River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-01-08

8
| heart's-ease.
Having made up his mind, Wright
went to bed. but not to sleep The few
remaining hours of darkness he rolled
and tossed. 1t was not the bruises he
had received In the fight at Noonan's
that kept him awake, annoying as they
were. It was always the one thought
Gloria, Gloria, Gloria.
Morning brought diversions which
slightly relieved the tension. There
were two editorials to be written upon
the political situation. This was fol-
lowed by conferences with men on
the paper. and then came the letter to
the newspaper broker announcing
that the News was for sale. He did
not dictate this to his secretary, but
wrote it out laboriously in long-hand.
The morning was more than half
over when he began to pack. IL was
| Wright's intention to leave Belmont
that night, ostensibly on vacation
for the purpose of recuperation after
| the hard campaign. The owner of the
News felt, however, that he would new
er return.
The many steps necessitated in
packing taught him how weak he was,
and after lunch he called in Patty, the
little daughter of his landlady, to help
! him. They had always been the best
| friends, and her sorrow when she
learned he was going away on long
vacation was genuine. The child was
of much assistance, bringing all the
smaller things from the living room
into the bedroom where the real work
of packing was being done.
When the packing was about COM
pleted the little girl remembered that
she had brought doll with her. In
searching for it in pile Of clothing
beside Wrights trunk she felt some
thing hard. To satisfy her curiosity
she drew it forth, to discover, instead
of her doll, that it was framed pic
ture of young woman. 1t was a pic
ture of Gloria which had appeared in
a weekly society paper.
Patty had helped wrap the framed
pictures in old newspapers, and as she
brought Gloria's picture, she exclaimed
| triumphantly, 1Here's another picture,
Mr.. Joey
Wright had put 1t aside surrepti-
| tiously when packing the things he
| had planned to take with him for i'm
mediate use. For the fraction of a
minute there had been debate in his
mind as to whether or not he would
be weak enough to carry her picture
with him. He had finally placed it I'M
der a pile of clothing beside his
steamer trunk.
Its extremely good Of You to find
that picture" the man remarked with
the gravity he sometimes assumed in
treating Patty as one of equal years
and understanding: 81 doubt If l
should have found It."
81 was hunting for my dolly, and
| looked under q pile of things and
found the pretty picture lady," She
gazed at the picture of Gloria admir-
| ingly.
Really, Patty, you astonish me!
Your perspicacity is exceeded only by
your perseverance. / don't think
should ever have found that picture.
Just leave it on the table there, and
dont--if you love me-lose your dolly
any more, please; at least not until
all my things are securely packed"
Patty was just on the point of ask
ing the name OF the young woman who
had so taken her fancy, when the door
bell rang. With the announcement
that no one was at home and she had
| to answer the bell, she scampered off,
Wright picked up the picture and
gazed at it intently. He was sacrific-
ing all for her. Was the sacrifice
worth while? The question would
have been an idle one. He loved her,
had never loved anyone else and never
would love anyone else. No sacrifice
was too great which would mean any
increased happiness for her. The
sound OF some one being brought to
his rooms by Patty caused him to put
the picture hastily face downward on
the table. The door opened to ADMIT
Dr. Hayes.
Good afternoon, Mr.. Wright" he ex-
claimed cordially as he came forward
with hand outstretched. 81 hope you'll
let an opponent drop in to congratu-
late you on winning the election"
The editors face lit up with pleas
ure as they clasped hands.
Thank you, old man. It's awfully
good of you to stop by before / start
ed on little vacation. The News won
its fight; but of course we can't expect
this to be the end OF the contest, can
WEI"
The coroner shook his head dole
fully.
Don't ask me. I've ceased to be a
political prophet. DO you think it'll
be a boy, doc? they ask. I don't
know says I, shaking my head solemn
like. I'm going to get that wise about
politics. / don't prophesy anything
now until after it happens. But /
never thought I'd live to see the day
that Belmont would go against us. I'm
out OF politics.
Wright smiled. isn't that what they
all say-the day after?''
Its the truth this time. My wife
has done nothing but read the riot act
TO me for the last two days.
81 imagine Mrs. Hayes is a purist in
politics.
'sWeu. can't blame her." the doctor
admitted. "She's been poking around
down in the river wards, and that
surely was a raw frame-up they hand
ed you. She got onto it, and she's
dead sore"
Wright had discussed the affair
with Dr.. Norton and had also told Ar
thur Morrison what little he knew.
This was the first intimation coming