Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-02-25

1 emotion. 1t shows a lack OF breeding
So she always suppressed it. 1t seemed
| to grow inward. To lind her weeping
and almost audibly-impressed Alarit
| that something Of more than usual i'm
I 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.
| 1t was II 80. 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 all
| hour before and 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. Alaricw
Alpric was at her side in 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
tone Of emotion as she could feel.
We're ruined!' 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 a 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 a 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
yesterdayw Back his eye Travelled to
the paper:
"Gifford's Bank Has Closed It's
Doorsv'
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
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.
"Now, that's what l call a downright,
rotten, blackguardly shame-a black
guardly shamer' His voice rose in
tones as it increased in intensity until
it almost reached a shrek.
Something was expected of him-at
any rate, Indignation. Well, he was
certainly indignant
CLOSED it's doors, indeed!' he went
on. why should it close it's doors
That's what want to know! Why
shouldn't" And he glared at the un-
offending letter and the noncommittal
newspaper.
He looked at Ethel. who was sur
reptitiously concealing yawn and
was apparently quite undisturbed by
the appalling news. He found no in
SEPARATION there. Back he went to his
mother for support.
What right have banks to fail!
There should be law against it.
They should be made to open their
doors and keep em open. That's what
we give 'em our money for-so that
we can take it out again when we
want it,
Poor Mrs. Chichester shook her head
sadly.
Everything goner' she moaned.
Ruined, and at my age!'