The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-07-12


Flags were flying. The clatter OF hoofs
sounded in front of the STOCK Elk,
change. Crowds were cheering. Inc
clicking of motion picture machines
came to us from the ledge nearby, as
the men of the camera put into snort
lived history the sights of New IorA
Fourth of July parade. Miss Clement
was silent, her eyes on the columns OF
figures as they turned, gay coioreo, III
to chasm-like Wall street. could see
that the sight had gripped her. Just
as 1t had gripped me, and that she
was thinking of other days, when &c
termined little groups Of men IN the
same sort of costume, marched W
this same street to the music OF ME
and drum, ready to Highland ngnl
until the last drop of blood was gone
IL was a mixture of past and presens
the skyscrapers of today shelterne
the replica of more than q nunoreo
years ago.
"A comparison that only New York
could give" I remarked and MISS
Clement nodded her head
An hour later as we sat on the
screened veranda of the Cafe Boule-
varde, watching the holiday life OF
teening Second avenue, Miss Clement
was still thoughtfuI-and still silent
q great deal of the time. | became
tocular and she looked at me with that
little smile which always foretells ths
coming story.
ats queer the hold that the pas:
can get on one" she said. mot that
I've been thinking anything about The
DAYS of the revolution. I didn't lils
that long ago." was added with a
laugh as the waiter served the coek'
tails. ssBut I have noticed when yoIi
want to do something with a persGsE,
you can paint the future forever with
out getting results. But paint the past
few times and you're pretty sure TO
get what you want.
1T was about eight o'clock one nj gat
three years ago when the buzzey of
my apartment in Chicago announced
someone at the door. A young girl
who gave her name as Miss Chaalas,
faced me a few moments later-styl-
ishly dressed. pretty, and with every
indication of a fair position In esfs
about her. She hesitated q moment
looking around the room as IL tn as
sure herself that we were the only
two there. Then she drew her chair
close to me.
Miss Clement she said, Z nave
come to you TO- find out il you eonld
do some work for me. It's
"'Not without the consent of the
captain I answered. But perhaps
that can be arranged Is 1t anything
connected with criminals?'
THE woman studied a moment.
"'That Is what / don't know she
answered at last. II / only did, ]
would feel better. The truth Is that
my mother, who is fifty years old, is
ruining our fortune. In three months
she has gotten away with more than
seventy. thousand dollars. What has
become Of it, / cannot say. In fact,
/ cannot swear absolutely that she
has parted with the money. All l
know is that she has turned stocks
into money and that she has been
drawing from her account at the bank
steadily. / have tried to find out what
she has been doing with the money,
but that has been impossible She
does not live at home with my brother
and myself, but has taken an apart
ment on the North Side. I have gone
there and tried to persuade her to al
low me to live with her, but she has
refused. She has also refused to come
home-and there is nothing that can
do.
And that is the reason have
come to you,' the young woman con-
tinued. My brother has figured it out
that my mother is insane, and that
she should be taken before the pro-
bate court and adjudged SO. You
know what that would mean was
continued with a heartbroken little
sigh, I just couldn't stand 1t. l
thought that maybe if should come
to you, you could find out a way to
straighten this whole thing out. How
Il don't know
HAS your mother anything to wor-
sry herr I asked. What does your
brother base his belief of insanity on?'
Nothing except that she is evil
IDENTIFY trying to spend all the money
she possesses
On what7 Have you any idea?'
None at ALL
Hoy many children are there?'
a.Fo, Is by brother and myself and
two masss sisters, who live in Spo-
kane
No black sheep In the family?'
No.
How long has your father been
dead?'
The young woman looked at me
quickly.
80 cant tell you that she answer
ID ct last, with a bit OF hidden pain
ii her voice, Z am not sure. We have
never been sure that he Is dead