Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-28

almost brought tears to his eyes. 81
have never had a fair chance, Mrs
Cartaret. Or any real help. And tai
ent has to be helped, doesn't it? Look
at Wagner. My play was published
you know-the one that Sothern near
ly took; an old friend of the family
put up the money for it. But he would
not go on and really push it, he
hadn't the courage to advertise effec
lively, so of course it didn't sell. 1t
has always been like that. People do
a little for me, and then they lose
heart and drop away. No one has the
big, high faith that sees it through
A querulous bitterness rose from his
unhealing grievance. They are all
quitters!" he cried
She was troubled, apologize for the
faint heartedness of benefactors, a
class ito which she belonged. II wish
you would tell me about the play you
are at work on" she ventured. mot
unless you feel like it, of course she
added, disconnected by the intentness
making a discovery.
Some day | shall read 1t to YOU
he declared solemnly. ut is all there
is of me. have fed myself to it. body
and SOUL for two years, and no one
has seen line of it. But shall want
to read it to you. VIII You let me2''
She had no words to express her
qualification and flushed delicately in
the effort to find them. She, too. per-
haps, in her big house, was lonely.
So Mrs. Cages two geniuses were
launched. AS if that were not enough,
at the same TINT she happened on a
struggling Montessori class, embraced
the doctrines fervently after twenty
minutes of calculation, brought in half
dozen pupils, and so arranged" to
have Billy included And while Chloe
still gazed obviously at her new free
dom, half sorry, yet excited, into her
lap fell soft armful of fine clothes,
sent with Marjorie Sections love in a
sad. black bordered note. Uncle
Harry came in while these were still
spread over sofa and chair, and Chloe,
seated on foot stool before them her
chin on her clasped hands, stared at
them in tranced rapture. She had
had every one Of them on with no
one home to see, and she sprang up
ioyfully at her uncle's trailing step.
"Oh, Uncle Harry. look what I've
got" she cried. Marjorie Sexton.
you know. Her mother has just
she's gone into mourning, poor girl.
She sent all these-and have hardly
seen her since school. Wasn't it too
beautiful"
Uncle Harry's dry, averted speech
had never been milder: "H'm-your
mother dropped in at the funeral, l
suppose
"Oh, yes" Chloe took it quite sim
ply. Mothers strong on funerals. ,"
His slow nod seemed to approve.
Yes; you can't tell what they may
lead to--in this world or the next"
He fingered fold of crepe as for.
eigner might try over an unknown
word How are you going to live up
to all this?''
ooh, / suppose mother will conjure
up some parties. There's one tonight,
Uncle Harry" She flushed a little,
and her eyes forbade him to be hui
morous. "Alex is taking me to the
theater.'
Uncle Harry never looked at any
one, but he seemed to feel her glance.
Yes so he said" he admitted care
fully. Chloe was eager to explain.
Il haven't taken him all back. Uncle
Harry: l mean, he hasn't found me
easy, He's walking chalk line" She
was very anxious that he should I'M
derstand that ~ don't intend to be
quite the same until he really sees
how wrong headed he was. He can't
just smooth things over and get his
own way with me-
Glad TO hear it. Keep it up"
Uncle Harry relinquished the finery
and sat down, his hands folded over
the top Of his umbrella his head drop
ped so that his speech came 'sidewise.
I've got proposition to make to
you, Chloe"
She would have liked to dwell long
err on the gowns, but compromised by
taking a brown chiffon into her arms
and nursing it lovingly as she returned
to her stool.
What is it?" she asked, dipping an
arm into lace sleeve, then hastily
taking it out again. I'm listening,
Uncle Harry--go on"
Want a job?" he asked.
She laughed. What kind?'
We'll, you see, Sabra has left me.
She's going to talk for her living after
this. That's all right-Sabra's a
grand talker. I wouldn't bother with
real estate if l could get living off
a platform and pitcher of ice water.
And Billy's been launched, | hear:
learning to follow his instincts and
distinguish velvet from sandpaper by
the touch Well. that's right, too
He'll need all the touch he can de-
velop. But why don't you come down
to the office and learn how to rent
apartments Nice, pleasant work
girls work. A girl can't look at the
plan of an apartment without wishing
she could go to housekeeping in it;
and that's catching. You'd be earning
a salary and getting business train