Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-12-26
The DAl]GHTERe Of
DAVID KERR s,e
BY Harry Kir5 1ootle /
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listened. II have lived away from Bel
mont" she went on In an even, re-
pressed monotone that cut him to the
heart, "eince,I was little girl, too
young to understand, and was
brought up to believe that my father
was-well, just the opposite OF what
he is. It was all mistake, of course.
1t was no fault of mine, but | must
suffer for 1t just the same. ! had ev-
erything money could buy; and then
you came-and-and l had love-
Her voice trembled for the instant.
Wright could not stand 1t.
"Gloria!" he cried. seeking to stop
her, but she went on again In the same
impersonal manner.
But no one was really kind to me.
| lived in FOOLS Paradise. / did not
know the truth" Then vehemently,
losing control of herself; "Oh, why
did you ever speak to me of love!
You, of all men, to make my humilia-
alton doubly great"
Don't speak so, beg of YOU
WTlBHI Oeh4i yNu' cSAA~' -
that have not suffered?"
She chose to ignore his question.
ooh, II had never come home! II
had even not gone to Judge Gilberts
Office that day! It was fate, Joe, II
was fate ] can see 1t all now. We
boast that we dominate circumstances
the gods laugh and are our masters
still. Looking back the way we've
como from that first night l met you
hc~o can see that every step, relent
IS as DEATH was leading to that day
when / learned the truth about my
father"
"And you known"
Everything. That's why I'm here
1t was really such little time age
that came back to Belmont, yet II
seems ages. oh, why didn't you &c
kaway! You must have seen how Il
had to end. Since came home ant
first met you. I've lived and suffered
and grown old And l had dreamed
such dreams!" Here she paused, as Il
to fight back the painful memories o
those rainbow dreams. Then she ad
mitted them. and they became rosiel
and rosier-because of you. Even th'
disappointments my fathers lack o
polish caused me we're nothing-be
cause of you. Then you ceased to SCI
me, and / didn't understand.
a. ~ .--.t tianJ.--
! i. 81 49, --4 -..iav ~ ~
what 1t, was; the election was coming
on, you had begun to fight my father
You knew | didn't realize his position
in Belmont. I'm sincere. l want you
to know understand how hard 1t wal
for you, my friend-because-I be
lieve you loved me-sincerely.
Sincerely, Gloria" His reply wa
almost a sob. You know begge,
you to go away. | would have fol
lowed you, and you would never hav,
known"
That's true, but the gods laugh ant
are our masters still. felt that
owed 1t to my father to remain will
him in Belmont. Then came the da.
J in Judge Gilbert's office. Did ever +;
| girl have courtship crowded into hal
an hour? So short time there wal
between those few words Of love ant
the rude awakening which followed
that there remains to me now no
even sweet memory of that avowa
which all girls cherish 80. And them
well, that's why I've come today.
couldn't let you go away without ask
ing you to forgive me for what
said in Judge Gilbert's Office"
There's no need of speaking of for
giveness. Please do not say an.
more"
She was not to be deferred from he
set purpose, and therefore affected no
to hear, going straight on with he
narrative
You see, was proud of my father
All my life he'd been an ideal, not
reality, and | thought him incapable
of anything else. 1t turned out wa
wrong-what said about YOU"
mo, Gloria, you just didn't under
stand"
"But just the. same, was wrong
and wanted to tell you so before
went away. / knew l should not b
here when you return, and so cam
today
You're not going to leave Be
mont!"
Yes, I am. Do you think l coul
stay!" Her tone made Wright's, hear
sink. mo, lack the courage, Joe
the moral courage. There's that muc
of the butterfly left in me. I'm nc
strong and brave like you are"
Gloria could not know how hi
strength and bravery we're slippin
from him little by little as they tall
ed Her very presence was weavin
its subtle spell about him, sharing hir
with her wan beauty, maddening hir
with the thought that he was losin
her. So she was going away. H
i wondered why, specializing on how sh