The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-12-19

The Magnificent A1nbersons
By BOOTH HARRINGTON
By BOOTH HARRINGTON


She stared at him with such a for
lorn Darkness as he had never seen.
"Id be paying" she said feebly. I'D
be paying"
Certainly you would. You'd be
using more Of your money than"
my money! Fanny's chin dropped
upon her thin chest and she laughed
miserably. 1--WE got twenty-eight dol
lars. That's ALL"
you mean until the interest is due
again?'
II mean that's ALL" Fanny said. II
mean that's all there is. There won't.
be any more interest because there
isn't any principal"
"Why you told"
She shook her head. mo. haven't
told you anything
"Then 1t was Uncle George. He
told me you had enough to fall back
on. That's just what he said to fall
back on He said you'd lost more
than you should in the headlight COM
pany, but he'd insisted that you should
hold out enough to live on, and you'd
very wisely followed bis advice"
II know" she said weakly. II told
him so. He didn't know, or else he'd
forgotten how much Wilbur's insur-
ance amounted to, and I-oh it seemed
such sure way to make real for
tune out of little-and l thought
could do something for you, George,
If you ever came to need it-and it all
looked so bright just thought I'd put
1t all In. did-every cent except my
last interest payment-and It's gone"
Good Lord p George began to
pace up and down the worn planks OF
the bare floor. "Why on earth did
you wait till now to tell such a thing
as this?"
II couldn't till l had to-" she said
piteously. 1t wouldn't do any good
not any good on EARTH" She got out
her lace handkerchief and began to
cry. Nothing does any good, guess,
in this old world! Oh. how tired Of
this old world l am! I didn't know
what to do. just tried to go ahead
and be as practical as could, and ar
range some way for us to live. Oh,
l knew you didn't want me, George
l can see that much You don't sup
pose l want to thrust myself on you,
do you? 1t isn't very pleasant to be
thrusting yourself on person you
know doesn't want you-but l knew
you oughtn't to be left all alone in
the world 1t isn't good. knew your
mother'd want me to watch over you
and try to have something like home
for you'll knew she'd want me to do
what tried to dor Fanny's tears
were bitter now, and her voice, hoarse
and wet, was tragically sincere. "Oh
and now-you don't want-you want
you want to leave me in the lurch !
You"
"Oh. my Lord" He went to her
AMI lifted her. For Gods sake get
upl Come, let's take the coffee into
the other room and see what's to be
DONE"
He got her to her feet; she leaned
upon him, already somewhat comfort
ed, and, with his arm about her, he
conducted her to the dining room and
seated her in one of the two kitchen
chairs which had been placed at the
rough table. "Therel" he said, "get
over it," Fanny's spirits revived APP
preciably: she looked up with plain
tive eagerness. Il had bought all my
fall clothes, George" she said; land
paid every bin owed. l don't owe a
cent for clothes, George"
That's good" he said wanly, and he
had a moment of physical dizziness
that decided him to sit down quickly
For an instant it seemed to him that
he was not Fanny's nephew, but mar
ried to her. He passed his pale hand
over his paler forehead. "Well, let's
see where we stand" he said feebly
Lets see If we can afford this place
you've selected"
Fanny continued to brighten. "I'm
sure it's the most practical plan we
could possibly have worked out
George-and 1t is comfort to be
among nice people. l think Wen both
enjoy 1t, because the truth is we've
/ been keeping too much to ourselves
for long while. 1t isn't good for
people"
81 was thinking about the money
Aunt Fanny. The rent is thirty-sis
dollars month"; the dinner is twenty
two and a half for each of us, and
we've got to have some provision fol
other food. We won't need any
clothes for year. perhaps"
"Oh, longerw she exclaimed. "Sc
you see"
81 see that forty-fve and thirty-sl,
make eighty-one," he said. AT ths
lowest, we need a hundred dollars {
month--and I'm going to make thirty
two"
4 thought of that, George" she sale
confidently. "and I'm sure it will be al
right. You'll be earning a great dea
more than that very soon."
81 don't see any prospect of tho
till I'm admitted TO the bar. and tina
will be two years at the earliest"
"Well, there's the six hundred dol
lars from the sale. Six hundred ant
twelve dollars ii was"