The Lambertville record., 1926-12-30

uncle WAS dying ana ne u nuu an
awful time finding the girl, She was
the last of his family. Yet he said he
wouldn't leave her cent OF his money
unless she got married. She hadn't Il
fellow. His doctor told her the old
man was getting low and there wasn't
much time He'd made a will and
everything, II was quite pile. and
she got II all, providing she married
before he died She was In an awful
stew about It. She hadn't told any
one In the house yet. | doubt II she'd
told me If II hadn't just happened so,
You see, she kinda trusted me and
she wanted that money bad. Wanted
to make herself into lady. She had
great ideas
''Well, there we were. She was In
funk, and was In funk that
night. I'd COME home ready to kill
myself because there was the tele-
gram from Nom. hadn't got the
money to get home. to Pop. and Nom
said he was dying.
"Well, there she was fixing up my
room. She always left my room TO the
last because she'd got to know I'd
never make the row the others did or
tell on her. guess she kinda liked
me- She was the only person | had
to talk to, so | blurted out my troubles.
She thought moment and then she
came out with hers. She hated men
and didn't want To get married, or so
she sald-and well. | didn't care
what did. just so that could get
home, In time. to Pop"
He paused. glanced at Ned, then
took up his confession. well. the up
shot of 1t was, couldn't borrow the
money from any of the boys. went
with her to country justice OF the
peace, who didn't know either OF u.s.
and we got married. ] had promised
and never trouble her again She
could get divorce for desertion
whenever she liked"
He looked at Ned, as though ex
pecting an interruption, but Ned sim
ply stared at him.
Yes" Claude Dabbs tolu mru
stoutly, as though In answer to the
unspoken question, that's what | did
Married for money. Sold myself for
Ave hundred collars /"
Great Scott. C. M Get on What
bhppened?"
After | mtriied Polly, and got half
the money down. | came home here,
saying nothing to anyone The under.
at the end of the week. sign the neces.
sary papers, and get the rest OF the
money. That was to end the whole
business. When | got home, Pop was
dying. He died the night got home
and was buried three days after.
After the funeral made an ex-
cuse to Nom that had to go back to
settle things, and so | got away, !
went to the lawyers office and signed
tile papers. lie told me that POlly's
uncle was dead, had died two days
after | married Polly. and | was 10
take the papers and deliver them to
her. She was staying al little see
ond-rate hotel. Shed given up her
job but she didn't want to spread her
self until she got away from the town
where she'd been servant girl. Polly
herself was to give me the rest OF the
money. I'd only been paid half be.
fore went home. The lawyer laughed,
when he told me that, and added .
Women are women. She would have
II So. Then he looked sly. and said ::
Maybe this isn't such II mercenary
affair as | was led to believe. II /
were you, I'd make her see reason and
stay In America before she spends all
of her fortune In travelling, or gets
taken In by foreigners. It's lot Of
money. II | were In your shoes, I'd
never let her go
II walked away from him, thinking
If he was In my shoes he'd be In bad
way. ! didn't know whether II was be
cause | was all worn out with grief
over Pop, and sleepless nights and
worry about Mon and the future. or
whether II was because I was miles
away from home and lonely. Some
how | didn't seem like myself. /
seemed like some other person. /
tried to shake the feeling Off. | said
to myself: All the time I'm with
Polly, I'm going to be just myself
the Claude Dabbs feel like. She
don't know me as Claude Dabbs Of
Peace Valley.
II saw my future. A hard struggle
with a country store and no time to
do anything but work. God how ] re
beled in that short walk down. |
didn't see why | should be shut up In
a grocery for lifetime, and that was
all could see before me. Why should
my father have had to die. when there
were men walking round hale and
hearty. lots older than he.
"And | wanted Pop back Nothing
to do with the financial part Of 1t.
that ache. ! cared lot. Why. ]
could have stood the grocery part Of
II forever-for Pop. hated every
man of his age that came near me
alive and happy. while Pop lay still.
There was sore place In my heart
that | couldn't bear, marked with his
name. Every time | went near IL, !
jumped away, like yon jump when you
have had a bad spot and the dentists
foollng round.
"All the things hadn't done that
Pop wanted ME TO do; all the times
I'd disappointed him and acted mean
were there II needed anLy a fnneh to