The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-10-08

Herbert McAliister.
bob persuades MIR. EIberton, prom
inent financier, to come to Birming-
ham and build "a home from his draw
Ing of the ghost house. He finds a
child model for his main electrical
figure. He and Annette become
great friends. Having seized a dog
ON the st I L. which proves to be
Mary Trey rs, the red-haired girl
announces desire never to see Bob
again. Bob IL welcomed into the
EibertOn home like son. He acci-
dentaiIy encounters the red-haired
girl again with Annette. Disregard
ing her desire thnt he let her alone.
Bob wordIessIy. frankly idolizes her.
She decides she will leave town
rather than encounter him. She
does not realize he loves her. Bobs
sick mother mysteriousiy disappears.
He cannot find any trace of her.
Meanwhile. Annette announces
Mary's engagement and approaching
marriage to McAIlister.
Then Bob hastens to send to Mary
deed to the house he promised ia
In the name of the little boy he was
long ago, that she postpone her
marriage until he may speak to her
0hApttE IL
Eternities pass--so did the matter
of six anxious days.
On the 7th Bob was in a fever OF
excitement.
Mary now had his letter-had his
heart spread out before her either
to blame, despite, throw away-or-
but this was like music of the
! spheres to his soul--maybe, maybe
to be interested in Just a little!
| With painful nervousness he pic.
tured her, his heart dumbly wishing
that he could actually relieve her 81
| any embarrassment or hesitancy she
might feel at accepting his gift OF
| this house.
For he felt that in a way she
might blame him for making her
this presentation.
Must Make Good
! But he stopped himself in the midst
of this same long, long mental fight
| Exactly every jot and title of his
! pledges to Mary must be fulfilled
| Otherwise. how could she ever,
such possibility as their friend.
ship could be-trust him utterly and
entirely?
When the eighth day passed, h.
could stand 1t no longer, and we'll
to see Annette, hoping that she MAY
have heard some news
But Annette had heard nothing
and was only inquisitive as to VIII,
he had deserted her for three SOLID
days; and insisted that she be taker
for lengthy ride in and around the
| city.
Finally, and greatly to Bob's EN-
barrassment, she insisted that she
had something very pressing" to tell
Mary Trevor, and asked him If he
| would not drive her over.
Bob turned the big automobile to.
ward the spot which was the great
est magnet to him of all portions
of the earth, and while he assiste5
Annette UP the steps to the door. ne
politely left her there, and went bac,,
to his machine when the servant had
answered the ring.
DID Not Explain
He did mott tell Annette his reason
for not entering. but gaiiy spend
her on her way, stating that he
would call for her within an hour.
In the meantime, Bob sought OH,
the sculptor OF his beautiful figure OF
Mary and her dog. He was at the
hotel, and had come on to make sure
that the last details of the statue.
placing be perfectly carried out.
Already there was great excite
ment in the Birmingham atmosphere
OF club, society and community life
over the unwilling of this work u1
/, art.
The newspapers had expatriated nj
length upon the cost of materials
the workmanship and the artists
| fees, and had extolled Bob In this
most Mandatory terms upon his pride
| of citizenship in the town which MS
outlay Of money, effort and energ,
represented. Bob had forbid ler
them to say anything concerninr
himself except the briefest mention
but the newspapers had ignored thls
and done as they felt the job war
| ranted--spread themselves. There
were editorials. in addition.
The upshot was that Bob felt like
very much embarrassed hero in hi,
own home town; but intimate friend.
who had been given premature
glimpse of the statuary had addec
even greater eulogies-and declared
that IL would no doubt be the means
OF awakening other citizens to whai
mingham. Several out-of -towr
! magazines. which had asked for thu
story from the Chamber Of Com.
merce. agreed that 1t set the pace
| for a golden era of art" in Birming
ham: that 1t would encourage youths
for decades to come, to themselve,
| grow mighty enough in skill to be
come sculptors. And, from an edu
cational standpoint, II would trair
the general public Of the Magic City
strangers within its iron-founda