Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-18
CHAPTER v.
In Miss Flora's Album.

-
street Miss Flora herself answered
his knock, peering at him anxiousiy
with her near-sighted eyes.
Mr.. Smith lifted his hat. :,
GOOD afternoon, Miss Blaisdell,
he began with deferential bow. 4
am wondering if you could tell me
something of your fathers family
Miss Flora, plainly pleased, but
Austered, stepped back for him to
enter. i.
"Oh, Mr.. Smith, come in, come in!
I'm sure I'm glad to tell you any
thing | know" she beamed, ushering
him into the unmistakably little-used
front ROOM" "But you really ought
\ to go to Maggie. l eau tell you some
things, but Maggie's got the. Bible.
Mother had it, you know, and it's
all among her things. And, of course.
we had to let it stay, as long as Father
Duff lives. He doesn't want any
thing touched. Poor Maggie-she
tried to get 'em for us; but mercy!
she never tried but once. But I've got
some things. I've got pictures of a
lot of them, and most OF them l
know quite lot about.
As she spoke she picked up from
the table big FED plush photograph
album. Seating herself at his side she
opened it, and began to tell him of the
pictures, one by one.
She did, indeed, know quite lot"
of most of them. Tintypes, portray
ing stiffly held hands and staring eyes,
ghostly reproductions of daguerreo-
types of stern-lipped men and women,
in oldtime stock and kerchief; photo
graphs of stited family groups after
the "he-is-mine- and I-am-his" variety. .
snapshots of adorable babies with
blurred thumbs and nose-never had
Mr.. Smith seen their like before.
Politely he listened. Busily, from
time to time, he jotHd down a name
or date. Then, suddenly, as she turn
ed a page, be gave an involuntary
start. He was looking at pictured
face, evidently cut from magazine.
why, what-who-" he stam-
mered.
That? Oh, that's Mr.. Fulton, the
millionaire, you know" MissFlora's
hands futtered over the page little
- Importantly, adjusting corner of the
print. "You must have seen his pic
ture. It's been everywhere. He's
our cousin, too"
ooh, is he?"
Eyes, way back somewhere. can't
tell you just how, only I know he is.
His mother was Blaisdell. That's
why I've always been so interested in
him, and read everything / could-in
the papers and magazines, you know"
ooh, see," Mr.. John Smiths voice
f. had become little uncertain.
Eyes. He amt very handsome, is
he?" Miss Elota's eyes were musingly
fixed on the picture before her-which
was we'll, perhaps; Mr.. John Smiths
face was study just then.
"Er-n-no, he isn't"
"But he's turrbily rich, I s'pose. I
wonder how it feels to have so much
money"
There being no reply to this. Miss
Flora went on, after a moment.
1T must be awful nice--to buy
what you want; mean, without fret
ting about how much it costs. I never
did. But I'd like to-
What would you do-if you could
If you had the/money, I meana"
qperied Mr.. Smith. almost eagerly.
Miss Flora laughed.
We'll, there's three things I know
I'd do. They're silly, of course, but
they're what l want. It's phony-
graph, and to see NIAGARA Falls. and
to go into Noell's resalrant and OF
der what | want without even look
ing at the prices after 'em. Now
you're laughing at me-"
There was curious elation in Mr.
smiths voice. whats more. I hope
you'll get them-some time"
Miss Flora sighed. Her face looked
suddenly pinched and old.
Il shan't. | couldn't, you know
Why, if l had the money. | shouldn't
'spend it-not for them things. I'd
oe needing shoes or a new dress
And I couldn't be SO rich I wouldn't
lotice what the prices was-of what
| ate. But, then, l don't believe any
oody's that, not even him." She
?oiqted to the picture still open be-
>tore them.
Nor" Mr. Smith, his eyes bent up
N the picture. was looking thought
ful. He had the air of a man to
whom has come brand new. some
what disconcerting idea-
Miss Flora, glancing from the man
10 the picture and back again, gave
udden exclamation.
There. now | know who it is that
you remind me of. Mr.. Smith. It's
1im-Mr. Fulton. there
"Ehl What?" Mr.. Smith looked not
little startled.
Something about the eyes and
nose" Miss Flora was still interest
. :tly comparing the man and the pic
- ture. But then, that amt so strange.
You're Blaisdell youy,elf. Didn't
you say you was Blaiss,ll?"
"Er-y-yes, oh, yes. n a Blais-
DELL" nodded Mr.. Smith hastily
"Very likely I've got the-er-Blais-
dell nose. Eh?" Then he turned a
leaf of the album abruptly. decidedly.
"And who may this be-" he demand
ed, pointing to tintype of bright
faced young girl.
That? Oh, that's my cousin,
Grace, when she was 10. ShA died: