Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-09-25
The Daughter of David Kerr
By HARRY KING TOOTLE
Illustrations

influences of David Kerr. David Kerr.
her father! With Gloria's explanation,
raised by her pride in her father al
most to a boast, all this was brought
back to him. He still smiled. but his
heart went dead within him The sun
which had shone for him so gloriously
only a minute ago was now hidden be-
hind the blacklist cloud in the heavens.
Selfish as they wished to be, for a
time they we're forced to join in the
general conversation and satisfy the
curiosity Of the others concerning pre-
viOus acquaintanceship
when did you and Gloria n7eet?"
Kerr asked the newspaper man.
First on a steamer going to Eu-
rope"
And then accidentally any number
of times on the continent" added
Gloria.
There's no need now of your fear
ing you will be lonesome Miss Gloria"
was Mrs Gibert's comment How
lucky to find an old friend"
Yes, indeed" replied Gloria. With
SIL4 pm L1IdG l1O' OLS GOu1u BGFLCF .
she was merely saying the polite
thing. 4 command you to come to see
ne at once, Mr.. Wright. I know hard
" a soul in Belmont. You see ] just
came home this morning"
Thus within a quarter of an hour
after meeting the boss of Belmont,
Wright found himself invited to his
homo Tho .sT,o77r,c+o r,oCo +17~+ had
brought about the invitation he would
have considered out Of the range of
all reason half an hour before. He
knew the game too well not to under
stand how the easy boss works and all
unconsciousIy Gloria was seeking TO
further her fathers plans
Through friendship, loyalty and a
sense Of obligation which one IS not
permitted to forget, the political lead
er obtains active cooperation where
to deny him would appear base ingrat-
itude To keep from being placed in
such a position was Wright's one aim.
Consequently, to GlOria's invitation he
merely murmured polite assent, in
wardly resolving to find sufficient eX-
cuses to make it impossible for him
to be a visitor at Locust Lawn. Yet
something within him at the same
time was telling him that he must see
Gloria often.
AS they we're now leaving, Dr. and
Mrs. Hayes came to say good night
to Gloria. Gilbert and Kerr found this
the favorable moment to slip out of
the library unobserved.
I've told Mrs. Gilbert how sorry we
are we have TO be going, because I
so wanted to have a little chat with
you" began Mrs. Hayes. I'll give you
only a day or two to unpack before I
come to call"
please don't wait for that to hap
pen,.. urged Gloria. eve lived in
trunks so long that I'd feel like a
motor without gasoline if I should take
Ill my things out and hang them on
hooks like civilized people do"
= wonder if you could be interested
in some settlement work I'm doing"
continued Mrs. Hayes.
Don't let her rope you into that,
Miss Kerr" protested the doctor
Isn't it fashionable?" inquired
Gloria cautiously.
mot fashionable and highly insani-
tary," was his verdict. "A germ is no
respecter Of persons. Ny wife's liable
to bring home anything from measles
to socialism,"
But think of the poor. unfortunate,
ignorant people" pleaded Mrs. Gilbert,
who with Mrs. Hayes was interested
in a mission established in a poor
quarter of the town by the Presbyteri-
an church.
That's what I tell him." said Mrs.
| Hayes
ct isn't our fault, is it?" asked
Gloria. To her, settlement work was a
sealed book. SIatternly women with
troops of dirty, sniveling brats re.
pelleq her Were she ever to develop
any philanthropy along these lines,
she was sure that the work would be
carried on vicariously.
| (TO BE CONTINUED)