Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-06-16
HIS AWFUL HEIR
BY EDNA BARNES

1
old, If one considers three score and
IL as such. As to being a crab-well,
1t might be said that he walked back
ward, at least as far as his ideas were
| concerned
But everyone has one inconsistency,
and old Sylyester's pet hobby was this.
| tie was interested in chirograpny to
the point of its being an obsession. He
was forever having to explain TO his
acquaintanceS that Chirography was
not the care of the feet, but Il science
| by which one can read character in
handwriting. Let him get hold of
neighbours writing, and he advertised
the poor unfOrtunate's 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
wilIed 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 a clear sky came
letter from the youngSter, now aged
tWenUy-One. 1t was an ordinary enough
letter, typewriter on the letterhead
of a welI-knoWn brokerage concern in
New York Melville was applying for
life insurance policy and he wanted
to know what his maternal grandmOth-
er died OF.
old Syl might not have read the mis-
siye 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
nSuranCe-mOre prudent than his ia
Their, old SyI 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 $50. The party"
was IN a tawdry New York boarding
house, eisurely attiring himself for
the day He emerged looking like
an advertisement for a haberdashery,
whistling nonchalantly and feeling
quite positive that his ateness this
morning would be the last straw. The
manager would surely stand for no
more. He was rotten bookkeeper,
anyway-he was clever enough to
know that However, he didn't care
HoH'e'"ins "o"'" 'u'" up 'o'i'e-
'i',rnS Always u'''' ,...-,..-
the usual one-up until all hours the
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