Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-12-23

OuI VI INC Gil Sdllo udu CUiue the Uul-
terfiy; 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, anu though. of Gloria's mother
Then the present with it's obligations
and its stern realities recalled him to
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 unduly demon
strative.
Seeing the negro driver bowling and
scraping, Gloria left her father to
speak to him. She might have for
gotten Locust Lawn, but she had not
forgotten Locust Lawns chief fac
totum. 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. Il don't believe
you remember me- Now, do your"
Bless yo' heart. Miss Glory"
grinned the old negro, I'D sholy know
you anywhares. An it does me
powful sight O. good to see you. Why,
chile, when you went away you wuz
jes' little gal. An now look at you;
you's a reg'lar growed-up woman. All
reckins you'll want to git mahried
soon. Hey?"
Gloria laughed; that same fresh, in
fectious laugh of hers which had
warned many a wary sutton that he
had not found the combination to her
heart and had brought him to that
plane of friendship on which he xas
always welcome. AS well 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, privileged servitor, his face
was as impressive 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, Il love every
body, of course, but nobody in the
wide. wide world like that. I'm never
going to marry any one; do you think
so?"
Miss Glory. you neveh do know
what de Lordll pervide Look at me.
All done say dat, too. when | wuz
young lax you; but Abs had TO wives
an nah time amt come to
die yit"
"All right, Tom. | dc"'t know what
the Lord viii provide, but I'm not 60
ing. out of my way to help Provi-
dence
The words of this colloquy 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 woman SUCH as she. that
she would marry him and never re-
turn to Belmont Almost unconscious
ly, with that end vaguely in view, he
had been diminishing his activities.
He had money enough for Gloria's flu
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 horse which
had won the greatest classic OF the
English turf. But for him, he had
unused, there would be no such pur
suits to bring him into the public eye.
That he wished TO avoid for Glorias
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 % Tom, because together.
when she was child. they had been
over the road many times. David
Kerr, never much of a conversation
alist. was content TO listen. hoping
some chance speech might aid in clear
ing up the situation Everything
Gloria said. however. seemed only
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
hill and Tom pointed with his whip
to a house On the next eminence.
Looking up. Gloria saw. not the estate
of her imagination. but a 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 betray any
disappointment. To her the place was
home. and she was anxious to reco5-
nize it as such.
The interior of the house was no
more inviting. AS soon as possible
Gloria wandered from room to room,
her inspection making her give silent
thanks that she had not asked any of