The Washington herald., 1914-02-15

o'"'i"'eo MS Story. learned from On
old apothecary in the village that there
was bald man in evening dress. Civ
ing the name of Green, who came to
him one night to have three-cornercd
cut on his forehead plastered. And /
learned from the legal records and old
newspapers that there was a lawsuit
threatened, and begun at least by one
Green against the Duke of Exeter.
have made an astounding discovery.
freely confess it is quite different
IRON anything | expected to discover,
and will give a much more practical
shock to the public venture to say,
without any vanity. that the words
now write will be read all owe, Europe,
and certainly all over America and the
colonies. And yet. ! heard all | have
10 tell before left this same little
wooden table in this same little wood
lof apple trees.
| owe it all to the small priest Brown.
lie IS arr extraordinary man
! The big librarian had left the table.
perhaps ashamed of his long tongue.
perhaps anxious about the storm in
which his mysterious master had van
shed; anyway. he betook himself heay-
/ lily in the dukes track through the
trees. Father Brown had picked up
one of the lemons and was cyeing it
with an odd pleasure.
What lovely color a lemon is y he
said. There's one thing | don't like
about the dukes wig-the color
Il don't think | understand an
swered
| Il dare say he's got good reason to
cover his ears like King Midas" went
on The priest, with cheerful simplicity
that somehow seemed rather flippant
in the circumstances. Il can quite un-
derstand that it's nicer to cover them
with hair than with brass plates or
leather flaps. But. if he wants to use
hair, why doesn't he make it look like
hair There never was hair OF that
color in this world. 1t looks more like
sunset cloud coming through a wood.
Why doesn't he conceal the family
curse better if he's really so ashamed
OF it? Shall | tell YOU, Its because
he isn't ashamed of it. He's proud OF
i"
ITS an ugly wig to be proud Of
and an ugly story" said.
Consider" replied this curious little
man. how you yourself really feel
about such things. | don; suggest
YOU re either more snobbish or more
morbid than the rest of us; but don't
you feel, in a vague way, THAT gem
uine old family curse is rather finei
thing to have? Would YOU be ashamed
wouldn't you be little proud-if the
heir of the CLAIMS horror called you
his friend. or if Byron's family had
confded, to you only, the evil adven-
lures OF their race: Don't be too hard
on the aristocrats themselves if their
heads are as weak as ours would be
and they are snobS about their own
sorrows"
by Jove" I cried. and that's. true
enough. My own mothers family had
BanShee: and, now | come TO think
of it. it has comforted me in many a !
cold hour"
And think" he went on, "of that
stream OF blood and poison that spurted !
from his thin lips the instant you so
much as mentioned his ancestors. Why
should he show every stranger over
such a chamber of horrors uniess he is
proud OF il He doesn't conceal his |
wig. he doesn't conceal his blood, he |
doesn't conceal his family curse, he
doesn't conceal the family crimes
but"
The little mans voice changed so
suddenly. he shut his hand so sharply,
and his eyes so rapidly grew rounder
and brighter, like a waking evils, thai
it had all the abruptness OF small ex-
plosion on the table
But" he ended. he docs really con-
ceal his toilet
1t somehow completed the thrill of |
my fanciful nerves that at that instant
The duke Appeared again silently among
the glimmering trees, with his soft foot
and sunset-hued hair, coming round the
corner of the house in company with
his librarian. Before he came within
earshot, Father Brown had added, quite
why does he really hide
the secret of what he does with the
purple wig?' Because it isn't the sort
of secret We suppose"
The duke came around the corner, and
resumed his seat at the head of the
table with all his native dignity. The
OF the librarian left him
lowering on his hind legs, like huge
bear The duke addressed the priest
with great seriousness.
Father Brown he said, DIR. Null
informs me that you have come here to
make request.1 no longer profess all ;
Z II ". Z Z IL.