The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1914-06-04

by sending word, through Leslie, that
she would be pleased if Mrs. Wrandall
would issue invitations to as many of
Chall1s' friends as she deemed advis-
able. AS for herself, she had no wish
in the matter; she would be satisfied
with whatever arrangements the fam
lily cared to make.
1t is not to be supposed, from the
foregoing, that Mrs. Wrandau, the
elder, was not stricken to the heart
by the lamentable death of her idol.
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-
speeding him. She was beginning to
regard him as soraething more than a
lover when Leslie came, SO 1t was 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 a 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 a curiously significant rec
| ord of conjugal endowments Challis
had always been the wild, hayward
| unrestra1ned one, and by far the most
lovable; Leslie, almost as good look
ing but with scarcely noticeable
trace OF charm that made his brother
attractive; Vivian, handsome. selfish
and as cherries as the wind thai
blows across the icebergs in the north
Challis had been born with a widely
enveloping heart and an elastic con
| science; Leslie with a brain and
| soul and not much of heart, as thing.
| go; Vivian with soul alone, which be
longed to God, after all, and not tt
| her. Of course she had heart, but 1
was only for the purpose Of pumpin,
blood to remote extremities, and ha,
nothing whatever to do with anythin,
|
charity or self-sacrifce
AS for Mr.. Redmond Wrandal: h
was very proper and dignified gentle
| man, and old for his years.
1t may be seen, or rather surmise6
that if the house of Wrandall had no
been SO admirably centered under it
own vine and fig tree, 1t might hav
become divided against itself withou
much of an effort.
Mrs. Redmond Wrandall was tn
vine and fig tree.
And now they had brought her deal
ly beloved son home to her, murdere
and-disgraced. If it had been eithe
of the others, she could have said
Gods will be DONE" Instead, sh
cried out that God had turned agains
her.
Leslie had had the bad taste-o
perhaps it was misfortune-to blul
out an agonized Il told you so" at
time when the family was sittin
the first horrid blow. He did not mea
to be unfeeling. 1t was the truth burs
ing from his unhappy lips.
knew Chal would come to this
l knew it," he had said. His arm wa
about the quivering shoulders of hi
mother as he said it.
She looked up, a sob breaking
: her throat. For long time she locke
into the face of her second son.
How can you-how dare you sa
: such thing as that?" she crie
aghast
) He colored, and drew her closer I
l him.
l II didn't mean it." he faltered.
3 "You have always taken side
: against him. began his mother
2 please, mother" he cried mise
ably
: you say this to me now" she wei
:: II