Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-05-13

He was her idol. He was her first.
born, he was her love.born. He came
to her in the days when she loved her
husband without much thought Of re.
spectinG him. She was beginning to
regard him as something more than q
lover when Leslie came, so 1t wac DIFF.
ferent When their daughter Vivian
was born, she was plainly annoyed but
wholly respectful Mr.. Wrandall was
no longer the lover; he was her lord
and master. The head Of the house OF
Wrandal was person to be looked
up to, to be respected and admired by
her, for he was very great man, but
he was dear to her only because he
was the father Of Challis, the first
born.
In the order Of her nature, Challis
therefore was her most dearly beloved
Vivian the least desired and last in
her affections as we'll as in sequence.
Strangely enough. the three of them
perfected curiously significant rec.
ord OF conjugal endowments. Challis
had always been the wild, hayward.
unrestrained one, and by far the most
lovable; Leslie, almost as good look.
ing but with scarcely a noticeable
trace Of charm that made his brother
attractive; Vivian, handsome. selfish
and az cherries as the wind that
blows ACROSS the icebergs in the north,
Challis had been born with a widely
enveloptng heart and an elastic con
science, Leslie with brain and q
soul and not much of heart, as things
go; Vivian with soul alone, which be-
longed to God, after all, and not to
her. OF course she had heart, but IL
was only for the purpose of pumping
blood to remote extremities, and had
so unutterably extraneous az love
charity or self.sacrifice.
As for Mr.. Redmond Wrandall he
was very proper and dignihed gentle
man. and old for his years.
It may be seen, or rather surmised
that II the house Of Wrandall had not
been 50 admirably conferred under IT.
own vine and fig tree. it might have
become divided against itself without
much OF an enort.
Mrs. Redmond Wrandall was the
vine and fig tree.
And now they had brought her dear
ly beloved son home to her. murdered
and-disgraced. II it had been either
OF the others. she could have said:
Goods will be DONE" Instead, she
cried out that God had turned agains,
her.
Leslie had had the bad taste-ol
perhaps 1t was misfortune-to blurt
out an agonized Il told you 50" at 9
time when the family was sitting
numb and hushed under the blight OF
the first horrid blow. He did not near
to be unfeeling. 1t was the truth burst
ing from his unhappy lips.
II knew Chal would come to this
knew it, he had said. His arm was
about the quivering shoulders Of hif
mother as he said it.
She looked up, q sob breaking IL
her throat. For long time she looked
into the face of her second son.
How can you-how dare you say
such q thing as that?" she cried
ashast.
He colored, and drew her closer tc
him.
II didn't mean it." he faltered.
You have always taken sidee
against him." began his mother.
Please, mother" he cried miser.
ably.
you say this to me now" she went
on. you who are left to take his
place in my additionally, Leslie,
II"
Vivian interposed. LES is upset,
mamma darling. You know he loved
Challis as deeply as any Of us loved
him."
Afterwards the girl said to Leslie
when they were quite alone: "She
viii never forgive you for that, Les.
1t was q beasly thing to say"
He bit his lip. which trembled.
'she's never cared for me as she cared
for Chal. I'm sorry II I've made It
worse"
''see here. Leslie. was Chal So
80"
YES. l meant what said . while
ago. It was sure to happen to him
one time or another. Sara's had lot
to put up WITH
Sara! II she had been the right
sort of wife, this never would have
happened"
After all IL said and done. Vivie,
sara's in position to rub it in on VI
II she's Of q mind to do 20. She won't
do 1t, Of course. butt wonder II she
isn't gloatins, just the sam&"
Haven't We treated her as one Of
us7" demanded she. dabbing her hand
kercbief in her eyes. "S:uce the we'd
ding. l mean. Haven't We been kind
to her?"
"Oh, I think she understands -
perfectly" said her brother.
Il wonder what she will do now7"
unused Vivian, In that speech casting
her sister.in-law out Of her narrow
little world as one would throw aside
q burnt-out match.
She will profit by experience" said
he. with some pleasure in superior
wisdom.
In Mrs. wrandall's sitting room at
the top Of the broad stairway sat the
family-that 10 to say. tho Immediate
family solemn-faced footman In
front Of the door that stood fully altar
20 that the occupants might hear the