Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-07-29
Teaching Harold a
Lesson
By HAROLD sINcLAIRE
gstern Newspaper Union.)

lon he TOO nara on me, NAA
I'm not. You are hard on yourself
Harold. Just think of il; when we
we're getting along so nicely, ano
everything was going so well. cant
bear 10 think of it," and pretty Mhly
Wells burst into tears.
Il am sorry" began the young man
in a contrite tone meant to be sooth-
ing. He placed a gentle hand on
MuIy's own. She switched 1t away
wilful and petulant.
You never would have done 1t It
had known" declared the young glrf
between sobs. u never ant you TO
show me the bank book again. I've
lost ali interest in il forever, and I'm
glad I'm going to visit Aunt Margaret
People may have some consideration
for me there"
Listen to me, DEAR" said Harold
tenderly. "You and ! would never
have met, and / might still be a
drudge in a poor country store, If u
were not for John Gregory"
"Oh. that's an old story" replied
Milly impatiently.
"Yes, it is an old story" pursued
Harold, and a good old story-how
he gave me, a penniless lad, enough
money to reach the city, and a recon-
mendation that enabled me to win my
present position. There Is a new part
to the story now. Milly. His son. a
| profigate. came to me today. He was
In trouble-something worse than
trouble, dear, almost disgrace. A
hundred and fifty dollars might save
him. / remembered what his kind old
father, now dead. had done for me,
and"
"You let him have the money-our
money! 7" said Milly. IAN that great
sum earned so hard and saved so
slowly. Oh. dearl oh, dear! 1t Is at
most heartbreaking!"
So Harold Brown walked slowly
home. wretched and serious. But ext
afternoon he called at the Wells home
as agreed.
To his DISAPPOINTMENT, he found
that the aunt whom Milly was going
to visit had stopped over from a
train to take her home with her.
Amid the hustle of luggage and part
ing with half a dozen fond girl
friends. poor Harold had barely a
chance to hurriedly kiss his iance
good-by on the depot platform
Two letters came to Harold that
first week. Only one the second
week.
Harold WINGED over the careless
tone Of the missive. It was still
harder to bear when succeeding let
tiers told of gay times at her aunt's
home-plenty Of company, a merry
round Of parties, picnics and pleasure.
Then there was a week and no let
ter at all. Il was Saturday after
| noon. and the anxious lover went up
to the Wells home, hopeful OF some
news. AS he neared it he heard the
voices of Muly's sisters and some
| friends on the side porch of the
house. He was about to join them.
| when his eye caught sight of a figure
gliding In among the ~shrubbery
towards the little arbU In the garden.
aMiny! MiIlyr cried Harold, his
eager steps overtaking her as she
| san to a seat in the arbor and ov
cred her face with her hands.
He sat down beside her, trembling
with his emotion. She did not shrink.
ooh, Harold" she cried. take me
back"
Amid sobs and tears she confessed
| 1t all a peryerse maiden. piqued and
| unstable, fooling her silly little heart
with the thought that she was teach
| ing her lover a lesson" cheating her
| self with the delusion Of new faces.
II will never complain again." prom
Used Milly when they were alone
| again. ave win have to wait TO
make up what-what we gave to heir
your poor friend, but I viii be patient
and happy, Harold"
"Why, that doesn't count, Mily,"
cried Harold brightly. Young Greg
DRY paid me back that money last
week"
"Paid you back, Haroldfs
"Yes, dear. The timely help I gave
him bridged a crisis In his career. He
went back home a humble prodigal.
His mother after a while is going to
start him In business, and II he holds
out she has asked me to become his
partner in an arrangement that means
double what I am getting now. 1t
win be June, Mflly, after all"
stOh, Harold, I am so happy" muir
INJURED the fair penitent; foolish.
wicked girl that I have been, never
realizing that your dear, kind heart
was casting bread upon the waters"
e.$$t.~ 81. M>-