Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-04-14

X person who sent II was dead7
II that case, connection OF Alan With Il
II place where he belonged was pc
II manently broken. Or would some 9TH
H communication from that source reaC
II him some tIme--lf not money, the
II something else7 Would he be sent f.
II some day?
II Externally. Alan's learning the littl
II that was known about himself mad
II no change In his way Of living; h
\ went 10 the town school. which com
| bined grammar and high school
| under one roof. and, as he grew older
he elerked in one of the town stores
during vacations and In the evenings
Alan always carried his money homo
as part payment OF those arrears which
had mounted up against him since the
letters ceased coming. At seventeen.
having finished high school, he was
cIeriing officially in merrili's general
store, when the next letter came.
II was addressed this time not to
papa. but TO Alan Conrad. He seized
It, tore II open, and bank draft for
| hfteen hundred dollars fell out. There
was no letter with the enclosure. no
word OF communication Just the draft
TO the order Of Alan Conrad. Alan
wrote the Chicago bank by which the
draft had been Issued; their reply
showed that the draft had been pur-
chased with currency, so there was no
record OF the identity of the person
who had sent II. More than that
amount was due for arrears for the
seven years during which no money
was sent, even when the total which
Alan had earned was deducted So |
Alan merely endorsed the draft over |
10 "mther"; and that fall Jim. Alan's
foster brother, went to college. But.
when Jim discovered that It not only
was possible but planned Mt the uni
versIty for n boy to work his way
through. Alan went also.
-Four wonderful years followed. In
rompanionshp with educated people
IDEAS and manners came to him which
ne could not have acquired at home
athletics Strengthened and added bear
ng to his muscular, well-formed
'ody; his pleasant, strong young face
acquired self-reliance and self-control.
lie became filled with possibilities for
himself which II had never held before.
Bnt on his day of graduation he
iad put away the enterprises he had /
planned and the dreams he dreamed
md. conscious that his debt to father
ma mother stu remained unpaid. he
ma returned 10 care for them: for '
n'hers health had failed and jim. who r
lad opened a law office In Kansas O
lily, could do nothing to help. 6
No more money had followed the [
an from Chicago and there had c
cen no communication OF any kind s
ut the receipt OF so considerable n v
un had revived and intensified NIL J
linn's speculations about himself. The I
ngue expectation OF his childhood a
hat sometime. In some way, he would
e sent for; had grown during the c
Isl SIX years TO a definite belief. II
nd now-on the afternoon before L
he summons had come. Ii
This time, as he tore open the en- 81
eiope he saw that beside a check. IN
here was writing whitman uneven n,
hd demonstrating but plainly Iegihle t.
In longhand. The NJ
tier made no explanation. II told b.
mr. rather than asked him, to come
Chicago. gave minute Instructions
n tho Journey. and advised him to
iegrnph when he started. The
ieck was for hundred dollars 10
T. his expenses. Check and letter
re signed by name completely
range to him.
He was a distinctly attractive look
lad. as he stood now on the station
atform 81 the little town, while the
stbound train rumblcd In. and he
gered In his pocket the letter from Z
lcagc
On the train he took the letter from
pocket and for the dozenth time
cad II. Was Covert relative7 Was
the man who had sent the remit. -
ices when Alan was little boy. s.
! the one who later had sent the u
cen hundred dollars7 or was he "
rely go-between. perhaps n law ~
, There was No leiterhend 10 give
In these specIailons. The ad
- 20 which Aim was 70 come WIS -
Asior street lie bad never heard
name Of The street before. Was IL III
usinefs street. Corgef's address In III
u great Office building. perhapsf W|
( Chicago Aim following Che M
ier Win hls suitcase from the car R
ped down Hmoug ihs crowds
ping 90 and frnin ihe trains. 40 On
poi confused. he was oniy in >
fiy eadf'd Aching 10 impl.eli ac. q,
Hifh tbf INSTRUCTIONS ~ fhe letter
a hc hnes hy hfHri. he soni Al Gor
uniformed attendant nn5 en1aeed iail
klcaD lfsrf 90 tunn ekpenenre fafl
3 Noold hf n0 one ~ mo station nHi
fH b'ip uIe i0ief had said He nas.
40 tslH siifei ndiues and ~ sos
no faI an
Nfd h0fNn NJ sn0N ANaluy I0r q fnle
IINII II. I.NI..I I.... .....I ..