The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-02-25


wrong that, would cast it's gloomy,
shadow on his name-that had been,
his only thought. What he had done!
the outcome Of the investigation. But
now, he told himself, no one could say
the act had been wrung from him.
That, he fancied, would have been his,
fathers way.
He smiled-a slow smile Of reminis-.
,cence-for there had come to him at
that moment the dearest of all those!
memorles-a play of his childhood.
He saw himself seated ON O low
stool, watching funny old clock with;
a moon-face, whose smiling lips curved,
Iup like military mustachios, and wish
ing the lazy long hands would hurry,
He saw himself stealing down long;
corridor to the door Of ebig room
istrewn with books and papers, that
through some baleful and mysterious!
spell could not be made to open at
all hours. When the hands pointed,
right, however, there was the open;
Sesame"--his own secret knock, two,
fierce twin raps, with one little lone,
some one afterward-and this was un-
failing. Safe inside, he saw himself
standing on big, polar-bear-skin, the
door tight-locked against all comers,
an expectant baby figure with his lit
tie hand clasped in his fathers. The
white rug was the magic entrance to
the Never-Never Country, known only,
to those two
He could hear his own shrill treble:,
ys,l,{ ys.l,
where are you?"
Then the deeper voice quite unrec-
ognizable as his father's) answering:
Here l am, Master; here l ami"
And instantly the room vanished
and they were in the Never-Never
Land. and before them reared the big
gest house in the world, with row Of
white pillars across it's front q mile
high.
John Valiant felt an odd beating Of
the heart and tightening Of the
throat, for he saw scene that never
faded from his memory. 1t was the
one hushed and horrible night, when
dread things had been happening that
he could not understand, when a hig
man with gold eyeglasses, who
smelled OF some curious sickish-sweet
perfume, came and took him by the
hand and led him into room where
his father lay in bed, very gray and
quiet.
The white hand on the coverlet
had beckoned to him and he had gone
close up to the bed, standing very
straight, his heart beating fast and
hard.
"John!" the word had been almost
a whisper very tense and anxious.
very distinct. John, you're a little
boy, and father Is going away"
Toto Wishing House?"
The gray lips had smiled then, ever
SO little, and sadly mo. John"
Take me with you, father! Take
me with you!"
His voice had trembled then, and he
had had to gulp hard.
Listen, John, for what am say
ing is very important. You don't
know what mean now but some
time you will" Tho whisper had
grown strained and fraycd, but it was
still distinct. II can't go to tho Never
Never Land But you may sometime.
If you If you do, and If you
find Westinghouse, remember that
the men who lived in it = be-
fore you and me were gem
tlcmen. Whatever else they were,
they were always that. BE
like them, John. will you?"
Yes, father"
The old gentleman with the eye
glasses had come forward then, hasti-
ly.
"Good-night, father"
He had wanted to kiss him, but q
strange cool hush had settled on the
room and his father seemed all at
once to have fallen asleep. And he
had gone out. 80 carefully, on tiptoe.
wondering, and suddenly afraid.
Continued Next Week.)