dazed by the shock of grief that
! it cannot grasp the fearful truth in
all its details. Whatever causes this
! partial insensibility we are thankful
for.
Mary Danforth was like one stunned
during the days that followed her
| silence while the facts of his seizure
| fathers death. She listened in stony
| were related to her. He had come up
! from the office, and after dinner
/ dressed to 20 to her graduation exer-
clses, but had dropped to the floor
| as he started TO leave the apartment.
! and in five minutes stopped breathing.
! he had never regained consciousness.
This was no time for subterfuges
! and Mrs Danforth was soon made ac-
! qualnJed with the state of affairs be-
! tween her daughter and Gordon Craig
/ She was told that no formal engage
! ment existed, but that the pair loved
] each other and were going to wait
/ for each other until such time as thew
{ We're ready TO marry. The bereaved
wife, made suddenly old by the great
! sorrow of her life chung to the young
! man and sObbed out her woe and her
trust in him.
I have found a SON." she said at
last God bles you, dear boyI"
Craig bent his tall head to kiss her
pale cheek 4 shall try to be worthy
of your daughter" he whispered. land
of your confidence in me-"
He remained in New York for a week
The change in his business, of which
/ he told Mary, would keep him from
the road hereafter, another man having
Deen deputed to travel for his firm,
while he was to remain at the home
office.
Hard times have hit US as well as
the rest of the world" he said regret
fully, and matters do not look so
bright as they did But 1 shall stick
TO one job and shall hope for a salary
that viii warrant my marrying in a
year or two Heaven speed the timer
And Mary was not ashamed to add
q sincere Amen" to his hope.
II was on the day after the funeral
that the mother and daughter learned
that, added to the loss of husband and
father, another trouble had befaIIen
them. Investigation of Mr. Danforth's
Affairs brought to light the fact that
his business was in a desperate con-
ditiOn and that he had lived right up
to his income. His lawyer told the
two women the painful truth that
when the funeral expenses were paid
and few bills that Mr.. DanfOrth had
contracted were settled the pair would
be well nigh penniless except for a
small life insurance the deceased had
carried in favor Of his wife.
Your husband took that western
trip on the chance of saving the day
the lawyer explained to the widow,
He hoped to put a business deal
through out there. but he failed
think the disappointment, coupled with
the dread Of what was before him,
fastened his death"
He did it all for US" Mary told
Craig. He lived Just to make US
happy He wanted US to have a pretty
home and all that we wanted and he
cnmI6 To 70 We rer
part with these things. Now I can
see why he was taken from US II
would have broken his heart had he
lived to see us lose what we have been
accustomed to-"
Mary spoke firmly, yet gently. Ct
am going to work, mother" she as
serted mo, do not look distressed at
the idea! 1t is what father would
wish-what he always told me I must
be prepared to do if the need arose"
1t will not be for long" Craig re-
minded the mother. 81 hope that mat
ters will go so well with me that 1 can
we three will have little home Of our
come for you and Mary soon Then
own"
I could not accept it, even from
Gordon remarked Mrs Danforth later
to her daughter, eff I did not have
that insurance money of my own
The daughter said nothing She
could not bear to tell her unsOphisti-
money, Of which she spoke so con-
fidently, would go. The income from
1t would not support one woman, no
matter how economical she might be,
and the girl knew the principal would
be drawn upon gradually until it was
all gone. And then?
7 will be able to support her my
self" she thought bravely. ''She shall
use as little of her own money as
possible I would not want her to be
entirely dependent upon GordOn-even
though he is willing to care for her
1 must get to work at once
The place she secured was not a bril- I
liant one, but she had not expected
that 1t would be- She was engaged
as stenograDher and typewriter to a
kindly, middle aged real estate agent
He had small office, and her salary !
matched the office, but what else |
could beginner hope for?
Thus it came about that when Cor. I
don Craig turned his face westward /
again he knew that the girl he loved /
owed mother. His heart ached when 1
he remembered that the pretty home !
must be given up, and the handsome /
furniture sOld-eXcept such pieces as /
the Two lonely women would need to !
furnish the tiny flat they would take /
in an questionable part of town. He ]
lOnged to stay and help them.
But my job won't wait for meP' he J
muttered with a bitter sigh. IF L (
were only rich?'
Which exclamation is such a common
one that it is hardly worth record
ing
Continued in Next Issue)