The Idaho recorder., 1922-11-10

no more tnan they oIte
me as yet has been able 10 get
al for his prodigal oaugnler'
rThe Rhymed Reflections OF El-
gss."
w years ago the Beasly girl
,..ked In the overall factory.
Ae was a pretty girl then, and
the neighbors talked about
the people who live along
rreek are really no better than
bo live on Independence ave-
spite of the theories that pov-
charity go together. SO when
the factory the women Of the
Creek neighborhOOd limited
foreman had been too polite
But if she had remained at
tory they would have given the
Ieason for her staying. After
he went to the theater with
men who turned up their coat
and wore their hands In their
in the fall and spring, in lieu
coats. During the summer fol-
her discharge from the over
tory she became a park fiend.
n she gave up her counter in
leap dry-goods store, she re-
at home, apparently keeping
for her father. He worked in
{bops" somewhere over in "the
s." and came home tired and
at night, and went to bed early.
lpt In the room off the kitchen,
lis daughter slept in the front
He did not know when she
In at night, and he did not think
hing to know. Her father paid
kention to the little brother and
who teased the daughter at
about the young men who fire.
ed the house. If the other men,
bf the family had been plaguing
en-year-old girl who led in the
fy, the father would have been
" needless of their chatter. The
daughter made him very happy
bimple tenderness, though, Of
E, he did not understand that
karmth for her and the longing
he felt all day to get home for
er, was happiness.
Z, unconsciously, his daughter
very necessary to him. He was
g the world that analyzes its emo
/ yet he could not fail to see her
ty, nor to be proud of her for 1t |;
when she was dressed to go out
|she went out early and often
5ride blinded him to the gaudiness
Ter clothes, her frowzy hair, and
Shocking makeup on her pretty
Probably his discernment was
|Reen enough to see these faults,
had he not been so fond of her.
|other fathers who had daughters
these things, and mothers of the
|hborhond who had sons did not
fion the Beasly girl In the family
|e. 1t was only after Miss Beasly
Joined a comedy company, or
|zed to play the "White Slave" and
~ Farmers Daughter" through
West, that her name was men,
FED at all freely by Jersey Creeks
focracy, and then it was as If
were dead. And Mrs. Hinkley,
took care Of the children and
led after the lonely old man, often
to inquiring women of the
'hborhood, "It would break your
rt to see Mr.. Beasly a-grievin' an
levin for that hussy; an whiniver
gets a letter from her he reads 1t
he supper table before them chill
wild that flourish you'd think
tch, tch, I do wonder If he
VS." And after some discussion
would sigh, well, it's not for me
ell him."
hat a wonderful thing Is absence.
s like the dark In it's power to
lsform people and situations and
relations Of things. Though she
grown up under his eyes, the old
and his daughter had scarcely
ken serious word to each other.
father had never inquired what
daughter was or was not. She
only her in his thought. They
strangers. but when he began
orget her presence, he found him.
continually thinking of things he
10 Ike to say to her. "Her" dis
cared, and dreams altogether diff
nj from his former conception of
took her place. He longed for
ana yearned to tell her the great
IN his heart. Among the noisy
eis' he mumbled to himself,
ecnes that he wanted to make to
and in the scrawled letter he
ner occasionally, he wrote some
nese tender things.
ne day she wrote that she was
ing home for a vacation. and his
- was very glad. He read and re-
! 'he letter, and droned it off at
supper table to Mrs. Hinkley and
.hiidren. AS he read 1t, neither
hearers nor the reader realized
much feeling the writer had put
'he matter-of-fact words, "I want
Oe nome with you all again. /"
.se words were meant to tell a
:! OF heartache and loneliness and
pair, but they were commonplace
h ,eli short. For poor people are
... o,un' In sensibility as the COM
, ny, rich, and the suggestion to
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