River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-09-25
The DAUGHTER Of
DAVID KERR a&e
BY Harry Nr5 1ootle
Illustrations by KAy U1H=os .

what I'd missed. / didn't want her
to know"
He lapsed into silence, which he
finally broke himself with the explain
atory remark:
Gloria thinks I'm the social leader
of Belmont; that the whole town
hangs breathless on what | say shall
be the fashion at pink teas
Hasn't she often wanted to come
back?"
Kerr was not to be hurried. He
began to pace up and down in front
of the fireplace. When he paused,
the lawyer, to secure a continuation
of the story, said:
"Well?"
This morning she came home.
Now Judge Gilbert understood; yet
he could scarcely believe it possible.
What! Gloria here!"
Eyes, here" echoed Kerr. Come
home, that's what she calls it. She's
been visiting school, friends since she
came back from Japan, and had just
started to California when the party
fell through when they'd got to St.
Louis. So she jumped on the train
and came to Belmont unannounced-
to surprise me-"
So here was Gloria in Belmont. 1t
was more than embarrassing. Gilbert
recognized that it was tragic. Kerr
never mentioned his daughter, and
Belmont had almost forgotten her
existence Much that the boss had
told the lawyer was news to him.
Gloria Kerr, the little girl, had been
allowed to slip out Of his mind and
he had come to regard the political
leader just as every one else did. as
thing apart, as a power almost as
impersonal as the force of gravity or
the freezing CT water. The easy boss
was regarded as just as much Bel
mont fixture as was the river which
| flowed past the town, and those good
people who laid aside the rose-col-
ored spectacles of Belmont's laisseZ
just as easy to remove one as the
other.
The lawyer in Gilbert now rose to
the surface and he began to question
| Kerr just as he would a client. The
girl was here. The only thing now
to discuss was what to do with her.
"She can't help but learn the truth!
| Gilbert exclaimed at last.
He sank back in his chair, over
come by the weight of the problem.
On the wall. where he could see it.
hung the picture of his own daughter,
Julia. now away at school, and the
bitterness of the whole thing was
brought home to him all the more
poignantly because he, too, was a
| father
| The hopelessness of GiItert's tone
when he declared Gloria would learn
/ the truth if she remained reused Kerr
| to his old self. When he had entered
the room he seemed crushed beyond
recovery. Now he suddenly developed
all the spirit, all the calm resourcefuI
ness, which he had ever displayed
when listening to the report of some
political revolt which would call forth
hitherto latent strength.
'She must not know" he replied
with all his old dominance. Listen
to me, Amos Gilbert-that girl must
be recognized. l know what people
say of me, and I've abided by the yer
dict. / amt been no hypocrite. I've
played a mans game, and I've dealt
with men. ] amt asked nothin' OF
your women folk, but now | do. I'm
bringing Belmont girl any of you
could be proud of. She's got to be
took up by the right people-Ive kept
her away all these years, and she
don't know my story, and | don't in.
tend she shall. She's the equal of any
girl in Belmont, and, by God, she'll
| have an equal chance"
What can I do?" asked Gilbert
1t was for this Kerr had waited
! 1t was for this moment that he had