The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-09-05

! every week Was it you or Bill Stoner
in them days used to use my big atlas
for ironin' board"
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 would 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 it's quiet elegance. Things
mighty different now, amt they?"
Then | vas struggling to get a
start"
/ 1t seemed to be a monCtogue 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 mighty nice girl
Yes, that was about the time | was
| elected prosecuting attorney"
Exactly" then after a 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 / gave up my desk in your
office, and moved to the 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 a 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
asked.
After that how long was You on
| the bench?"
Six years
rs that so, | hadn't an idee it
| was that long What made you give
that up?"
Il had family Oh my hands and
needed more money | didrA 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
franchise
We'll, We got the franchise"
That was what Kerr wanted to
bring cut
Exactly. And you're still their law
yer"
Yes"
And for the water company"
unused Kerr. And for the 1ectric
light company And you still come to
see me, Amos"
Why yes. Mr. Kerr. I'm not I'M
mindful Of
Kerr seemed to throw off some of
the gloom in which he had appeared
to be wrapped as he interrupted the
attorney.
This time. Amos, I've come to see
you. It's the first time I've ever been
in this house
'Well-Mr Kerr-I-" stammered
Gilbert.
The boss pulled himself together in
| his chair, sat up straight and looked
at Gilbert.
But you've got telephone" Then
he added in a 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 to
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 to
know, Bout the time you come here
l was married, and my wife died on
giving birth TO a girl
Gloria"
les, GlOFid. / was just SltIin INTO
| politics. Things might ave been diff
| ferent If my wife had lived. 1t didn't
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.
Well it wasn't There | was with
have any relatives. Her father was
minister. same's my father was
didn't have anybody, either. l could
send her to. l kept her as long as
could. but by that time my house
| even in the country-warn't fit place
for a specially a girl. So 1
sent her away to school and she amt
been back since. l reckon Belmont's
forgot about her [ gave her plenty
of money, but she never knew any
thing of DETERMINATIONS. She thinks
l made it air in real estate"
Then she doesn't know
That's the hell of it-she don't"
Kerr could sit still no longer. He
pulled himself out of his chair and
stood with his back to the fire and
directly facing Gilbert All these