Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-16
ID SOMETHING INTERESTING HERE TO REA
THE DAILY NOVELETTE,
4 DEAD PAST
Ry GEORGE ELMER COBB

had fed with Horace Dayton this lad,
Paul, was thcir son. And his business
roof was shelterng the child Of the
woman who had stricken his heart dead.
Of the false cowardly knave who had
stolen his bride away from him
Never. oh 80 fairly shouted Mar
win Thearlc. she is poor. the boy OBJ
scure and friendless. All they shall feel
the crushing weight of my just wrath
Marvin Thcarlc sent for his manager
Briefly. he gave his orders-to discharge
Paul at once. What the amazed lad felt
at his causeless disgrace may be imag-
ined. When he applied for "A recommen-
dation two days later it was cruelty re-
fused.
Two weeks after that. as Marvin
Thearlc was turning corner, he almost
ran into IA woman coming from the on
pOste direction. He came to n stand
sun, ms face turning almost ghastly II
was Llsinore., DAYTON. lie would have
passed on. She grasped his arm.
Walt" she spoke tumultuously. ~
should have. found you elsewhere, so
! may speak here and now. You are
the man who employed my boy. and
cast him adrift without character and
broke his courage. and he Is dying nut
that his kind-heartcd landladv sent me
word. ] should never have seen him
again. lie constantly raves of your in.
human treatment. why was It done
Why"
why, Even on tho open street
1hoarle burst forth with his soul bur
den Of years. In amaZement Elsinore
naNton listened. lie almost cursed her
openly.
Il eloped with Horace Dayton, =" she
cried. "Why. after he had proved To
me by written evidence that you were
already welded to another and ! fled
from my misery, never saw him again.
How :" cried Thearlc sharply-"the
boy Paul.
Remembrance
as poor, homeless child ] adopted
to assuagc my loneliness and Danish
mcnt."
Marvin Thcarle trembled, strong
man unnerved Tho woman, still fair
stood humbly by his side
THAT man, Horace Dayton ~ cried
Thearle. He deceived you, he thought
only of rohh!ng,me Of all ! held pre-
cious in life"
And my boy. Paul?" faltered FL
more. "He is lying ~. in poverty,
cannot even purchase the medicine that
might prOlong his life
"I am wretch 80 Eroancd Marvin
/ Thearlc. "Oh, blind. blind! all these
mandatorly. Lead me to the boy
His eyes opened to her beauty, still
tender, attractive, rcmindful: his cars
to her ptiful story of hardship and de
privation; his lips constantly murmuret
words of COutritiOn and Sclf-abaSentnt
/ He stood beside Elsinorc Dayton two
days later. listening to the low. musCa
humming Of "A sweet home tune iron
the lips Of the recovering invalid in al
adjoining room
"You have brought my boy back e
life" she said gratefully. But fol
your timely, generous aid he would have
died"
Marvin Thearle leaned over and rev
crently kissed her white trembling hand
Forgive" he said simply. and turnct
to leave the room.
81 bless you she called after him
II shall teach Paul to remember yol
always
He came back, his lips quivering. hi
eyes hungry for comfort and content.
"Elsinore" he said, "can you forget ,"
MY wicked lack OF faith in you?" sh,
faltered. "oh, never. never.
"rhen let me teach you to forget
he said. and his arm enCirCled her, anC
she could not resist. She was cryinl
softly
81 have the present, and it is price
less he added. give me a futurc-o
trust, of love ~
"Oh, it was always love--it will al
ways be that she sobbed. and thei
lips met, and the new and grande
compact was sealed.
TOmorroC'S norclette "UHcle Zckc'
uiTI,D,lggI,,1