The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-06-29
His Sons
Fiancee
BY MYRA C. LANE
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fancee OH the cheek, held her at arms
length and looked at her. And he won
dered what Edwin had seen in Della,
or Della in Edwin.
Shrewd in that experience which had
made him ruling power IN wall
street, and brought him Oaklands, with
it's broad acres and famous old man
sion, he saw that they would no more
mix than oil and water. He pitied
Della.
He read the story like book. Ed
win, infatuated with the pretty little
typist whom he had brought home for
a visit; Della, in the wonder Of first
love, not yet awake to the selfishness
Of his sons nature. He sighed. He
was growing old, and he had been
alone for many years. and, for all his
power, he was a lonely old man.
He was out of touch with modern
life, he loathed the frivolities and
sophistication of the young people with
whom Edwin filled his great house.
Things were not the same as when he
was a boy.
And Della, in her simple homemade
frock, at which he had seen some of
the other women glancing with raised
eyebrows!
He sighed Il hope you two win be
happy, my DEAR" he said, wistfully.
A day or two convinced him that the
inevitables was bound to happen.
Della, shrinking from contact with
that new world that he hated so, was
not at her best. She sat silent and
amazed in the flow Of conversation and
cheap witticisms. Once or twice
Charles Calvert saw his son looking at
her in irritation.
And the next morning there was a
look of tears about her eyes.
That morning Charles, leaving the
girl at home, had gone boating with q
party which included his old fame,
Adela Secroft, a heartfess beauty who,
Charles Calvert saw, had determined
in pique to reassert her supremacy
over his, son. Charles Calvert took
Della by the arm.
Il would like to show you the house,
my DEAR" he said.
He showed her especially the II
brary, and wondered at the knowledge
and taste she showed. He was proud
Of his books, in which Edwin had
never taken any interest. Then there
were the water-colors. Della was like
a butterfly among those moths-a bril-
liant butterfly, with folded wings.
"And are you happy2" he asked her.
"Oh, yes-yes!" she answered, turn
ing her face away and Sitting sob.
But he heard 1t, and he watched as
the days went by.
They were thrown a great deal to-
gether, for Edwin was always with
Adela nowadays, and heartlessly neg
lected Della. They had many country
walks together; more and more
Charles Calvert found a mind attuned
to- his own.
There came the evening when he
found the girl in tears. He said moth
ing; he had made up his mind with
that tenacity that was Of the mans ma
ture. He sent for Edwin.
The young man came into his H.
brary, defiant, a little ashamed, and
listened impatiently to his fathers in
dictment. s
''You may as well know the TRUTH"
he said. 'sWe find we've both made a
mistake. We aren't suited to each 9th
er, and it's better to know it before
marriage than after. I've let her 60"
"Let her go!' Edwin might have
been speaking of cheap clerk. Burn
ing anger twisted the fathers features.
"And I'm going to let you 60" he
said quietly. You've disgraced me,
you've made yourself contemplate in
the eyes Of decent people. You're
going to become man-if it's possible.
You win send your friends home and
leave my house by the end Of the
week. You will receive an allowance
Of fifteen dollars week until you have
shown that you can do q mans work
in the world. Then you may come
home"
'"I'll leave tomorrow" clustered Ed
win. 3aae -
Upstairs, Della was packing her lit
tie trunk. She game down bravely.
$50 you're going. by dear?" asked
Charles Calvert, taking her hand. II
don't know what to say, except that
I'm sorry to be the father of such a
cur"
"Oh, please" protested Della. 'It's
Its quite all right, you know. You
see, we've never quite understood
each other when we got engaged SO
hastily, but-but we do now"
''Thank God for that!" he answered.
"I shall miss you so much. It never
semed like home until you came"
1T is a dear old place, and shall
miss it terribly" said Della.
Charles Calvert held her hands. ''I'm
having housekeeping" he said. .1'm
going to make it my place, not my sons
friends. And when I've done SO,
won't you-come back p
The color rushed into her face. She
looked at him in sudden. poignant an