The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1919-07-26
JAMES FATHER
BY MARJORIE PHILIPS.


GIrnie was filed with distrust and
contempt for himself. After all. what
right had he to claim this favored
woman's love, so willingly given7 Be-
tween her ways and the ways Of his
people, a great gulf was fixed, and in
the eaeerness 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 Burnie had climbed rapidly
the ladder of success and would gladly
have shared it's benefits with the rug
ged old Scotchman who stubbornly re-
fused them all.
"I'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 Burnle Senior went happily about
his household duties just little far
ther away, keeping the floors as clean
and the dishes as shining as when his
faithful wife had been there to full
it's Of the younger James. were to him
self continual source Of humiliation.
When he had first met Madeline, he
had adored her from afar, never
dreaming that this crowning conquest
might be his.
Madeline, the accomplished, reared
in luxury, as mother and grandmother
had been before her. Her love had
gone out to join him as naturally as q
flower seeks the sun, and their be-
trothal was inevitable. Now, only, as
they planned their future together,
did he compare mentally this father
of hers, this polished accustomed mnn
Of a successful world, with the con-
tented Scotchman bending in comfort
ably shabby clothes over his flower
beds, or whistling cheerily as he placed
the blue cups back In their cupboard
What would Madeline say-what
would she think-when he must bring
this stopped old figure into her pres
ence and present him as his father
hers, to be.
jamie Burnle was not snOb. In
his soul he loathed himself for the
tfepidaton this fancied picture occa.
stoned. SO, time went on, and In his
anxiety he neglected to urge the set
ting Of the wedding day.
The entertainments with which Mad
eline's irreproachable friends favored
the engaged couple were brilliant and
many. But beneath the strain Of gay
ETY., perhaps, the girls health began to
fail; the color left her cheeks, and
her eyes seemed to take on an appeal
ing light. James Burnie and Mad
cline's futher were alike concerned.
It was after the doctor had forbid.
den the acceptance Of invitations, and
suggested long rides in the open air
instead, that the pretty color came
back again, and Madelne's spirits grew
brighter accordingly.
james Burnie often wondered at the
curious looks she gave him. He won.
dered too, at o sort Of gentle softness
In her manner. Never had she been a.
endcaring; more and more like cloud
before the sun of his happiness was
the consciousness Of this growing
shame Of hJs-of the inevitable fact
Of his crude old father. And then one
evening when James Burnie called.
Madeline came, seriously to sit upon
tho garden bench at his side.
~ have had such a glnriously rest.
full afternoon. she said "one Of man..
recently sp"nt in the saue way. II
has been like leaving the stage Of II
theater for Il play, James. and go!n~
back into real life-simple life, and
sweet" Madeline threw out her arm>
with a free gesture.
"A place, where no critical audience
forever awaits ones acting. SO, I cast
aside my acting. James, and I was just
a tired girl, cOmforted md cheered b.!
the kndcst human heart that ever
beat. 1t hus been an experience, James.
to meet such nobly simple SOUL" she
said.
During one Of my first afternoon
drives became faint and left my
car in the road, while I asked at 81
little cottage for some mix 10 drink.
An old Scotchman who keeps house
there alone brought 1t to me. But first
I must obey his commands and take
the milk seated in great comfy chair
on the porch. Afterwards. must see
his neat house and his garden, and
as we walked together his shrcwd Old
eyes seemed to read my very life. ]
did not need to tell him that my doc
tor had ordered rest and country air.
or that / was sick unto death Of COM
mittees and various public affairs. The
old Scotchman knew IT all--he had
read 1t in my face. And he planned
with a planning which I did not real
iZe at the time, that I must stop to-
morrow to pick the big roses in his
garden, and the next day, to look at
his purple plum-laden tree. SO every