American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-05-23
AT Failure Climax
BY S. B. HACKLEY
Copyright, 1919, by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)

eyes, friendly, curious, sympathetic, She
held her head high. Who wouldn't be
proud to be the sweetheart of bril-
liant promise?"
He wasn't the valedictorian. That
conceited, red-halred Walton Durrett
was that, but Maxon's rank was high,
and with his brown mop of curly hair,
his goodly height and his clear, friend
ly eyes, was he not good to look at?
That evening after young Eliot had
gone out with Judge Farra's eldest
daughter, his honor sat a long time In
silent thought. For nearly three years
Maxon Eliot had been Jessamine's
humble wOrsbiper, and Durrett, the
~self-confident valedictorian, had been
her devoted admircr.
Durrett was one whom one would
naturally expect to do things, and Eliot
was a young man of brilliant promise.
The judges preference inclined to the
latter, but he or any other would
have to make good" before he'd give
his little girl to him.
The judge sighed thankfully. Jessa-
mine would always listen to Father"
A little later when she shyly suggested
that at the end of MaX's first school
year in Marion (he'd been given the
principalship of Marion's academy,
there would be a wedding, the judge
shook his head.
A year is all too short, little girl.
Let him prove himself"
Jessamine smiled certainly. 1.-Two
years il you think best, papa-but
when Max is a university president.
Wen laugh about our caution, won't
WEI"
The Marion school board, at the end
of the year, very quietly asked Pro
q fessor Eliot to resign. 1t was not mat
he was not liked-his thoughtful con
sideration. his gentle courteous man
ner, made friends, but somehow he
had failed as the schools principal.
That summer, through the recon-
mendation of a relative, Eliot secured
the editorship Of the local paper in the
large town of Hampden. For a year
he wrote brilliant editorials, and strug-
gled valiantly to build up the circula-
tlon of the paper, but at the end OF the
year the owner asked another man to
take the editorship.
Then when Jessamine, with her Sis
ter and parents, sailed for three years
of foreign travel, Max understood that
abe was free.
When the three years were at an enc
and he heard the Farras were coming
home, he managed somehow to scrap'
together enough for a ticket to New
York.
His was the first face that Jessamin'
recognized on the pier. For an instan'
her heart bounded and despite the old
world wisdom she had gained, she hat
to fight a foolish impulse to lay he
head on the shabby decency OF hi
serge coat and tell him, among othe
things. that failure in business didn'
matter.
But Fulton Newholdt, who for 81
months had followed in their wake
y was looking on and presently Eliot wa
forced to step aside to make way TO
their other friends.
"Strange that Maxon Eliot shout
have happened to be in New York tn
very day that we landed" the judg
remarked.
Jessamine said nothing. She kne'
1t hadn't lust happened" Max ha
travelled those 800 miles just for
sight of her! Well, he'd had 1t, an
She. The day after they reache
her home Newboldt, who was the
guest, asked her to marry him.
Instead of saying, "Yes, please"
she had contemplated, and as she kne
would delight her father and mothe
she found herself saying very earnes
iy, mo, thank you"
1t was four years before she sa
Max again, and it was at the coun
fair.
i've been out West" he told he
s'sort Of knocking about, but I'm doll
a.. some bookkeeping work for my cous
now. al the mills. His regular mi
had to stop awhile because %
health
He spoke cheerfully, but his mou
wore a %subdued, conquered expressl
that was pathetic.
Rob keeps me very busy, but
begged off today to run down here
the chance Of seeing some of my
college friends he remarked; |
Jessamine looked into his wistful ey
and translated his words: "On I
chance of seeing you, dear, on
chance of seeing you"
Just then the red-haired vailed
torian. now a successful lawyer a
politician, stopped to speak to Jes
mine.
"Pity about Eliot's being a dis
pointment." he remarked when MAJ
had taken himself of. "All vision
no practicability. The wonder is
hasn't married and dragged some
mar down. tool His kind gener;
do"