Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-03-17

whose current she was perfectly con-
tent to drift undisturbed. At least
that was the effect created In Mrs.
Chichester's mind She never thought
it possible there might be latent pos
sibilities in her impressive daughter.
While her mother admired Ethels
lofty attitude Of Indifference toward
the world. manner that bespoke the
aristocrat, she secretly chafed at her
daughters lack of enthusiasm.
How different from Alaric, always full
of nearly new ideas, always about to
do something. Alaric kept those around
him on the alert. No one ever really
knew what he would do next. On the
other hand. Ethel depressed by her
stolid content with everything about
her. Every one knew what she would
door thought they did.
Mrs. Chichester had long since aban-
doned any further attempt to interest
her brother Nathaniel in the children.
Angela's wretched marriage had up
set everything-driven Nathaniel to be
a recluse and to close his doors on
near and distant relatives.
Angela's death the following year
did not relieve the situation. If any
thing, it intensified it, since she left
baby that, naturally, none Of the fam
lily could possibly take the slightest
notice of-nor interest in.
1t was tacitly agreed never to speak
of the unfortunate incident, especially
before the children. 1t was such
terrible example for Ethel and so dis
couraging to the eager and ambitious
Alar;c.
Consequently Angela's name was
never spoken inside of Regal Villa.
And so the Chichester family pur-
sued an even course, only varied by
Alaric's sudden and definite decisions
to enter either public life, or athletics.
or the army, or the world Of art-it
was really extremely hard for so we'll
equipped a young man to decide to
limit himself to any one particular pur-
suit. Consequently he put off the final
choice from day to day.
Suddenly most untoward incident
happened.
Alaric, returning from long walk.
alone-during which he had almost de-
cided to become a doctor-walked in
through the windows from the garden
into the living room and found his
mother in tears. an open letter in her
hand.
This was most unusual. Mrs. Chiches.
ter was not wont to give vent to open
emotion. 1t shows lack Of breeding.
So she always suppressed it. 1t seemed
to grow inward. To find her weeping
and almost audibly-impressed Alaric
that something Of more than usual i'm
portance had occurred.
"Hello, mater!" he cried cheerfully,
though his looks belied the buoyancy
Of his tone. Hello! What's the mat
ter? What's up?"
At the same moment Ethel came in
through the door.
It was 1870, and precisely at that
time every morning Ethel practiced for
half an hour on the piano-not that
she had the slightest interest in music.
but it helped the morning so much.
She would look forward to it for an
hour before ard think of it for an hour
afterward, and then it was lunchtime.
1t practically filled out the entire morn
ing.
Mrs. Chichester looked up as her be-
loved children came toward her, and
real tears were in her eyes, and real
note of alarm was in her voice.
"Oh, Ethel! Oh, Alaricy'
Alaric was at her side in a moment.
He was genuinely alarmed.
Ethel moved slowly across, thinking
vaguely that something must have dis
agreed with her mother.
"What is it. mater?" cried Alaric.
"Motherv' said Ethel, with as nearly
a tone Of emotion as she could feel.
Were ruinedv sobbed Mrs. Chiches-
ter.
'Nonsense!' said the bewildered son.
Really" asked the placid daughter.
"Our bank has failed! Every penny
your poor father left me was in it."
walled Mrs. Chichester. "We've moth
ing-nothing! We're beggarsv'
A horrible fear for moment gripped
Alaric-the dread Of poverty. He shiv-
cred. Suppose such a thing should
really happen! Then he dismissed it
with shrug of his shoulders. How
perfectly absurd! Poverty, indeed!
The Chichesters beggars? Such non
sense! He turned to his mother and
found her holding out letter and a
| newspaper. He took them both and
read them with mingled amazement
and disgust. First the headline Of the
newspaper caught his eye:
Failure of Gifford's Bank
Then he looked at the letter:
"GiffOrd's bank suspended business
yesterday!' Back his eye travelled to
the paper:
"Gifford's Bank Has Closed Its
| Doors!'
He was quite unable at first to grasp
the full significance Of the contents of
that letter and newspaper. He turned
! to Ethel:
"Eh?" he gasped.
"Pity," she murmured, trying to find
a particular piece Of music among the
mass on the piano.
| "We're ruinedv' reiterated Mrs. Chi
chester.
| Then the real meaning of those cryp-
tic headlines and the businesslike let
| ter broke in on Alaric. All the Chiches-
| ter blood was reused in him.
Nov, that's what call a downright,
rotten, blackguardly shame-a black
guardly shame!' His voice rose in