Phillips County herald., 1923-09-06
PENITENT UNCLE
Co. i92s. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicske)
BY Il. LOUIS RAYBoL.D

= am trying to make up for Isy In
difference by this method Of repara-
tion. The money is yours to llo with
as you desire. When you receive 1t
shall be dead and beyond the reach Of
thanks.
"Your belatedly pepitent great-uncle,
Jonathan Benjamin Cowles."
This was the conclusion of the let
ter which Jimmy Stiles several days
ago had signed with flourishing sig
nature and then reread with grlnning
satisfaction. How tickled Mary Lou
Use would be! And how unlikely ever
to discover the hoax.
Now he sat at his desk and Won
dered whether Mary Louise had yet
cashed the incbsed certificate of de-
posit.
She had come to visit her aunt, who
was matron of the County Home,
where Jimmy was one Of many lonely
blue-overalled and aproned orphans.
Mary Louise's mother, because of
whose Illness she had been sent away,
died during her absence and she
stayed on with her aunt. And when
matrlmony with widower of small
means and considerable family claimed
the estimable matron, Mary Louise
still fingered.
Jimmy became her companion in all
the playground squabbles, nor did the
marvellous piece Of luck which befell
him when he was fifteen make him
forget her.
Jimmy rose rapidly-graduated bril-
liantly from high schOol-went into u
lawyers Office daytimes and continued
study at evening school. Ultimately
torney with reputation before he
was thirty.
Meanwhile Mary Louise had been
bound out" to u lonely farmers wife.
had done more than the stipulated
clothing and feeding of the child-had
taught her what she could of gram
mar, geography and similar rudlments
of learning.
A summer boardcr had taken an in.
terest and lent her books. not only
during her stay but for many months
afterward.
These changes had meant sepnra.
tion for the boy and girl, during which
the memory of each grew dim to the
other but did not utterly fade. And at
Drift Hnrbor, that wonder spot of
ocean beach and vivid sunset and
riotous surf, their paths 4c0nyerged
once more. ss.t
Signing his name In the Drift Har-
Dor house register, Jimmy looked up
from the final flourish of his sigma
ture--James w. Stiles, Boston
straight into pair Of well-remem.
bered soft blue eyes.
"Youl Mary Loulscl"
Yes, 1t wus Mary Louise, who some
times filled In at the hotel, which stood
u mile or two from her adopted home,
In various capacities from that Of
clerk to waitress.
Are you happy. Mary Louiser he
asked one day.
Mary Louise threw him a question.
ing glance from beneath her curly
lashcs. "Just now" she said ingenu-
ously. "But winters-oh, Jimmy, II Is
very lonely. And-and l see no fu-
ture. If only could afford TO 80 TO
the city and have couple of years at
a normal school. Then-oh, Just think,
might be able TO teach!"
She sighed blIssfully, as though
teaching were an achievement too
heavenly TO contemplate. II dream
nights OF what would do with
thousand dollars. That's my fnyorlte
mir castle in SPAIN"
That winter Jimmy unexpectedly
won case which netted him an even
thousand and the sight Of the check
brought bnck To him. ihe words Of
Mary Louise.
An intense longing surred within
him Ia help her out even as years ngo
he had been helped by tine kindly rec
tor. But handing over sum Of thnt
amount 10 an unrelated young lady
presented problem.
Suddenly the Idea Of crcniing n
fictitious grcat.uncle occurred 10 him
IA rrcat.unclc who would exist but
for n moment on II sheet of paper but
long enough 10 bequeaih 10 Mary Lou.
lse II thousnnddollnr legacy.
The letter had been written and sent
and now Jimmy snt md dreamed In
his Office OF It's reception by blue
eyed girl In lonely farmhouse near
Drift IInrbor.
Aud ny he dreamed the door of his
office opened. AZ sight Of sllmAng
urc Jimmy sprnng Ia his feet. 4AlN
"You frnudr' cried sweet voice.
MY grcniunclc Jimmy"
Jimmy swallowed. "Iiow.cr-why.
cr--" =
"Wpll. purity beenusp I renJ In IN.