River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-09-25

Both of us, believe"
Kerr moved restlessly in his chair,
then went on.
"Many's the time I've opened that
: book to show a man the plat OF an
addition and out woulG drop your
other handkerchief. / guess the mirror
in your room wasn't big enough to
hold a handkerchief on your wash
day" He looked about the library.
absorbing its quiet elegance. Things
mighty different now, amt they"
Then l was struggling to get a
start"
It seemed to be monOlogue Kerr
was delivering His questions were
answered, but he made no sign that
| he heard. His remarks were delivered
at random, and he never took his gaze
| from the fire, except the one time he
| had looked about the room to note
the contrast of the present with the
time when Gilbert had first come to
! Belmont
Bout that time you wanted to git
married to a mighty nice girl"
Eyes, that was about the time was
elected prosecuting attorney"
Exactly" then after pause, and
| you got married"
| Gilbert could not understand the
drift of the conversation, but he rec
ognized that Kerr was reviewing the
past step by step.
Then l gave up my desk in your
office, and moved TO TIE courthouse. >
But you still came to see me,
Amos"
This was said as quietly as had
been his previous remarks. Taken
by itself it was q harmless utterance,
| but in connection with what had gone
before it was of great significance
Yes, Amos Gilbert, the rising young
prosecuting attorney. had gone to see
David Kerr after he had moved his of
flee to the courthouse. The boss let
that remark sink in well before he
asked.
after that how long was you on
the bench?"
six years.
Us that so. | hadn't an idce ii
was that long What made you give
that up?"
Il had a family on my hands and
needed more money. | didn't run
again, you remember, because | want
ed to be attorney for the new street
railway company"
! Kerr seemed to be revolving some.
thing in his mind, for it was some
time before he reminded Gilbert of a
step in his rise which he had not
mentioned.
Il thought you was lawyer for one
of them crowds that was fightin for
a franchise"
We'll, we got the franchise"
That was what Kerr wanted tC
bring out.
Exactly And you're still their law
yer"
YES"
"And for the water company.
unused Kerr. And for the lectri6
light company And you still come tc
see me, Amos"
why, yes. Mr.. Kerr. I'm not IN
mindful Of"
Kerr seemed to throw o1 some Of
the gloom in which he had appeared
to be wrapped as he interrupted the
attorney.
This time, Amos, I've come to sec
you. It's the first time I've ever beer
in this house
'Well-Mr. Kerr" stammerec
Gilbert.
Tho hoce ,,IIJod h;YocoIf 40cokla,. -
his chair, sat up straight and looked
at Gilbert
But you've got q telephone" Then
he added in gentler tone: That's
all right, Amos, I've always under
stood" 1t seemed to be with an eff
fort that he continued, I'm going tC
tell you some things that you know
and some things that you don't know
and some you've guessed, and some
I've thought nobody'd ever have tC
know. Bout the time you come here
/ was married, and my wife died on
giving birth to girl"
Gloria"
Yes, Gloria. l was just gittin into
politics Things might ave been diff
|
seem long before there | was with {
big girl on my hands-me, David
Kerr" The old feeling of power
surged through him as he added with
spirit. If it had been a boy!"
This thought held him silent for
minute, and when he took up the
thread of his story again it was the
old weary tone.
We'll, it wasn't. There l was Will
:. a girl on my hands. Her mother didn'
have any relatives. Her father was
minister, same's my father was.
didn't have anybody, either l coulC
send her to. / kept her as long as
could, but by that time my house
even in the country-warn't fit place
for a child--specially a girl. So
sent her away to school and she ain
been back since. l reckon Belmont
forgot about her l gave her plent.
Of money, but she never knew any
thing of my-transactions. She think
| made it all in real estate.
Then she doesn't know"
That's the hell of it-she don't"
Kerr could sit still no longer. H
pulled himself out of his chair AM
stood with his back to the fire AM
directly facing Gilbert. "All thes
years I've acted lie. I've made Glori;
believe I'm the leading man in Bel
NOR 7 am-hut not in the way sh
thinks Il wasn't because loved her
can't say | do, cause l don't know
her well. amt been east to see he