Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-03-03
HIS AWFUL HEIR
BY EDNA BARNES


his fellow-townsmen, was rich old
crab. He surely was rich, even as for
tunes are reckOned nowadays; he was
old, If one considers three score and
I3 as such. AS to being crab--well,
1t might be said that he walked back
ward, at least as far as his ideas we're
concerned.
But everyone has one Inconsistency,
and old Sylvester's pet hobby was this.
lie was interested In chirography to
the point of its being an obsesslon. lie
was forever having to explain to his
acquaintances that chirography was
not the care of the feet, but a science
by which one can read character In
handwriting. Let him get hold Of
neighbor's writing, and he advertised
the poor unfortunates faults all over
the town. Never did he have anything
commendable to report.
So far did old Syl's hobby possess
him that rumor had it that he had
wiIled that his entire estate be used
to establish an institute to promulgate
the truths of the science Gas inter-
preted by Sylvester Pelam) to the end
of dispensing a universal knowledge
of chirography.
Now, there was none to dispute this
will. His only son was dead-really
dead-although to old Syl he had been
dead from the moment he announced
his intention of marrying Edith Mel
Vile. She was an actress. Old Syl
wouldn't even see her. Thus, for %
years, old Syl had heard of his son only
twice-once recently when he died
and on another occasion when his
wife died at the birth of their little
son, Melville.
Old Syl might have softened toward
the child, had he not been branded
with his mothers name. He had al
most forgotten the existence of the
brat" When out of clear sky came a
letter from the youngster, now aged
twenty-one. 1t was an ordinary enough
letter, typewriter on the letterhead
of well-known brokerage concern in
New York. Melville was applying for
a life insurance policy and he wanted
to knew what his maternal grandmoth-
er died of.
Old Syl might not have read the mis-
sive but for the signature. Never had
he run across such a specimen. 1t
was clear-cut and bold, with just
enough slant to denote ambition, but
with no trace of unpleasant aggres-
siyeness. So he was interested in life
insurance-more prudent than his ia
Their, old Syl reflected.
Old Syl went to the phone. Finally
came the report that Melville WAS not
yet in. Old Syl retired to brood over
the wonderful signature, assured by
the operator that he would be sum-
moned as soon as his party" could be
located.
1t was nearly $3.50. The party"
was in a tawdry New York boarding
house, leisurely attiring himself for
the day. He emerged looking like
an advertisement for haberdashery,
whistiing nonchalantly and feeling
quite positive that his lateness this
morning would be the last straw. The
Manager would surely stand for no
more. He was a rotten bookkeeper,
anyway-he was clever enough to
know that. However, he didn't care.
Something would turn up. Some
thing always did.
The reason for today's lateness was
the usual one-up until all hours the
night before dancing with Kathleen,
the pearl of all womanhood.
Kathleen talked to Pel-Mel frankly.
Let him get a decent income and she
would consider matrimony.
Pel-Mel Pelams conjecture was
right; his doom was already sealed
when he reached Office. The manager
was prepared to deal the blow. Yes.
sir" was all Pel-Mel had to say when
told his services would be dispensed
with. be hardly had chance to real
ize he now belonged to the vast army
of unemployed when Boston called
again.
Pel-Mel emerged from the booth ten
minutes later warm and dazed The
gist of it all was that his grandfather
his mysterious old grandfather Of
whom his parents had told him almost
nothing-was arranging for 100000 to
be placed to his credit in New York
bank that very day. Don't want you
I to have to wait till I'm dead to be glad
you have a grandfather" Old Syl had
explained.
A more curious person than Pel-Mel
Pelam might have wondered at this
sudden interest, but Pel-Mel's mind
was occupied only with the jingle Of
money. Why, 100000 would buy
Kathleen's consent, with some change
left over
Pel-Mel grabbed his hat and started
to Kathleen. "Pel-Mel" was the right
name for him. thought many clerk,
as he dashed through the office. The
accommodating stenographer with the
| big, serious eyes, sat near the door.
20, Mr.. Pelam," she called to him,