The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-02-19
David Confesses
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

| /
David was a bachelor with so much
money that he often fell to wondering
| how he had accumulated it all and
why some chap with brains didn't get
some of it away from him. He him
| self couldn't use it all if he supported
a round dozen orphan asylums, a nun
dred widows with half dozen chill
dren and ran q thoroughbred stable.
| AS matter of fact, unknown to
| most people, David did all these things.
He supported widows and near-widoWs
and many charitable organizations,
but lived most simply himself, prefer
ring the service of Il single faithful
valet to a retinue of servants.
1t was, therefore, with particular in
terest that he read in the lost and
found column of the Daily Graphic the
following notice:
'Lost-$10,OOO in 500 bills. En-
tire account of widow with five chill
dren. Mrs. NIilward, West Seventy
seventh street"
David was straightway torn with
suffering for that little widow. Her
own feelings must assuredly be pros
| trated David grieved as if the loss
was his own.
Ten thousand dollars was but
single drop in the ocean of his wealth.
And there was a poor little widow
| making herself i'll over the loss of that
amount.
David would return it to her. The
advertisement stated the money was in
500 bills. David would take that
amount to her and say that he had
picked it up in an envelope on the
street. The thing seemed easy of ac-
complishment.
He jumped into his yellow roadster,
went to the bank, drew the money,
and proceeded toward the address of
Mrs. Milward.
David was greeted at the door by
charming child Of perhaps three
summers, and behind her seemed a
regular collection Of children, golden
haired, violet-eyed and full of the Joy
Of childhood.
They were a sad contrast to the
her tired feet forward to greet David.
The golden hair and violet eyes were
there, but the eyes tragic. David swal-
lowed hard when he beheld her 1t
seemed to him impossible that the loss
of mere money should so rob lovely
. oh
II found this" he said gently, ION
the street near Seventy-fourth street.
1t must be your money, as it is most
unlikely two people could be" He
stopped suddenly, for the light in the
violet eyes was wonderful to behold.
ooh" she murmured softly, then
David was terrified, for the lovely
young widow was weeping. And be-
| fore he could decide what to do I'M
der so trying a situation one small
voice piped up with the demand:
"Why do you make my mummy cry
bad MANI" All five children were
swiftly grouped about their evidently
precious mother in an effort to protect
her from further molestation from the
bad man.
But mummy's grief was short. In
| fact, it had been only the scattering of
pent-up suffering.
"No, my pets, the gentleman is not
a bad mamie is very, very wonder
full man. He has turned the shadows
into brilliant sunlight for your fool
ish mother"
Smiles seemed swiftly to hang in
every part of the room.
From three-year-Old baby smiles to
an alluring smile in the eyes of mother
hood-they were all there. and David
was curiously vital part of the sun
light. The mother had put her hand
| into his and was trying to thank him
| and saying something about a reward
Mrs. Milward | have more money
than I can use. Please don't speak of
reward. My name is David Gleason
and if you will just not mention it to
newspaper men, l will appreciate it.
hate notoriety. But if you will trust
me l will be more than glad to invest
| the greater part of that money for
YOU" He looked straight and deep
into those utra-feminine violet EYES
and gently shook his head. Il think
YOU need some one to watch out for
your-finances."
Betty Milward flushed and looked
shyly back at David. IF you would
only help me to keep things straight
would appreciate it more than / can
tell. l have no one at all to help me
in that way"
For the first time in the whole OF
David's life he felt pride in his knowl-
edge of finance, his ability to double
and treble capital, then treble it again.
This he would do for Betty Milward
and her lovely golden-haired flock.
David found himself many times
during the following days thinking of
the small family, and most of all of
the strange light that had straightway
come into Betty's eyes with the return
of her money. He knew this was not