Middletown transcript., 1921-02-12
Waking Up
BY ALDEN CHAPMAN
e. 1920. Western Newspaper Union)

q clerk in the store Of Seth Gray. He
had saved several hundred dollars and
both his employer and his daughter
Ruth, who helped in the store, liked
him and admired his thrifty ways.
Ruth had been almost unconsciOusly
an important element in forming the
character Of the young man, but store,
Ruth, thrift and humble contentment
| went all to the winds one day, when
letter arrived informing Morton that
he had fallen heir to small fortune.
He resigned his position in the store
by telephone. half wild with the i'm
| mediate possession Of several thou
sand dollars representing accumula-
tions on investments. the principal Of
| which was to become his further on.
Then a few days later he appeared
at the store, resplendent as to attire
and jewelry adornment.
1--WE been so Dusy getting used to
being rich," he declared, "that I
couldn't get around before. Mr.. Gray,
If you need any money, I've got a
lIlOuSduu Ut LWO yOu CdA nave " GA
pand your business"
you're a. good-hearted fellow,
Greg" spoke the storekeeper, "but
slow and sure is MY motto, and never
borrow. Ruth is upstairs in the living
rooms"
81 think I'll speak a word or two to
her, if you don't object"
Il won't, and neither will Ruth. We
miss you too much for that"
Morton sought out Ruth. AS his
eyes fell upon her neatly garbed form
and expressive face, vague sense OF
abandoning good old friends assailed
him, but the emotion was only tenn
porary. Glare and glitter had already
fascinated him, and he was eager to
get back to comrades who were indul-
gently helping him to spend his newly
acquired wealth. She greeted him in
a friendly, familiar way, as was her
custom with him, but there was GER
tain shyness, he quickly noticed,
which he attributed to a realization
on her part if changed.
81 went shopping yesterday, Ruth"
he said brightly, Ito get my cousin a
sunburst pin, and I've bought you one.
too," and he extended a little velvet
case exposing a pretty bauble with
half q dozen diamonds in it.
II can't accept such an expensive
present from you, Greg" spoke Ruth
in subdued tone, ''but give me that
rosebud in your buttonhole."
If Greg followed an impulse, he
would have gathered her into his arms
and told her what he thought of her.
Already, however, the wiles of new
social influence had enveloped him.
The idle and pleasure seeking had
claimed him as their own, particularly
for his money. There was a group of
newly made comrades who hung about
him daily. There was a Miss Vera
Burgoyne to whom he had been intro
artificially cOncealing the fact. She
had set her cap to capture young
man hardly her equal socially, but
with promising prospects. At heart
a coquette, she had dazzled Morton
quite, and his male friends had made
him believe that a match with Miss
Burgoyne would put him up in the
world materially. They feasted on his
generous bounty and f1attered and ca
joled him. He was in for jollity, and
when one day he appeared on the
street with a hat controlled by tiny
wire. and shot it up from his head in
greeting acquaintances, his chums
noted him 80 original" When again
Morton drew a mock revolver from
his pocket, snapped it and landed
cigar between his teeth, it was de-
nominated "the classiest hit of the sea-
son." He was courted like king, but
one day
Morton never forgot it. He had dis
covered that he had used up his entire
cash, even overdrawing at bank. On
top of this came word that the con-
Germ in which his capital was invested
had failed and his entire principal was
swept away.
Late nights, excitement, his loss
brought on natural reaction.
Deserted by his friends, in debt and
harassed with new troubles, he fell
Ill and lay in fever and delirium for
over week.
Queer" was his first word, family
spoken. as he opened his eyes to nor
NAL coherency.
"Ah. better? That's good" spoke
the bluff. hearty tones of Seth Gray.
1--WE thought you would be better
cared for here than at the hotel. One
good thing, we haven't been pestered
with those new friends of yours. Miss
Burgoyne sent a servant to inquire af-
ter you, once, only"
"Thats more than I expected" said
Morton, ''for she dropped me in flash
when she heard Of my. loss. Not that
l am sorry. False, selfish humanity.
And you took me in. Well, I'll be able
to get about in a day or two and re-
lieve you Of my charge. l suppose
you feel a bit hard at me leaving you
the way l did"
"Oh. yes" observed Mr.. Gray sat
tirically, $50 much so that Ruth and !
quarreled over which should sit up
nights and care for you. So much so
that I am going to offer to take yeu
into partnership, if you're over your
evil dream, and have walked up to the
practical issues of life"
Greg Morton buried his head In the
pillow to hide his tears. Big-souled
SetI, Gray-how he blessed him. Art