The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1919-08-28
JAMES FATHER
BY MARJORIE Philips.

| TlHnt nuu ne 10 ClOl0 tniS tuNOfeu
woman's love, so willingly glven7 Be
tween her ways and the ways OF his
people, great gulf was fixed. and In
| the eagerness Of his love for Madeline
he had been too cowardly to refer to
the humbleness OF his old home. where
his father still lived.
James Burnle had climbed rapidly
/ the ladder OF success and would gladly
have shared It's benefits with the rug.
/ ged old Scotchmnn who stubbOrnly re-.
fused them all.
"l'll live as like to live, jamie" he
had said. New ways and new friends
would bring no new pleasures"
So James continued In his splendid
bachelor apartment In the city, while
old Burne Senior went happily about
his household duties Just little far
ther away keeping the floors as clean
aud the dishes MS shining as when his
faithful wife had been there To ful.
iill these duties. But the weekly Wis.
It's of the younger james, were to him.
! self continual source Of humiliation.
When he had first met Madeline he
had ndorcd her from nfnr. never
dreaming that this crownlng conquest
might be his.
Madeline. the accomplished, reared
In luxury. rs mother and grandmother
had been before her. Her love had
gone out to join him as naturally as
flower seeks the sun. and their be.
trothul was Inevitable. Now. only. ns
they planned their future together
did he compare mentally this father
of hers, this polished accustomed man
NJ u successful world, with the con.
tented Scoichmnn bending In comfort.
ably shabby clothes over his flower.
beds, or whlstllng chccrlly ~ he placed
the blue cups bnck In their cupboard
what would Madeline my--whnt
would she thlnk-when he must bring
this stopped old figure into her pres.
encc and present him ns his father;
hers 10 be-
jamie Rurnlc was not snob. IN
his soul he loathcd himself Tor the
trcpldntinn this fancied picture occa.
stoned So time went on. and In his
anxiety he neglected 10 urge the set.
ting ~ the wedding day.
The entertainments with which Mad.
elines lrrepronchnble friends favored
the engaged couple were brilliant and
many. But beneath the strain ~ guy.
ETY., perhaps, the girls health began 10
fall the color left her checks. and
her eyes seemed 10 take on mn appeal.
Ing light james Burhle and Mad.
cllnos father were alike cdnecrned,
II was after the doctor had forbid
den the acceptance of invitations. and
suggested long rides In the open nlr
instead, thnt the pretty color came
back again, and Madellne's spirits grew
brighter accordingly.
james Burnie often wondered NJ the
curious looks she gave him. lie won
dercd too, ut sort OF gentle softness
In her manner, Never had She been so
endenrlng more aud more like cloud
before the sun OF his happiness was
the consciousness Of this growing
shame Of hls-Of the inevitable fact
NJ hls crude old father, And then one
evening when james Burnle called,
Madeline came, seriously 10 sit upon
the garden bench az his side
II have had such n glorlously rest.
ful afternoon" she said, zone Of many
recently spent In the same way, II
hns been like leaving the stage OF a
theHter for play, James, aud going
back into real llfe-slmple life, and
sweet" Madeline threw out her arms
With free gesture,
"a place, whore no critical audience
forever awaits ones acting So, east
aside my acting james, and was Just
n tired girl, comforted and cheered by
the klndest human heart that ever
beat, II has hern an experience, James,
TO meet such nobly simple soul" she
said
"Durlng one OF my FIRST afternoon
drives hecume faint and left my
ear In the road while | asked at
little cottnge for some milk TO drink.
Au old Scotchman who keeps house
there alone brought II to me. but first
| must obey his commands aud take
the milk seated In Il great comfy chair
ON the porch. Afterwards. | must see
his neat house and his garden, and
as We walked together his shrewd old
eyes seemed tn read my very life.
did not need TO tell him that my doe
tor had ordered rest and country air.
or that | was sick unto death OF com
mittees and various public affairs. The
old Scotchmnn knew II all-he had
read II IN my face. And he planned,
with planning which | did not real
ile at the time, that must stop to-
morrow Ia pick the big roses In his
garden, and the next day, TO look at
his purple plum-laden tree. So every
day | came TO rest In the bolstered old
chair on the porch with the glass OF
cream waiting and growing larger each
time, while the old man talked 20 me
Of life OF books, Of people, until felt
that had failed before In much knowl-
edge that was true and needful. He
spoke OF his boy, and his tone was
as tender as II was proud"
Madeline stood up, her eyes were
shining.
"My dear old man, tells me that his
name is James Burnie. But when he