Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-11-07

was enjoying to the full her pious sat
lsfaction of martyrdom.
Dear Mrs. Gregory" said Fran
kindly. 'I'm sorry to have to do this.
but it isn't as If you were adopting
penniless orphan. I'm adopting a
home. l want to belong to somebody.
and l want people to feel that they
have something when they have me-"
81 reckon they'll know they've got
something" remarked Simon Jeffer-
son, shooting dissatisfied glance at
Fran from under bushy brows.
Fran laughed outright. I'm going
to like you, all right" she declared.
You are SO human"
1t is exceedingly difficult to main
tain satisfaction In silent martyrdom.
Grace was obliged to speak, lest any
one think that she acquiesced in evil.
rs it customary for little girls to roam
the streets at night. wandering about
the world alone, adopting homes ac-
cording to their whims?"
Il really don't think 1t is custom
ary." Fran replied politely, "but I'm
not a customary girl" At that mo-
ment she caught the old lady's eye. 1t
was sparkling with eloquent satisfac-
tion; Mrs. Jefferson supposed terms
laughed. grabbed the ear-trumpet and
called. Hello. How are you?"
When an unknown voice entered the
large end of the tube, half its mean
ing was usually strained away before
the rest reached the yearning ear.
Mrs. Jefferson responded eagerly.
And will you wheel me around the
garden at least twice a day?"
Fran patted the thin old arm with
her thin young hand, as she shouted,
"I'l wheel you twenty times a day.
il you say sol"
But do not see-saw." fetorted the
old lady with spirit.
Gregory. finding Grace's eyes fxed
on him searchingly, felt himself
pushed to the wall. "Of course" he
said coldly. sit is understood that the
daughter of-er-my friend, comes
here as a-as an equal" As he
found himself forced into definite op-
position to his secretary. his manner
grew more assured. Suddenly It oc-
CURED to him that he was. in a way,
atoning for the past.
wife. again embracing Fran. How
else could it be-"
This is going to be good thing
for you. If you only knew it." Fran
said, looking into her face with loving
eyes.
Hamilton Gregory was almost able
to persuade himself that he had re-
ceived the orphan of his own free
choice. thus to make reparation. ut
is my duty" he said: land l always
try to do my duty, as I see it,
Would you like to know more about
me?" Fran asked confidentially of Mrs.
Gregory.
Gregory turned pale. 81 don't think
1t is neces-"
DO tell mel" exclaimed his wife.
Father and mother married secret
ly," Fran said, solely addressing Mrs.
Gregory. but occasionally sending a
furtive glance at her husband. "He
was college-student, boarding with
his cousin, who ives one OF the profess
sors. Mother was an orphan and lived
with her half-uncle-a mighty crusty
old man. Uncle Ephraim was, who
didn't have one bit of use for peoples
mother agreed not to mention their
marriage till after his graduation;
then he'd go to his father and make
everything easy. and come for mother
So he went and told him-father's IA
ther was a millionaire on Wall street.
Mothers uncle was pretty well fixed.
too. but he didn't enjoy anything ex-
cept religion. When he wasn't at
church-he went most all the time
he was reading about it. Mother said
he was most religious in Hebrew. but
he enjoyed his Greek verbs awfully."
Grace Noir asked remotely. Did
you say that your parents elopedE'
They didn't run far" Fran ex-
planned; they were married in the
county. not far from Springfield"
II thought you said." Grace inter-
rupted. that they were in New York"
did you?" said Fran politely. $50
father graduated. and went away to
tell his father all about being mar
ried to Josephine Derry. don't know
what happened then, as he didn't come
back to tell My mother waited and
waited-and / was born-and then
Uncle Ephraim drove mother out of
his house with her tiny baby-that's
me-and / grew to be-as old as you
see me now. We were always hunt
ing father. We went all over the
United States. first and last-it looked
like the son of a millionaire ought to
be easy to find. But he kept himself
close. and there was never clew. |
Then mother died. Sometimes she |
used to tell me that she believed him
dead, that If he'd been alive he'd have
come for her. because she loved him !