The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1914-12-10
FOUND HER HIMSELF
3y MARTHA M'CUlLOcH-WIL-
LIAMS.
-opyrIght lsl4. by the McClure Newspa.


Granny, the names are so hard,
can't / just say. They went on and
begat one another to the end OF the
chapter" Phil asked earnestly, his
brow puckered deeply, his fingers
moist.
He loved granny deaEly-there we're
parts Of the Bible he loved likewise
10 read to her. But the begats! There
his hating tongue always got him in
trouble.
Commonly Phil was as docile as
today he was FESTIVE. What boy OF
twelve wouldn't have been FESTIVE
with all the school streaming past to
the big lot, where the home nine OF
big boys was to play of a match
with a nine from town?
So when granny shook her head,
saying almost sternly, Read on he
tried to be obedient. but broke down
in spite of his twelve years. Tears
blinded him, his choking throat re-
fused utterance He dropped the Tes-
lament and dug fists into his blinking
eyes. Granny stared at him unseeing.
but her ears told her his distress.
She was about to speak when Lisa
and Nancy burst in, crying breathless-
ly, "Oh. goody! Phil hasn't gone.
Mother says II he'll take US we can
60 to the game"
The Acton twins were just his age.
and lived near enough to be playfel-
lows.
"PhiIs cryin'? What for" Lisa ex.
claimed.
Granny cleared her throat. Il sup,
pose 1t is because he hates reading TO
a poor old blind woman" she said re-
bukingly I'll pray the good Lord not
to remember and visit 1t on him"
/ "I-I-you know-I-" Phil STAN
mered with an appealing look at Lisa
| She laughed outright-he fed pre-
cipitately-not toward the lot, but his
/ haven OF refuge, the hay NOW.
Nancy found him there, and coaIed
him to come forth. She had made II
right with granny-would stay her
self and read to her. Phil and Liss
might be in time II they only hurried
He could not look at her; his hear
was too full-nor see her, his eye.
were too dim. But In bis mind sh'
shaped herself anew as the most com
forting and beautiful creature eve
made.
Times whirligig took Phil far from
the home of his boyhood. At sever
and twenty he was as handsome ant
promising a young lawyer as tn
town Of Exmouth could boast. Hi
uncle, the Judge, had taken him Their
after granny died, adopted him, sen
) him through college. and taken hin
into partnership In reward for win
ming first honors at the law school.
Just one thing more. son." he ha
said when Phil first sat down oppc
site him in the private ONCE. "Ge
married. Quick. l want to play wit
your children O good while before
die"
From the Judge this was astount
ing. He had been held almost q child
hater. Those so holding did not kno'
the truth-that he had buried hi
heart in the grave o! another man
wife. She had left behind q daughte
almost her image. What so natur,
? as that the Judge should scheme hop,
. fully to make her the mate Of hi
{ adopted son? Crafty, Of course. H
= was too wise for open speech in tn
:" matter. Phil would, he knew, fe'
bound to follow his wishes. His DO
! must be happy in Ms own way. b
sides, Evelyn was so charming.
Notwithstanding Phil went scath
'' less; played best man when Evely
married, and even forbore to kiss ii
bride.
That night he said to the 1udg
whose disappointment he had som
y how sensed: Please. sir, forgive m
But, you see, Evelyn was a dead rim
er for my first sweetheart. Let n
% tell you the story, then you'll unde
stand how am immune to the Evely
y type"
y The Judge laughed uproariously ov
X the telling. 1t ran through all Il
IL tauntings, teasings and small humi
q atoms Phil had had to endure at tn
% Lsa's hands.
G. "Why don't you take me out to q
old place? I'd love to see where "
% played as little boy" said the tude
D. Thus It fell out that month lat
'r Judge Gregory and his nepht
70 knocked at the Acton door. Mrs. A
70 ton opened It. and looked at the
n questioningly, but before they cou
Is speak a tall, slender young WON
q. with blue eyes and an infantine SIN
III precipitated herself upon them cryir
Phil, I'd know you in the middle
10 Africa. Come right in. / want
~ show you my baby"
ct call that rubbing It In" p
10 said smiling. How do you know
~ have not come back to marry you
W Lisa shook her fist at him, sayil
with q grimace: "Oh, I outgrew
ten years back at least-but KIN
Just the young person for you"
Phil did not answer. He was st
AZ ing hard at a vision. Just within
or living room door was a woman,
IL nnVa n