Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-05-13
CHAPTER a
Who Ia Alan Conrad7


The recipient of the letter which
Benjamin Coryet had written ant
later SO excitedly attempted to re
cover, was asking himself question
which was almost the same as the
question which Constance Sheriff. hat
asked. He was, the second morning
later, waiting for the first OF the two
daily eastbound trains which stopped
at the little Kansas town Of Blue
Rapids which he called home. As
long as he could look back into his life,
the question, who is this person they
call Alan Conrad, and what am I to
riie man who writes from Chicago, had
been the paramount enigma of exist
ence for him. Since he was now
twenty-three as nearly as he had been
able to approximate 1t, and as distinct
recollection of isolated, extraordinary
events went back to the time when he
was five, 1t was quite eighteen years
since he had first noticed the question
put to the people who had him In
charge: $50 this Is little Alan Con-
rad Who Is he?"
Following the arrival of certain
letters, which were distinguished from
most others arriving at the house by
having no ink writing on the envelope
but just sort of purple or black
printing like newspapers, Alan In
variably received dollar to spend
just as he liked To be sure, unless
papa" took him to town, there was
nothing for him to spend ii upon; so,
likely enough, II went into the square
iron bank, Of which the key was lost;
but quite often he did spend 1t ac-
eordlng to plans agreed upon among
all his friends and, in memory of these
occasions and Emancipation Of the
next, "Alans dollar" became COM
munlty institution among the children.
. "Whe gives 1t to you, Alan7" was a
question more often asked, as time
went on. The only answer Alan could
give was, 'Tt comes from C..lcago."
The post-mark on the envelope, Alan
noticed, was always Chicago; that
was all he ever could and out about
his dollar. He was about ten years |
old when, for reason as inexplicable
as the dollars coming, the letters with
the typewriter addresses and the en-
closed money ceased.
Except for the loss of the dollar at
the end Of every second month"; loss
much discussed by all the childrea
and not accepted as permanent till
more than two years had passed
Alan felt no immediate results from
the cessation Of the letters from
Chicago. Papa and mama felt them
when the farm had to be given up, and
he family moved TO the town, and
papa went TO work In the wooden mill
reside the river.
Papa and mama. at first surprised
md dismayed by the stopping Of the
etters, still chung to the hope OF the
amiiiar, typewriter addressed en-
'elope appearing again; but when,
fter two years. no more money came.
esentment which had been steadily
rowing against the person who had
emf the money began to turn against
Ian; and his parents" told him all
hey knew about him,
In 1896 they had noticed an adver.
lsement for persons to care for a
HID; they had answered 1t to the
flee Of the newspaper which printed
!. In response to the letter man
allied upon them and, after seeing
hem and going around to see their
"iends, had made arrangements with
hem TO take a boy of three, who was
good health and came of good
eopie. He paid In advance board for
year and agreed to send certain
mount every two months after that
me. The man brought the boy; |
HON he called Alan Conrad, and left s
I'm. For seven years the money
greed upon came now 1t had ceased. '
nd papa had no way Of finding the {
an--the name given by him appeared c
be fictitious, and he had left no v
ldress except general delivery, Chi t
lgo'-Papa knew nothing more than q
at. He had advertised in the Chi. {
go papers after the money stopped t
ming, and he had communicated Z
It'll every one named Conrad In or II
AR Chicago. but he had learned moth.
&. Thus, at the age Of thirteen f
an definitely knew that what he D
ready had guessed--the fact that he II
longed somewhere else than In the b
tie brown bouse-was all that any a
e there could tell him; nii the r.
cwledge gave persistence to n ~ 4
ter-nnl Guesfionings. Where did ae Il