The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-11-06
The DAUGHTERS
DAVID KERR IL
>1y Harry Ki,25 '1oot1e I
illustrations y ny A1I7=~s %
oPrRIchT BY A.c. nccLuRC sk CO.. 1919

| WlldI SHE udu UG0l leu W expect. IuSl
how much only dip into the social
whirl could reveal. The pleasurable
part of it all was that Gloria was still
queen by right of inheritance. If the
kingdom was more extensive than she
had thought, the court life would also
be more brilliant.
Gloria had not long to wait for her
father. An old-fashioned carriage COW
cred with mud and drawn by fat bay
horses drew up before the drug store.
Out of the vehicle a somewhat pom
derous individual pulled himself-a
smooth-shaven man who appeared to
be something over fifty, with heavy
Jaws and piercing eyes which looked
clear through you from under beetling
eyebrows. With cry the girl flung
herself upon him and smothered him
with kisses.
You old dear" she exclaimed
You haven't changed bit. I'm so
glad to be at home with you. Isn't
it just dandy to be back in Belmont"
The man smiled. Even If he had
not changed, as she had sworn, he
recognized that she had changed In
the two years since he had seen her,
out of the chrysalis had come the but
terfy; and this radiant girl was his
daughter. For one brief instant he
unlocked the neglected chamber of his
heart which was the prison of the
past, and thought of Gloria's mother.
Then the present with it's obligations
oto 11<1 -: 70
the life that was from the days that
once had been.
WELCOME home, daughter" he said,
making peck in the general direc.
ton of her mouth do duty for an an
swering kiss. With David Kerr kiss
ing had long ago become an obsolete
custom Then, too, no one had ever
accused him of being unduly demon
strative.
Seeing the negro driver bowling and
scraping, Gloria left her father to
speak to him. She might have for
gotten Locust Lawn, but she had not
forgotten Locust Lawns chief fac
totum. Old Tom, who had been in
Kerr's employ for generation, had
been her constant companion when
she had outgrown the continuous
vigilance of her nurse.
How d you do, Tom," she said, ex-
tending her hand. Il don't believe
you remember me- Now, do your"
BLESS yo' heart, Miss Glory,
grinned the old negro, I'D sho'ly know
you anywhares. An it does me a
| 'F,,1 ;rl, - tn N1,v
chile, when you went away you wuz
jes' little gal. An now look at you;
you's reglar growed-up woman. All
reckins you'll want to git manfred
soon. Hey?"
Gloria laughed; that same fresh, in
fictitious laugh of hers which had
warned many wary sutton that he
heart and had brought him to that
plane Of friendship on which he was
: always welcome. AS we'll try to de-
scribe PATHS singing, in the days
when her charm was greatest, as try
to describe Gloria's laugh. There be
those persons so presumptuous that
on hearing it would aver she had
never loved Whether David Kerr was
one of those his countenance did not
betray. AS he waited for her answer
to the question put her by the old
negro, privileged servitor, his face
was as impassive as ever it was on
the night of an election.
"Why, Tom" she explained when
she had ceased to laugh at the fool
ishness of the question, 81 love every
body, of course, but nobody in the
wide, wide world like that. I'm never
going to marry any one; do you think
so?"
Miss Glory, you neveh do know
what de Lordll pervde. Look at me
All done say dat, too, when | wul
young lax you; but Abs had fo' wives
already, an NAH time amt come tt
die yit."
"All right, Tom, don't know wha
the Lord will provide, but I'm not go
ing out of my way to help Provi
dence."
The words of this colloquy wer,
neither more nor less than David Ker
had anticipated. 1t was from tn,
spirit rather than from the wording
s of her reply that the father sought t.
5. ascertain the answer. 1t had been hi
It one hope that somewhere on he
n travels she would meet man worth,
e the love of a woman such as she, tina
d she would marry him and never re
e turn to Belmont Almost unconscious
h ly, with that end vaguely in view, h
If had been diminishing his activities
d He had money enough for Gloria's fl
ture, already she had her own income
1t and his age made even power irl
a. some. He would move away fro1
d Belmont when Gloria married, an
e when she came to visit him it woul
" be to some charming rural SPOT in tn