Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-04
By j. Hartley Manners

! IOf All V1SltOfS 10 go ashore he Salu
goodby to Peg with laugh, while
poor Iegs heart felt like stone in
her breast. She stood sobbing up
against the rail of the saloon deck as
the ship swung clear. She was looking
for her father through the mists of
tears that blinded her.
Just as the boat slowly swept past
the end of the dock she saw him right
at the last post so that he could watch
the boat uninterruptedly until it was
out of sight. He was crying himself
now-crying like child-and as the
boat swung away he called up: MY lit
tie Peg! Peg O my hearth How
she longed to get off the ship and go
back to him! They stood waving to
each other as long as they remained
in sight.
While the ship plowed her way to-
ward England with little Peg on board
the man whom she was crossing the
Atlantic TO meet died quietly one morn
ing with no one near him.
The nurse found Mr.. Kingsnorth
smiling peacefully as though asleep.
He had been dead several hours.
Near him on the table was cable
dispatch from New York:
My daughter sailed on the Mauritania
today at 10 O'Clock.
FRANK OWEN o'CoNNELL.
Mrs. Chichester, whom we last saw
under extremely distressing circum-
stances in Ireland, now enters promi-
nently into the story. She was lead
ing secluded and charming existence
i'll an old and picturesque villa ut Scar
borough, in the north Of England. Al
though her husband had been dead for
several years, she still chung to the
outward symbols of mourning. 1t add
ed Il softness to the patrician line Of
her features and u touch of distinction
to her manner and pOise. She had an
i!iustrious example Of lifelong sor-
Iow, and. being ever loyal, Mrs. Chi
chester retained the weeds of widow
hood and the Grape Of afiliction ever
present.
She was proud indeed of her two
children, about whom she had written
Alaric was the elder. In him Mrs.
Chichester took the greater pride. He
was so nearly being great-even from
infancy-that he continually kept his
mother i'll condition of expectant
wonder. He was nearly brilliant at
school. AT college he almost got his
degree. He just missed his blue" at
cricket, and but for an unfortunate
ball dribbling over the net Mt u critical
moment in the semi-final of the tennis
championships he might have won the
cup. He was quite philosophic about
it, though, and never appeared to re-
proach fate for treating him SO shah
tily.
He was always nearly doing some
thing, and kept Mrs. Chichester in q
lively condition of trusting hope and
occasional disappointment. She knew
be would arrive some day-come into
his own. Then all these half reward
ed efforts would be invaluable in the
building of his character.
Her daughter, Ethel, on the other
hand, WIS the exact antithesis to Alar-
ic. She had never shown the slightest
interest in anything since she had first
looked up at the man of medicine who
ushcred her into the world. She re-
garded everything about her with the
greatest complacency. She was never
surprised or angry or pleased or de-
pressed. Sorrow never seemed to af
feet her-nor JOY make her smile. She
looked on life as gentle brook down
whose current she was perfectly con-
tent to drift undisturbed. At least
that was the effect created in Mrs
CEichesters mind. She never thought
it possible there might be latent pos
sihilities in her impassive daughter.
While her mother admired Ethel's
lofty attitude of Indifference toward
the world a manner that bespoke the
arstocrat, 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
stold 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
fly 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 a
terrible example for Ethel and so dis
couraging to the eager and ambitious
Alaric.
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 well
equipped young man to decide to
limit himself to amy one particular pur.
suit. Consequently he put off the final
choice from day to day.
Suddenly a most untoward incident
happened.
Alaric. returning from long walk.
alOne-during which he had almost de.