Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-04

II, particularly" 4.
| but before that" Grace persisted:
before. when your mother was first
disinherited. how could she make her
| living?"
Mother was like me. She didn't
stand around folding her hands and
crossing her feet-she used EN-.
Bless you, could get along wherever
you'd drop me. Success isn't in the
world, It's In me, and that's good
thing to know--it saves hunting"
do you consider yourself q sue
cess'?" inquired the secretary with a
chilly smile.
IT had everything l wanted except
! home" Fran responded with charm
ing good humor, "and now I've got
that. In New York paper, found a
picture Of Hamilton Gregory. and It
told about all his charities. It said he
had millions. and was giving away
! everything. I said to myself. I'll 20
there and have him give me q home
you see I'd often heard mother speak
of him-and I said other things to
myself--and then, as generally do
what tell myself to dot keeps UP
confidence In the general manager
came"
! Dear child" said Mrs. Gregory,
stroking her hair, your mother dead.
your father-that kind Of man--you
shall indeed find home with US, for
life. And SO your father was MIR.
Gregory's friend. It seems-strange."
my father" said Fran, looking at
Mr.. Gregory inscrutably, was the
best friend you ever had. wasn't he?
You loved him better than anybody
else in the world. didn't your"
| "I-I-yes," the other stammered,
looking at her wildly, and passing his
agitated hand across his eyes, as II to
shut out some terrible vision, YES,
II was-er-fond of--him."
phatically. You'd have done anything
for him."
II have this to say" remarked
Simon Jefferson, that may not como
up to the mark in all particulars, and
reckon l have my Weaknesses; but
wouldn't own friend that proved
himself the miserable scoundrel. the
weak cur, that this child's father
proved himself"
"And agree with you," declared
Grace, who seldom agreed with him In
anything How Mr.. Gregory, the best
man she had ever known, could be
ford Of Fran's father, was inc0mpre-
hensible. Ever since Fran had come
knocking at the door, Grace's exalted
faith in Mr.. Gregory mad been per-
picked by the foreboding that he was
not altogether what she had imagined.
Hamilton Gregory felt tine change in
her attitude. THAT friend" he said
quickly, "was not altogether to he cen
sured. At least, he meant to do right.
He wanted to do right. With all the
strength of his nature, he strove tod
right"
! "Then why didn't he do right?''
snapped Simon Jefferson why didn't
/ he go back after that young woman.
and take care q. her? Huh? What was
holding him."
"He did go back" exclaimed Greg
DRY. "Well-not atlnrst, but afterward.
He went to tell his father. and his
father showed him that it would never
do. that the girl-his wife-wasn't OF
their sphere, their life, that he couldn't
have made her happy that It
wouldn't-that 1t just wouldn't do. For
three years he stayed In the noun
tains of Germany, the most miserable
man in the world. But his conscience
wouldn't let him rest. It told him he
should acknowledge his wife. So he
went back--but she'd disappeared
he couldn't find her--and he'd never
! heard-he'd never dreamed of the
birth Of a-of the-of this girl. He
never knew that he had daughter
/ Never"
We'll" said Simon Jefferson, hes
dead now, and that's one comfort
Good thing he's not alive; I'd always
be afraid might come up with him
and then. aftcrward, that might not
get nv sentence commuted to life inn
prisonment.'
"Who is exciting my SOM" de-
handed the old lady from her wheel.
chair. Simon Jefferson's red face and
! starting eyes told plainly that HE
spirit was up. There was silence out OF
respect for his weak heart, but there
was general feeling Of surprise that
Gregory should so determinedly de-
fend his friend.
after ALL said Fran cheerfully,
1--WE are here, and needn't bother about
what's past. My mother wasn't given
her chance, but she's dead nov,
blessed soul-and my father had his
chance, but it wasn't ir him to be q
man. Let's forget him as much as We
can, and let's have nothing but sweet
and peaceful thoughts about mother.
That's all over. and I'm here to take
nv chance with the rest Of you. We're
the world. while our day lasts"
What remarkable child" MUIR
INJURED Grace Noir, as they prepared
to separate. quite philosophers IL
short dresses"
"They used to call me prodigy
murmured Fran, as she obeyed MrS.
Gregory's gesture inviting her to FOL.
low up stairs.
"Now it's stopped raining" Simon
Jefferson complained. as he wheeled
his mother toward the back hall
"Thats a good omen" said Fran,
pressing Mrs. Gregory's hand. "The
moonlight was beautiful when was
on the bridge-when l first came
here"
"But we need rain" said Grace Noir