Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-25

Then we can go back to the EaS
Side and live just as we've mine
to, without carin' what other folks do
can't WEI" he crowed. Cause if VIZ
are rich we won't have ter keep tryin
ter make folks think we are. They'll
know it without our tryin'"
Benny The rest were laughing
but Benny's mother had raised
shocked hands of protest. "You are
incorrigible, child. The East Side. in.
deed! We shall live in house OF
our own, now, of course-but it won,
be on the East Side"
And Fred'll go to college" put In
Miss Flora eagerly.
Yes; and | shall send Bessie to a
fashionable finishing school," bowed
Mrs. Harriet. with shade of i'm
portance.
"Hey, Bess, you've got to be fin
ished." chuckled Benny,
whats Nell going to dor" pouted
Bessie, looking not altogether pleased.
Hasn't she got 10 be finished, too?
"Mellicent hasn't got the money to
be finished-yet." observed Mrs Jane
tersely.
"Oh, don't know what am going
to do." breathed Mellicent, drawing
an ecstatic sigh. But | hope I'm
going to do-just what want to, for
once"
And III make you some pretty
dresses that you can wear right off,
while they're in STYLE" beamed Miss
Flora.
Frank Blaisdell gave a sudden
laugh.
But what are you going to do,
Flo? Here you've been telling what
everybody else is going to do with the
money"
A blissful sigh, very like Mellicent's
own. passed Miss Flora's lips
"Oh, | don't know" she breathed in
an awestruck voice. 1T don't seem
yet-that it's really mine"
We'll, 'tisn't," declared Mrs. Jane
tartly, getting to her feet. "And |, for
one, am going back to work-ip the
kitchen, where l belong. And-well,
if here isn't Jim at last" she broke
off, as her younger brother-in-law
appeared in the doorway.
You're too late, pa, you're too late
It's all DONE" clamored Benny
They've got everything all settled"
The man in the doorway smiled
II knew they would have, Benny;
and haven't been needed. I'm sure
your mothers here"
Mrs. Harriet bridled. but did not
look unpleased.
"But, say, Jim," breathed Miss
Flora, "ain't it wonderful-ain't it
perfectly wonderful"
1T is, indeed-very wonderful" re-
piled Mr.. Jim.
A babel Of eager voices arose then,
but Mr.. Smith was not listening now.
He was watching Mr.. Jim's face. and
trying to fathom its expression.
A little later, when the women had
gone into the kitchen and Mr.. Frank
had clattered back to h work down
stairs, Mr.. Smith thought he had the
explanation of that look on Mr.. Jim's
face. Mr.. Jim and B~nny were
standing over by the fireplace to-
gether.
"Pa, amt you glad-about the
money! asked Benny.
s.! should be, shouldn't I. my
SOM"
But you look so funny, and you
didn't say anything, hardly"
There was moments pause. The
man, with his eyes fixed on the glow
ing Goals in the CRATE, appeared not to
have heard. But in a moment he
said:
Benny, if a poor old horse had
been climbing long, long hill all day
with the hot sun on his back, and a
load that dragged and dragged at his
heels, and if he couldn't see a thing
but the dust of the road that blinded |
and choked him, and if he just felt
that he couldn't go another step, in
spite of the whip that snapped Get
there!" all day in his ears
-yhow do you suppose that poor old
horse would feel if suddenly the load,
and the whip, and the hill and the
dust disappeared, and he found him
self in the green pasture with the
Cool BuIBle OF water unuer green |
trees in his ears--how do you sup
pose that poor old horse would feel?"
Say, he'd like it great, wouldn't
he But, pa, you didn't tell me yet if
you liked the money"
The man stirred. as if waking from
a trance. He threw his arm around
Benny's shoulders.
Like it? Why, of course, l like
it, Benny, my boyl Why, I'm going
to have time now-to get acquainted
with my childrenW
Across the room Mr.. Smith, with
sudden tightening of his throat.
slipped softly into the hall and thence
to his own room. Mr.. Smith. just
then, did not wish to be seen.
Ito Be Continued Tomorrow