The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-04-02


caught himself in time.
"Why don't you open your uncle's
homer"
my uncle's homer? he said, a little
startled.
He had not thought of that. The
suggestion probably did more to drive
home definitely to his inner mind the
true significance Of his decision to
take up the business than anything
which had previously occurred. His
uncle's home!
After his fathers death it had been
his home; it had been the only semb
lance of home which he remembered
and his memories of it were harsh
enough, in some details almost repel.
lent. His uncle had been hard; he had
had but little understanding of boy ma
ture; the house had been a sort OF
prison from which he could escape at
intervals each day.
He had not even thought of opening
it; it never had occurred to him that
he could ever live another day of his
life there.
But, now she spoke of it, why not?
The place was grim, d-fashioned, in.
hospitable, forbddng, as SO many old
New England houses are, and as so
many more New England houses were
ten years ago; but that atmosphere
was more that Of it's occupant than
that Of the old place itself 1t must
have been joyous and free-minded
Jones who chose the site for it, for it
was very beautiful; It must have been
an artist Jones who chose the plans
for it, for it's design was of that beau
skyscrapers) is the only architectural
merit America has yet originated, and
than which nothing is more truly
beautiful; it must have been a social
Jones who added the great wing to it,
for In that wing were bedrooms, sit.
ting rooms, and great dining-room
quite plainly meant to welcome many
guests.
His memories of the house were
gloomy and unattractive, for from 1t
both his father and his mother had
been taken to their final resting places,
and In it he had spent few joyous
hours. All the happiness Of his youth
in Jonesville were associated with the
homes of others, public places, out-of-
doors; he had heard very little laugh
ter in the old homestead. But might it
not house happiness? He realized that
1t would make an ideal setting for
pure joy. Still, it was in Jonesville!
That made him vince.
"You don't think it will be necessary
for me to live in this town, do you?"
She nodded. She was rather glad
to feel that it was right for her to.nod
She would have shrunk from revela-
lions of the sorrow which would GER
tainly have filled her heart if it had
transpired, now, that Broadway was
not to remain in Jonesville. She even
shrank from an acknowledgment of
this in her own heart.
THE business will need your atten-
tion," she said gravely.
He waved hand which he tried to
make appear as if dispensing priv
leges, but which, he knew, seemed
more that of shirker.
go right on with the business. Don t
pay any attention to me-"
She looked at him very gravely.
Then, dropping her eyes, she took
some papers from the desk, went to a
filing cabinet, deposited them with
care in their allotted places, and slow
ly went back to her desk. AS she re-
turned she did not again raise her eyes
to his.
Have you thought of what we
talked about last night?" she asked.
She made him most uncomfortable.
He had begun to wonder, for the first
time in his life, if, possibly, he did not
have conscience. He had never ia.
ken any obligation very seriously; sud.
denly it seemed necessary fer him to
consider many things with solemn,
bordering mind He did not like it. It
distinctly made him nervous. What
was the use Of being heir to all his
uncle's property if riches brought the
very thing which he had thought they
might preserve him from-dull care?
Had he thought of what she had
said last night? He had thought of lit.
tie else! Had that train of thought
been started by any human being other
than herself, he would have bitterly
resented the intense discomfort it had
caused him. Even now his voice was
peevish when he answered.:
Have thought of it! All I dreamed
about last night was poverty stricken
families crying for their food. Thou.
sands of men, women and children
chased me through the streets, out OF
the town and into wild forest-where
there was nothing but chewing gum
trees" ..
She let her head fall back, and
laughed. He was SO funny! Yet she
plainly felt that there was truth in his
complaint. She believed he really had
passed most uncomfortable night.
Perhaps she was not very sorry that
he had.
"Oh, I had an awful night" he
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