Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1920-09-08
Ca.hing In
By ALDEN CHAPMAN

leeoooeeeeeooooeeooeeooee6
'eYes, sir, these big ungainly hands
did It." vaunted Bradley Worth. '.They
\ weren't SO big and ungainly when ]
left home for the diggings ten years
ago New I can afford to wear kid
gloves all the time II / want to, and
diamond ring on srery finger u !
like. I've cashed In, and I'm soina
back East with enough 70 keep me- fos
Life and . lot to spare
The bronsed sturdy favoslts q tbs
mining camp looked proud and happy
- he babe farewell to his old chums
~ the hotel II Lucky Guish. he Wa
modest in his claims, as Ill u them
knew. After working hard at pick and
shovel year after year, h had struck
the riches. gold veln n ti,s district
and had sold Il at fabuloSs pric2
he had given .ths boys" . royal
feast in the shape Of Z farewell dinner.
An old friend. Tom Wade only got In
to the automobile with him that was to
take them over to ths nearest railroad
station.
Il never brsgssd q Il Tom spoke
Worth buoyantly, - they sped along.
~but the native town ! am going back
to. Bradley. was named after our fam
ny. count great things on that
sleepy. old-fashionsd little burg now.
I've got two dreamA One y making
! Bradley what It ought to be. hear
the railroad has bsen bailt up 70 II
Maybe they've got gas and electric
lights, too, but whatever OF however.
the great ambition q my life i TO
use half I've got In building up that
dear little town where al my old-tims
friends lives
he sort Of king smong EN- chr
suggested Tom Wade.
-Oh, don't cars for that replied
Worth. II Just want to make thoss
know. happy. Say. they ars true.
good friends, yoa bet. When they
hsar I'm coming they viii havs the
town III lit up; nags waving buildings
decorated, proud Of the man who has
made good. Near The old post Onice.
I used to pitch horssshoAs In front OF.
TIL put q bronze statue Of the founder
Of the town, my grandfather. IN do
nats them q bandstand, new library
and fountain. Than I'll settle down
among them.
.Tine," commented Tom Wsds.
SAnd your second dream. WORTH but
the auto just then whirled up TO the
railroad depot was barely In tine for
the train, and Worth steamed away
alone. full OF the double vision
There was both sentiment and sad
ness In his open honest face az he re-
hected upon that "second" dream Il
was Of Nyra Norton. way back at
Bradley more than decade ago. He
had courted her, but rival appeared
before he had told his love. He learn
ed OF her engagement to Wilbur Gray.
never went near her again, and when
he was told that the wedding day was
named left an environment where dis
appointment had clouded his life.
"The best man wins" he said phil
osophically. Aand ! guess Gray Is .
better one than amin a money way,
anyhow. II Myra Is happy. that Is all
care for"
And now, time having assuaged his
sorrow, but never having dimmed his
loyal, manly love. he had foremost In
his thoughts the only woman he had
ever cared Tor. Il would be gladstone
to see her again. Perhaps little chill
dren had come along. His generous
unselfsh nature was appealed TO. Il
he could do them OK the family any
good, how cheerfuly would he award
his services and means!
There came to Bradley Worth the
browning surprise Of his life when two
days later the train rolled into Bradley.
He stood rooted to the depot platform.
He stared, he fairly gasped. There
was station built on the most modern
plans. Beyond lay no longer town.
but busting. thriving little city.
Square after square Of elegant store
edif1ses showed, q public library. q
great fountain-yes, and there was q
statue Of his ancestor after whom the
town had been named.
A shattered dream lay IN fragments
at his feet, FOR the work he had antici-
pated had all been done. Amid such
finished improvements and local
wealth his own counted as grain Of
sand. He walked down the principal
street. Not q person greeted him. He
did not see q familiar face.
Il was q rather mournful h0mecom-
ing. Then he paused and glanced In
&C the window Of neat up-to-date
millinery establishment. Miss An
nette Morton he read. he recs1led
. sister Of Myra Of that name. Yen.
thsre she was inside. showing trace
Of the years. She vas alone Worth
entered the shop.
.Why. Mr.. Wosth." shs at once ex-
claimed. and the recognition pleased
him. They discussed the past. his alb
sence. the present.
aAnd your sister, he ventursd ANAL
". "And the childrenr'
~The children" repeated Annette
Norton vaguely.
-Why, yes" continued Worth. -and
Mr.. Grayr'
.Oh. see" murmured the lady.
~You have been under the impression
that he and Myra married."
"Why, surely. When ] left, that was
on the program"
"But Myra changed her mind"
"Why," came from the lips Of Worth.
like a pistol shot,