The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-07-24
Loves
Sacrifice
BY ELIZABETH ScHoEN COBB

tCepyrghL 1915 western NeWspApef uhioAb
Being the elder son Of the family,
Percival Allen, after idly wandering
about the country for year, returned
home to find his father absent, and at
once assumed the charge of affairs,
with due pride and dignity.
John Allen, the head of the family,
was a contractor, and had not been
home for over six months. He had a
large contract for the construction OF
dam in Minnesota, which would
mean his permanent enrichment II he
carried 1t through. At an important
stage of the work, however, the tenn
porary dam broke away, causing him
tremendous loss, and Mrs. Allen was
aware that her husband was now
struggling against fearful odds to Sc
cure the capital to continue his work
and finish II by the time agreed upon.
Percival Allen did not know this,
and had he done so 1t would have
made little impression upon his shal-
low mind. John Allen was a generous
provider for his family, they lived
we'll; he always looked first to their
welfare. He had pride In concealing
his financial affairs from his towns
men, and Percival found money In the
bank. household bills provided for, and
proceeded to manage affairs as though
there was an unfailsng source OF reve-
nue TO draw from. He was meddie-
some, dictatorial, and to the limit ex-
ercised his assumption of brief au-
thority. In a week he had his indul-
gent mother anxious, his sister Bar
bara troubled and the servants by she
ears.
81 wish you would not tease Barbara
about Nellis Wayne" his mother SAID
to him one day.
"oh. Wayne will do" responded
Percival In his lordly way. i under
stand his old man Is about ready TO
pass In his checks and will leave Nellis
a big fortune. oh, yes, Wayne will
do"
Then don't interfere or comment
Barbara is very sensitive, and is by
no means as yet engaged to MT
Wayne, and she resents any allusion
TO her association with him"
"Just tell her that / approve the
match, and to hook Wayne before
some one else gets the prize" observed
Percival coarsely.
NellIs Wayne was most estimable
young man, and had been paying at
tention to Barbara for nearly a year
past.
The father Of NeIlis Wayne died,
and he was the sole heir to the estate.
The family lawyer called Nellis into
his oflce a week later.
"Nellis," he said, II was instructed
to make a disclosure to you by your
father, In the event Of his death. He
was, as you know, a close friend Of
John Allen. During the past year he
advanced City thousand dollars to Al
len to try and save his contract. In
return, Allen made over to him as Sc
eurity all his property. Outside Of his
notes, your fathers estate comprises
only a few hundred dollars in cash
and the little hardware store he hires
a man to operate"
HT6en II Allen falls and We take
his property away from him, he and
his family are beggarsf"
That's about IT," the lawyer an
swered.
1T shall never bel" declared Nell
lis Wayne. and the day he received the
Allen notes he burned them up. Their
former existence was a secret, so far
as the public was concerned. Nellis
thought Of Barbara, was glad Of his
sacrifice and started In life all over
again at the little hardware store.
Percival Allen heard OF this. ordered
Barbara to cut the acquaintance of
Nellis, and wrote letter to the latter,
informing him that his calls at the
Allen home would be no longer agree
able to the family.
Run after him, and let the people
chuckle over your chasing down
man who has never spoken a word Of
love TO you /" he subdued poor Bar
bara by sneering.
One day John Allen was brought
home by train in a raging fever. His
partner sent word that Allen had coll
lapsed from hard work and anxiety,
but assured Mrs. Allen that the con
tract would be. finished In time. Bar