Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-08-04
CHILD OF EVIL
''s:.:s; ss:- By OCTAvUS ROY COHEN

| He laughed. Mother, two hun.
dred workmen and a landscape en-.
gineer."
Smart lad, aren't you? What I'm
driving at is that it had to be some
one like your mother some un-
usual person even to think Of doing
what she has done. Do you realize
that piece Of swamp was worth
less?"
''Do I realize It? My dear child,
know it! It was the only piece OF
property my revered maternal
grandparents left which couldn't be
sold for love, money or mortgage"
His eyes were focused on the road
with its border of tall, straight pine
trees. Mothers pretty swell gal. "
"She's more than that" Kay was
very earnest. "She's the most col
orful person in Beauregard County.
You don't realize"
"I'm dumb. You explain"
"Oh! I don't know She's
been a tradition around here. All
my life I've heard women talk about
Ruth Hamilton. They all boast about
the fact that they went to school
with her in Beverly. They talk about
what lovely girl she was, and how
sweet. They marvel at her life :"
From rags to riches" said he.
Ruth Hamilton, only child Of poor
but honest druggist -
The girl laughed and said sternly,
'.Nuts! She was the darned attrac-
tive child Of an intelligent couple
who adored her and gave her ad-
vantages which weren't even
thought Of in Beverly in those days.
College in the East. Europe 1.
when to most folks here Europe
meant nothing but a small section
Of the big globe in the little red
school-house."
"Keep talking, Child. I love to
hear you become enthusiastic. His
eyes were thoughtful. Queer how
things work out. It was in Europe
:. Villefranche, think that
Mother met Dad" He was silent
for just a moment, II wish you had
known him. There was a grand
guy"
"He must have BEEN"
"I'm stating that he was. Had
enough dough and enough family not
to care about either. Fell for Moth
er like ton of bricks, and they
played sweetheart until he died. It
was bump but there's one
good thing about it."
"What?"
''That he didn't live to see the
crash. That he never worried about
what might happen to Mother and
Sis and me. You see, when he did
die he thought we were pretty well
taken care of even unto the third or
fourth generation" Barney was try
ing to shake off momentary feel
ing of oppression. dad and I were
mighty good pals. We played around
together"
SIT must have been pretty won
derful ;" Kay made an effort to
tighten Barney's mood. "You never
will quite know what your mother
has meant to this town. Growing
up here and then going away.
Living in New York. Entertaining
folks with names that are merely
printed words to Beverly folks. It's
been right funny: before I could un-
derstand l used to hear the ladies
talking about Ruth this and Ruth
that My dear, did you read
where Ruth Hamilton entertained
the So-and-so's at Southampton last
,,,oaLo, AID sR,,fb mill bo - Tia - e..
a season on the Riviera very soon
with her family didn't know who
she was and it didn't matter.
She was Beverly girl
Hometown lady makes good"
Exactly" Kay Forrest was quite
serious. Perhaps that's why she
came to mean so much to me,
even when thought I'd never meet
her. I'm pretty much of small
town girl myself"
"But with possibilities.
perhaps. You know, l wonder
how your mother really likes being
back in Beverly after all these
years: after all the Injuries she's
been accustomed to-"
''She likes it. Plenty"
"But where did she get the cour-
age to come back?"
Sacrifice for me. The infant ter
rible. I've been given to understand
that her real motive was to save me
from destruction and dry-.ot."
you're crazy"
Gross my heart. Do you real
ize, young lady, that you are now
enjoying the distinction of riding
through nice, smelly, pine woods
with Q person who has been invited
politely, mind you, but firmly-to
depart from more good schools than
any other young man of similar age
and lack of discretion?"
"And you're boasting about It'll"
why not? I'm All-American scho-
lastic resigner. Prep schools. Col
leges."