Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-12-08
The eDailyNoOelette
Whole Hearts and a
Shattered Car
By n. IrCine kirg
BY n. IrCing kirg

TT WAS dark, stormy night: the
l wind swept in fierce gusts along the
barren hillsides and mourned through
the leafless trees. driving before IL
sheets Of pouring rain, as a solitary car
might have been seen making It's peril
GUS way along the deserted country
road at the wheel Of the storm -tnSScG
vehicle, his face set in grim determi.
nation, was n young nan or ABOUT
twenty five. Long years of hard service
had left the machine much dilapidated
II was not at all the sort of car
that ought to have been taken abroad
in such n night. The object of Frank
lin Madison's nocturnal eXpedition
was one of serious import was TO
nav off the mortgage on the old home.
The holder of the mortgage on
franklin old home was chum OF
Franklin's about his own age, youth
possessed of much money who spent
his summers with an uncle in Middle
town. When Franklin had inherited the
farm and the mortgage he found that
his father had been paying seven per
cent interest and mentioned the fact
to his friend Martin Fairbanks.
"Outragenis. Said Martin. Pay the
old thief off. I'll lend you the money
10 do it and take a mortgage from you
for the amount at five per cent And
so II was done.
Inc mortgage 1pll uup on i'ettlibNI
eighth and Franklin. now being in
position to do SO. wanted to take it
M. SO he wrote to Martin, who was
leading the simple life along the Great
White Way. asking him to empower
some one in Mddletown as his attorney
10 discharge the obligation. To Frank
Inns surprise. for Martin seldom Wis
tied Middletown in the winter. he re-
ceived reply saying that important
lnl Y \In, IN hOt nj n
December $. and il Franklin would
drive down from the farm on that date
they could do business. But he Martin,
would not arrive until eight O'Clock in
the evening and would have but
few minutes tc spare. This sounded
rather curious. but Franklin. anxious
10 get the mortgage out of the way.
specified, regardless of the bowling
storm and fraity Of his tlivver. He
had advanced as far as the outskirts
of the town. Then just where the
road dofcends the hill. the might have
hcen- expected happened \ branch. torn
from tree by the gale. struck hts
windshield. smashing it and cutting hin.
about the head and face. He lost con-
troll of the wheel for second, the car
SHE'D to roadside ditch and turned
over with an exploding tire and Il
broken axle.
franklin crawlcd from under the
wreck, bleeding rrofus"ly but not
otherwise much injured-somc Contu.
sions and SprainS and slight interna!
shake-up. As Franklin cleared the mo-
mentary dnzc From his mind he saw
that he had been wrecked in front Of
n trim wnite house. the light stream
ing windows of which gave promise
of help. arnca and sticking plaster.
lie knew the place well; it was the
home of prosperous Silns Mcrriwcather
N1ddlctown's hardware merchant. who
possessed. among other good things
daughter Mille. n charming creature
about Frankins $ own age and, as her
father said. rs STUART as kcg Of ten
penny nails
Franklin knocked at the door. which
was presently opened by Mile, and he
staggered into the hall. Milie did not
faint ut the CORY spectacle-she was
not of the fninting kind: but she
screamed a screech which brought the
rest of the family running. They got
Franklin into the sitting room. onto
sofa and Mrs. Mcrriweathcr and
Millie went to work on him with warm
water, peroxide of hydrogen and court
plaster, while Silas Merriwcathcr tele-
phOned for the doctor and the patient
dScoursed disiointedly of wrecked cars
md flying limbs. Franklin was really
rHTTy when lne UllnlStTdllOuS OIL NlS
amateur surgeons were over: so soft
and pleasing had been the touch OF
Miles fingers, so close her tempting
1ipS had come to his as she searched for
overlooked abrasions.
Franklin had lcng looked longingly
ut Millie Merriweather and had not
been mistaken in thinking that AIillie
was not entirely Indifferent to him.
But between Franklin and Millie was
m ~
of Caroline Sigsby, a sprightly and
comely young lady of the town. with
we'll to do parents and longing 70,
the good, the beautiful and the true.
Caroline and Franklin wcrr not for
mally engaged, but it was an under.
stood thing that they were to be mar
ried as soon as Franklin got on his
people had driftcd into this position
n drift which Franklin had not re.
GREETED until he had cone to know and
appreciate Millie. Then he secretly
kicked himself for not having taken to
his oars in time. Now it was too late.
Bless me- suddenly cried Franklin
IN whom the presence of Millie had
dnlled all sense of the flight of time
ITS after nine o'clocl,. l must try tC
get downtown.
Just then the telephone bell rang
Millie answered it and this is what
she heard over the wire: is this YOU
Millie; This is Caroline. I've such 4
surprise for you. Martin Fairbanks and
have just been married. Only the
immediate family present. We made up
our minds very suddenly and decided
TO have the wedding very quiet, on ac
count Of-oh, You know-that sort ot
understanding between Franklin Mason
and me. I am afraid Frunklin will dc
something desperate when he hears
Martin and I are leaving for New Yorl
:on the $50 train. Franklin was t
have been down to meet Martin thi
evening. but II storrLed 30 he didn'
come and 50 Martin was fortunatel,
,snared the nainful duty of telling hin