The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-02-03
HIS LIES
1890. western. Newspaper Union,
By oTILLlA F. PFEIFFER

the question. Norman BrOdie, MS
client, absent for a month on a futile
quest, made answer, wearied and de-
pressed. "
!. "You started out to find four, pre-
.sumably living relatives" said PEN
well. dead, themselves wealthy, or too
proud to accept your liberality-
which,"
"All dead except one, poor souls"
answered Brodie, gloomily. Il wish
the inspiration to help them had come
earlier in my life. Even the fourth
may not be living. He is q rugged
old bachelor, who went West and has
not been heard of since. However.
l understand that a man named Rufus
Paxton, living at Brookville, was his
particular friend, and l have been re-
ferred to him for later information
Il hope this ends your Quixotic I'M
pulse Of finding some remote kin to
scatter your money among" said Pen.
well. "You are young, have an income
almost royal and should just be begin
ming to enjoy life."
"This is to me e. lonely world" sigh
ed Brodie gloomily. Il have tried pub
lie charity and 1t has been a failure.
/ have thought to find loyal, loving
friends, and the last one of them has
cultivated me simply for my money.
Ny dream was to find the few rela-
tives that were left and endow them
with a part of my wealth, hoping the
ties of blood would win their unselfsh
regard. My plan has met with dis
appointment, but l shall continue 1t In
the hope that my apparently last sui.
viving relative is alive. l shall try
this Rufus Paxton as a last forlorn
hope" and Brodie went his way. He
was by no means assured that he
would fnd Rufus Paxton when he
reached Brookville. His informant had
stated that it was some time since he
had heard of Paxton, who was old.
poor and In distressed circumstances
generally. His had been the story
about Paxton's wife being broken
down and his son an invalid. TO his
surprise, when Brodie reached the
home Of the Paxtons, he found himself
at the gate Of the prettiest home in
the place. Upon it's porch was q white
haired old man, who nodded with smil-
ing expectancy as Brodie asked If he
was Mr.. Rufus Paxton. Near to him.
sewing, was a loyely-faced old lady,
and before a little table covered with
books was a young whose pablo"
and delicate frame suggested the con
firmed invalid. Brodie stated his mis-
sion. The brow of the old man
clouded.
Arthur Wagner" he repeated. HE
died over a year ago."
Brodie sighed drearily. Here was
the end of his quest. He was a lonely
man, indeed! AS he viewed the three
happy-faced, p~eaceful-eyed persons be-
fore him he. envied them, their rare
contentment.
The old man-was curious and In part
Brodie explained his mission. "You
are q good man to think Of trying to
do good to Others" he commented SIN
cerely. &" know something Of what
it is to be at the verge of the deepest
despair. There ONE the blessed an
gel Of mercy who brought to us the
sunlight Of hope and joy"
As he spoke the old man came to his
feet with glowing eyes, and the face of,
his wife vas irradiated with the ten.
derness Of a great love. Both en-
braced and kissed a lovely, graceful
girl who came up the steps and whom
the invalid SOC greeted with brother
" attention.
''This 10 Viola Brierly, SIR" intro
duced Mr.. Paxton, and there was pride
and pleasure in his tones. She seemed
to infuse the entire household with
a new vitality. Even Brodie felt the
magic Of her power, and the magnetic
eyes Of the young girl beamed upon
him as briefly Mr.. Paxton told Of his
search for his relatives.
They invited him to tea and after.
ward Paxton told him something of
the young lady whom they had come
to regard like a real daughter Of their
own.
Her father was my oldest friend"
recited the old after years Of
patient struggle and hard work he IN
herfted some twenty thousand dollars
UNEXPECTEDLY. It anne too late; he
was dying. He directed Viola to come
to us, to provide for us and make our
last days happy. Oh, sirl She has
placed us In comfort where there was
deprivation and suffering. More than
that, she Is the practical head Of every
charitable movement In the district.
She has already freely devoted most
Of her fortune to that work and only
Wishes she had more to uplift the
needy ones"
That wa only the hrst visit Of Nor
man Br0die to what attracted him a.
the loveliest home he had ever entered.
IT charmed him to study the character
Of the gentle sympathetic girl who
had -sacrifced all she possessed to
make others happy. Then Br0die real
ixed that his life's mission was directly
1t hand. The little plans Of Viola be-
4ANE-