Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-05-15

money!"
"0h. ws had all the money We want.
cd" Fran returned easily.
Indeed? And did you become REQ.
onciled 20 your mothers uncle1"
"Yss-aftsr he was dead. He didn't
leave . will, and there wasn't anybody
else. and % mother had Just been.
taken from me, the money just natu.
rally came in my hands. But didn't
need It. particularly"
"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 'em. Bless
you, could get along wherever you'd
drop me. Success isn't in the world,
it's in me, and that's a good thing to
know--it saves hunting"
] do you consider yourself sue
cess'?" inquired the secretary with q
chilly smile.
II had everything wanted except
a home" Fran responded with charm
ing good-humoT, and now I've got
that. In New York paper, found a
picture of Hamilton Gregory. and 1t
told about all his charities. 1t said
he had millions, and wss giving away
everything. l said to myself Ill go
there and have him give me home
you see, Id often heard mother speak
Of him-and ! said oaaer things to
myself-and then, as / generally do
what tell myself to dot keeps up
confidence in the general manager-I
came"
Dear child" said Mrs. Gregory,
stroking her hair, your mother dead,
your father-that kind of "a man--you
shall indeed find home with US, for
life. And so your father was MIR.
Gregory's friend. 1t 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 you?"
TI-yes." the other stammercd,
looking at her wildly, and passing his
agitated hand across his eyes, as if
to shut out some terrible vision. yes,
IL.
II guess you were," Fran cried en-
phatically. You'd have done any
thing for him."
Il have this to say" remarked ST.
mon Jefferson, that l may not come
up to the mark in all particulars. and
I reckon have my weaknesses; but
wouldn't own a friend that proved
himself the miserable scoundrel. the
weak cur, that this child's father
proved himself"
"And l agree with you," declared
Grace, who seldom agreed with him
In anything. How Mr.. Gregory, the
best man she had ever known, could
be fond Of Fran's father was incom-
prehensible. Ever since Fran had come
knocking at the door, Grace's exalted
faith in Mr.. Gregory had been per-
picked by the foreboding that he was
not altogether what she had imagined.
Hamilton Gregory felt the change in
her attitude. "That friend" he said
quickly, was not altogether to be cen.
sured. At least, he meant to do right.
He wanted to do right. With all the
strength Of his nature, he strove to
do right"
Then why didn't he do right?''
snapped Simon JEFFERSON. "Why
didn't he go back after that young
woman. and take care of her? Huh
What was holding him."
HE did go back" exclaimed Greg.
Dry. "Well-not at first, but after.
ward. 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 wouldnt-that it just wouldn't
do. For three years he stayed in the
mountains of Germany. the most mis-.
cradle man In the world. But his
conscience wouldn't let him rest. II
told him he should acknowledge his
wife. So he went back-but she'd dis.
appeared-he couldn't find her-anG
he'd never heard-he'd never dreamed
of the birth of a-of the-of this girl
He never knew that he had a daugh,
ter. Never!"
WELL" said Simon Jefferson, "hes
dead now, and that's one comfort
Good thing he's not alive; I'd always
be afraid I might come up with him
and then, afterward, that l might not
| get my sentence committed to life-im.
prisonment."
who is exciting my SOM" demand
cd the old lady from her wheel-chair
Simon Jeffersons red face and staring
eyes told plainly that his spirit was up
after ALL" said Fran cheerfully
I'VE are here. and needn't bother
about what's past, My mother wasn't
given her chance, but she's dead now,
blessed soul-and my father had his
chance, but it wasn't in him to be a
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 my chance with the rest OF
you. We're the world. while our day
| lasts"
What a remarkable child" mur.
INJURED Grace Noir, as they prepared to
separate. quite a philosopher In
short dresses"
They used to call me prodigy"
murmured Fran, as she obeyed Mrs.
Gregorys gesture inviting her to fol.
low upstairs.
'Now it's stopped raining" Simon
Jefferson complained, as he wheeled
his mother toward the back hall.
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