The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1915-08-05


And the doctor won't come until
his bill is paid" the woman wept. She
fell upon her knees before him. cal
fred, what are we going to do?" she
| cried. "Ill have to go and work for
Mrs. Symonds, and-and put the child.
rem in the institution again"
Captain Paul remembered now. He
had just returned from an unsuccess.
full voyage, his partnership in the lit
| tie boat ended when she sank in the
| Bay of Bengal He had been shipped
| home penniless, and he had gone on a
| freighter as a common hand the fol-
lowing day.
been dead three months. The Cap,
tain was din1ly aware that Bob was
going to die
"Mary!" His voice quavered as he
put his arms about her. "Tll find a
ship tomorrow. Z O God! l wish l
had million dollars"
The wish had broken spontaneously
from his lips, but Immediately the
scene changed. The wish had refer
red to no period of his life: conse
quently the scene in which he found
himself was one which he was unable
to recognize.
He was seated in the library of
magnificent house in seaport town.
The door opened and he heard girlish
laughter in an adjacent room as the
butler respectfully placed box OF
cigars before him and tray contain
ing a bottle of gin and settler water.
The man withdrew, cat-footed. Cap
tain Paul heard the voice of his
daughter Myra In the drawiug-room.
YES" she was saying, ''of course
papa makes me ashamed of him. If
he hadn't made that fortune in the
China trade and got his head turned
he would have been very respectable
old man for his station. But he's
well, Mrs Jones-Frothingham says he
is insufferable. And so unpresent-
able"
1T must be great trial for you.
Myra," murmured his daughters
friend.
1T keeps my heart in my throat
every time anybody comes to dine,"
cooed Myra. HE eats his peas with
knife! And he tucks his napkin into
his collar! Isn't it dreadful, dear!
And of course the best people in Free
port are not coming to visit us when
he behaves like that. wish he'd die
that's what l wish"
Her voice broke down and she be-
gan to sob. He's disgrace and
nuisance" she declared. 81 wish-I
wish-I wish he had never made that
million dollars"
you can't improve his manners,
dear?" asked Myra's friend.
Improve ours manners!" shifted
Myra, dabbing at her eyes. He
doesn't know what manners mean.
And the worst of 1t, be doesn't know
he can't behave. Only the other day
he told Mr.. Jones-Frothingham that
they'd go out together sometime on a
oh, l can't say the vulgar word,
Elsie"
Tell me. 1 may have heard it"
said Elise" Zone can't help picking
up things, you know"
"a bat, Elise. He meant drunken
amusement of some kind, know.
And he drinks gin instead of whisky,
dear! He might as well be temper
ance man, which is almost as vulgar"
The captain was at first petrified by
hearing his daughters words, but pres
emily his calm came back to him.
That was not Myra.
you can't make me believe that,
maam," he said to the fairy, who had
somehow remained in the vicinity, in
visible though she was. THAT isn't
Myra. It's dream you're giving
me-"
Choose your third wish. then" said
the fairy CURLY.
in moment, ma'am," answered
Captain Paul
why not now?" asked the fairy.
Because this is mighty good liquor,
ma'am." replied the captain. "and J
guess when you take this dream away
you'll take the drink away with It."
And, chuckling over the trick which
he had played the fairy, in return for
her own, the old man slipped his gin
highball thoughtfully, conscious OF
tuning, baffied presence at his side.
I'm thinking, ma'am," replied the
captain. Il wigh-I wish-I wish just
the thing that Is best for me-"
Captain Paul opened his eyes and
started up. He was seated upon the
r.ornk Of tho Iifflc. h1uco 4hn4 1,uor-