The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-04-08
THE DECISION.

When James Maryin's wife died
she bequeathed the little money she
could call her own to her two daugh-
tiers, Julia and Caryl. It was only
four hundred dollars, yet her husband
was conscious of slight resentment
that in disposing of what was left of
the sum she had when she married
him she should have thought of her
daughters rather than of him.
The fact that he had had the use
OF several thousands which had come
TO her from her fathers estate, and
that she had never asked him to
account to her for cent of it, did not
prevent his feeling that his wife had
dealt rather unfairly with him when
planning for the disposal of her small
funds
Still, he had set these thoughts
aside, and before filing the blank left
in the home by his wife's death he
counseled his two girls to put away
In the savings bank their four hun
dred dollars.
The cash will come In comfortably
later on he said to them. Let it
lie and gather interest until you are
ready to get married. Then there
will be enough of it for you to pay
for your own wedding clothes and for
your own wedding"
The two girls had followed their
frugal fathers advice-Julia, the elder,
willingly; sixteen-year-old, fair-haired
Caryl with some rebellion and many
protests concerning the number of
perfectly lovely things" she could buy
with her share of the money if she
were allowed. Although she had little
stability of purpose and an magma
ton that sometimes got the better of
her. sense of proportion, she had been
her mothers favorite, and during this
parents lifetime, had been petted and
INDUCED as the none too happy wife
does pet and indulge the child whom
she loves better than all the world
besides.
Julia, Caryrs senior by three years,
was entering upon her last year in
high school. Caryl was still in the
final grade of grammar school, from
which position she had already seen
one class graduate and leave her be.
hind 1t was not that she was not
clever enough to keep pace with the
other scholars had she applied her
self sufficiently to do SO. my teacher
doesn't understand me-" she would
an especially poor report.
Her mother, ever ready to stand be-
tween her child and the fathers dis.
pleasure, would smooth the matter
over while in her husbands presence,
and comfort Caryl when alone with
her. Yet, in spite of this daughters
seeming dependence upon her mother,
Mrs. Marvin's death produced upon
her younger child only a transitory
grief. Her facile nature shed sorrow
easily, and in less than a fortnight
after the funeral she was singing
about the house and admiring the con-
! trast of her black dress and clear
complexion before the long mirror in
the porlor.
Julia, on the other hand, grew wan
and haggard under the frightful lone
illness of bereavement She had loved
her mother with a deep, passionate
affection that was fed rather than
quenched by the knowledge that she
! was not the bestowed daughter. She
was not as pretty as her sister, al
| though the thoughtful observer would
! have found her face more attractive
than her sisters doll-like beauty. Her
dark hair grew low over her broad
/ forehead, and her gray eyes had depth
and seriousness. Caryl was very
pretty; Julia was almost handsome.
1t was upon the latter that the bur
den of sorrow fell when her mother
closed tired eyes upon a world that
held nothing for her but her children.
The husbands grief was of the stormy
kind that shows itself in lamentations
and self-pity. and interferes neither
with appetite nor sleep. Caryl sobbed
wildly through one whole night, and
thereafter sIumbered as calmly and
unbrokenly as ever.
Mrs. Marvin had died in early Sep
TENDER. On the first day of the New
Year James Marvin married again
His second wife was as strong and
infleXible of will as he was weak and
unstable. Even before his remarriage
his daughters had formed a dislike
for the woman who was destined to
take the place that had been their
mothers.
Their father brought their step
mother directly home from the par
sonage where the pair had been made
one-and a new regimen set in. The
selfseeking New England woman
made no effort TO alter Julia's and
CaIyIs sentiments toward her.
For time their father tried feebly
and titfully to keep things smooth be
tween the warning elements in his
household Then he gave up the