Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-07-22
o do a good turn for a friend. Blu

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come.
At thirty-five Van Horn still be-
heved in the beneficence of his par
tlcular fortune. He was growing
slightly heavy as his bent for hard ex-
ercise slackened and his hair tinged
with gray. At forty doubt seized him,
doubt that overtakes all men as they
approach those middle years when the
little question begins to be heard
What have you done, with your pre-
cious twenties and thirties?"
What had he done? Nothing in
fact. But he did remember a lot of
great times, times he was fond of re-
calling when in company with that
wit, Judge Marvin Kelly, friend of his
father and big brother to the orphan
Gilbert Van Horn. Marvin Kelly, a
politician, not unknown in Tammany
Hall, a power and a philosopher,
smoothed over much rough ground in
the mental trail of Van Horn.
Judge" he said one day as they
were in the library smoking and talk
ing, "a distant connection of mine has
died, out in Kentucky, a Lambert;
Hosea Lambert. He leaves a daugh-
ter Josephine. Pm thinking of having
her on here. She's my nearest relative,
SO far as l know" he added, looking
out of the window.
How old?" Judge Kelly was prac-
teal.
About twelve"
Him, safe enough-for a few
years."
Josephine arrived in New York, a
little girl with a sash and very long
legs who rolled a hoop. 1t was another
milestone in the life of Gilbert Van
Horn. Aunt Wen, or Mrs. Anthony
Wentworth, a decayed lady of quail
ity, to describe her in formula, &C
companied Josephine and remained in
the Van Horn home. There was no
question about her remaining, and
Gilbert, when he came to consider the
matter, was glad enough to have her
there. Certainly many matters must
arise in the life of a young girl re-
curing the instruction of a gentle
This profound thought came
20 him quite as a shock. He liked to
have Josephine around, liked to have
her climb on his knee and make much
Of him. 1t was the first bit of honest
affection Gilbert Van Horn had ever
known.
Having done with the Van Horn
myth let us step back for a few years
and review the incident hat has been
slightly touched upon; the incident of
the river and of the boy, born to the
name of Breen, on the river, but &C
tually begotten by Van Horn.
1t was in the summer of 1888 that
the great internal and ~hushed-up scam
dal of the Hallett- Van Horn house
hold had its beginning at the country
place in Astoria, in that fine mansion
overlooking He'll Gate. Gilbert, home
following his junior year at college,
was being sheltered from the vile ON
facts of the city and the haunts of
Brevoort Van Horn. He was studious,
but not so much of books as of ma
ture. Mrs. Hallett-V Van Horns maid,
a comely, lively girl named Harriet,
the most satisfactory handmaiden Mrs.
Van Horn had ever enjoyed, stumbled
upon Gilbert, at ease in his mothers
boudoir, reading Nick Carter. Mrs.
Van Horn was in the city shopping.
The fact that the maid had stepped
from a luxurious bath may have add
ed somewhat to the astonishment Of
the young man. For the first time he
was aware of the fact that female pro-
portions were actual.
Very early the next year a condition
Of extraordinary difficulty became
manifest. Harriet, t o be quite plain,
was in a family way, a decidedly an
noying situation in view of the fact
that she alone seemed able to do Mrs.
Hallett-V Van Horns hair as it should
be done.
At once suspicion lowered about the
house. Harriet would not confess the
name of the culprit. Harriet supposed,
if the truth were known, that she
would be imprisoned for life.
Then the eager flicker of suspicion
lowered about the house. 1t rested, in
turn, on every male. Even Jules, the
page, was under suspicion.
"No, ma'am, it was not him." So
Harriet patiently absolved them, one
by one, in the daily, hourly inquisi-
ton.
THE butler, old Simmons? Lord,
no ma am. Not him, oh, no, mol"
Could it be an immaculate concep-
.:..a A~e H,1let+- V,o Horn almost