The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-03-11

GHNnT follow some profess
SAsON sion but have to live
cT~HN1 up for lack of funds,
SsON Z while you have ev-
erything. R lily
your uncle is very generous to you.
You are his only heir, aren't your"
Tom Hicks watched the lips of the
girl beside him, such pretty, decid-
ed, well-formed little lips.
yes, he said. But that doesn't
mean, of course, that I shall get
everything. I don't like to think
OF it that wayne one does. He's
quite fit for an old man anyway.
Doubtless he will outlive me-" Tom
sighed deeply.
"Why Tommy" said the charm
ing Viola. "You're only twenty-four
and-and you're quite well, I hope"
do you really care?" asked Tom,
wishing that the chauffeur we're
further away. COR are you just say
ing that to be potter" In answer
/ Viola gave Toms hand a quick, shy
little pressure with her neatly gloved
fingers.
Then they rode on in silence for
a while and Toms reflections were
gloomy, Since boyhood he had been
an orphan dependent on his uncle,
reputed to be more than million
aire. Since boyhood he had been
aware of the fact that his uncle's
fortune would be entirely his only
! in the event that his conduct
pleased the uncle.
Then he decided to study medi-
/ cine. The uncle was lavish pro-
/ wider in many ways, but anything
like regular supply of ready mon
ey was never part of his bounty.
! Moreover, he had made it perfectly
clear that he would be displeased if
! Tom applied for any scholarships or
made an effort to earn money in
any way. 1t would be depriving
some young man who really need
| ed it, the uncle said.
Then he had met Viola and from
the first he was perfectly sure that
he would either marry Viola or re-
main bachelor And with Viola
|
not to blame 1t had been part of
her education. Tom had persuaded
| himself that Viola really cared for
4 him for himself alone, she had al
ready told him that she did, but he
also felt that to attempt to make
Viola happy on the income OF the
struggling young physician would be
: entirely out of the question. 1t would
/ be necessary to count on help from
the uncle even after having &C
CURED the much-desired medical
degree.
Now he was bound with Viola for
Dayton, where he had spent his four
undergraduate years. He had
stopped at his uncle's with Viola
and when Viola was not observing
he had asked the older man for "a
few dollars" His uncle had given
him twenty-dollar bill, comment
ing that he didn't suppose he would
need it all, and that he was sorry
he had no change. Tom felt that
twenty dollars would just about COW
er expenses.
First they parked their car on an
open field guarded by native who
expected a dollar from every
motorist who left his car there.
Tom profrered his twenty dollars,
but the native had no change. Meth
er had the chauffeur. He passed
boys on the street selling roses, the
emblem of Dayton college. He
stopped to buy some for Viola, but
the peddler had no change, so
Viola had to go without. After the
game there was tea at the smart
est inn in town, where they met
old friends, who sat with them.
For lack OF change Tom let the
others do the tipping, and signed
the tea slip ION account-Thos.
Hicks, Sr."
So Tom returned with his twenty
dollars intact. His uncle had sug-
gested that he bring Viola back to
an eight O'Clock supper at the house.
There was an elderly neighbor for
the sake of responsibility and the
supper was as dull as it was per-
fectly served and richly appointed.
At ten O'Clock Tom and the chauf-
feur escorted Viola home
He returned at eleven to find his
uncle reading in his library"
you'll need some money, l sup
pose" said the uncle.
Il have twenty dollars you gave
me this afternoon" said Tom, and
had no chance to explain.
Il like a girl like that" said the
uncle. Wouldn't let you spend a
cent. Well, | thought she seemed
like d fine young woman. If she
had been like the young fappers
you hear about you wouldn't have
had dollar left. Get her to marry
you when you finish medical college
and I'll give you hundred thousand
dollars as starter. l like girl