The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-03-13
Daily Short Story
THE MOCK PRoDIcAL
BY ELLA RANDALL PIERCE

Prom his retreat behind the green
vines OF the shaded veranda Britt
aaxon somoerly eyed his younger
pro,ner. h gay, central ngure Of a
All bis HE cscil had been a car.
and a trial lie had dened ~restric-
ions. OUTRAGED conventions. dipped
INTO all the petty designations of the
Town. loafed. laughed and snapped his
myers at everybody who sought to
final act before his disappearsnce had
been the Appropriation OF a small
amount OF his nrm's cash-which sum
MS father bad promptly made go< d.
AND an attempt to elope with the min
.,ers pretty daughter. The girl, how
the second railway station and re-
turned home. weeping and ~repentant.
Yet. for all the dark record OF a
~cneckered past. here he was at home
again. with the family and half the
Town gathered about him. each one
hospitality.
.Nfve the returned prodigal!" The
elder brothers meditations were bit
ter. Isn't IL wonderful! The folks
wouldn't make such a fuss over me
II stayed away nifty years. They're
makin every day a fete day now.
I'm In IL or not"
Britt Maxon was usually of good
numor and kindly disposed toward
everyone. but. at this his
moo was hostile. His watching gaze
took IN not only the 1.-THE. boyish az
u,e OF the returned truant. but the
slender. blue-gowned girl who had
been beside him almost constantly
since his arrival. Mora Kemp. too,
AND she had scarcely known Cecil be-
fore hts absence.
He turned abruptly. running into
DIS sister. Fanny. near the inside
stairway.
"Oh, Britt. will you come and hui,
some berries? I'm going to make some
OF those biscuit shortcakes Cecirs so
tond OF. lie says he hasn't seen one
since ne went away. And Miss Kemp
Is going TO stay to tea. She and Cecil
are going over TO the farmhouse now
NJ, Wr ,ne extra cream; said id send
Britt considered the long. lonely
path across the wooded hills to the
farmhouse. and ground his teeth. His
orother was certainly making the
most Of his early opportunities
"A little more of this sort OF thing
ana ~ urn prodigal myself" de
CARED the elder brother, "Cecirs a
nero! I've been sane. safe and steady
80 n I've ceased to be Interesting
IT'S time gave them all something
10 think about"
a week later. after Cecil and Mora
had been ont canoeing. and the for
ne, had carelessly upset the boat,
carrying the girl in her dripping gar.
ments TO the MaXon home. britt felt
that his time for action had come.
.Ihe next day everybody In town
was talking over the strange news
bri,t Maxon had gone away mysteri-
ousiy. Britt MaNon had suddenly
gwen up his fine position with the
richest firm in town. Britt Maxon
had thrown his family into a panic,
Fanny Maxon and Mora Kemp
mad been seen crying on each others
shoulder. while Cecil was trying 10
comfort them.
Let the duffer go-itTl do him
good, cried the gypsy-like one. I'm
he's human"
Il don't believe he's gone away 10
cut up, said Mora, with dignity. "But
Imaglne him leaving his splendid posi-
uon with the Lomax-Tweed company"
why, he started to work there a
walled Fanny. And he'd Just been
made president OF the Canton club.
And I'd counted on his playing ali INV
accomplishments this winter
l play for you" offered Cecil.
ontnely. but his sister shook her head
Secii was given to introducing STAR
ing improvisations in all his mu-
slcal performances. ooh, well. Britt1l
De back before winter
Indeed, no." sighed Fanny. "He
the rear of his ~three-story brick
building Is progressing very nicely.
contractor Baker. who has the CON
tract for the work. has n large force
OF men a. work on the remodelinR and
the new front will be completed with.
in a very short time.
Mrs. NJ L. Caldwell Dead.
Mrs. NJ. ]. Caldwell, an aged lady