The Coolidge examiner., 1936-07-31

Idl0t. You, James WelLVH Snlpley
BrynildSOn Third. Ye gods and lit
tie fishes, aren't there enough men
on the coast who would marry her
for this fifty thousand dollars she'S
supposed to be paying you, without
you stepping into it? It's so damned
absurd. What are you doing it for ?
Fifty thousand dollars doesn't mean
anything to you! And they've got
it all worked OUT so that therell be
plenty of publicity and trouble
when you want divorce !.
you going up into the Oregon back
woods to live with her for a year.
SO romantic! And she'll turn out
to be cheap little crook, but she'll
be married to you all the same and
entitled to a lot of your property
when the break comes and your
name as well. Doesn't it sound
beautiful?"
Don't be an ass" Bryn said COM
fortably. Il happen to know that
| this business is on the level be-
cause I've known about the case
for years. l met the old gentle
man himself, Deborah's GRANDPA
| ther. when he was here eight years
ago fixing the will up with Teds IA
ther. 1t was just when / was TAX
ing over my property and spending
| a nP In Iof, ~,
office. The old gentleman was a
most interesting old chap, and we
had several long conversations. He
was intensely concerned about this
will he was making, and, very anx-
ious to make sure that he was do
ing the right thing. The old man
put the thing up to me as hypo-
thetical case and asked me what I
thought of it. Being young fool,
1 thought it sounded fine"
80 now," Tubby said, eyeing
him, when it doesn't look as if it
might be so fine, you feel respon-
sible? Is that it? Is that why
you're throwing yourself away like
a sack of soft potatoes?'
Bryn sighed. 81 do wish you'd
go and change your Clothes" he
said. you can't be my best man
in a white tie and tail, not when
I'm wearing lounge suit. We'd
probably have another earthquake" p"
"And what about Pilar?"
| well, what about herr"
| "For two years you've carted her
around. Everybody thinks you're
T, going to marry her. She'll go bIooey
when she hears this. Have you told
her anything at all?"
How could / tell her? wasn't
sure myself until two hours ago.
And there's no reason why / should.
Eve never asked her to marry me,
or even limited about it."
well. l don't have to tell her,
do II"
'That's a bright idea," Bryn said
happily. Thanks, old man. I'll do
the same for you one of these days.
Now, on your way, Tubby. Go and
get dressed. Burch will bring you
your cocktail, and lend you one of
his shirts and a collar. You can
wear my pants if you're careful not
to take a deep breath, but / don't
think you'd better try buttoning the
coat. All in keeping she'll
think you got them second hand"
|
Twenty-three years previously,
Anne Whitaker Larned had eloped.
on the morning of the day of her
wedding to Courtney Graham, and
had married young man, who,
had he been a woman, would new
er have been received in the So
ciety in which the Larneds moved.
| The consequences were disastrous.
The young man had no money, but
he had expected to have a great
deal when the Larneds relented and
forgave their only daughter. How
ever, he encountered unexpected
difficulties with the daughter her
self; for when she discovered why
he had married her, she crept away
from him, her heart as nearly bro
ken as a physical organ can be bro
ken by human unhappiness, and
when her daughter was only few
days old, she died. Fortunately,
the young father-Who never knew
that he was a father-waS kicked
in vital spot by horse, and died
| before he could cause any more
misfortune; thus strengthening the
belief of a number of people in the
vengeance and justice of God.
The aged and broken grandpar-
ents took their daughters child and
also the blame for their daughters
unhappiness. If, they told them
selves, miserably, they had guard
ed her well, she would never have
met this handsome young scoun-
drel, and all would have been as
they had planned. She would have
married Courtney Graham. scion of
an old and spotless family, and all
! her ways would have been ways of
pleasantness and all her paths
would have been paths Of peace.
The Grahams were among the
first people of Boston. Nowhere
on their escutcheon could be found
a blot, and even the erasure marks
were so carefully done as to leave
| no trace nprfpct marriann Il