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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1923)
Farrandfs Last Role -g--—^ By Elizabeth Jordan J - •*- "-—■ ■ ■ ■ ■■■ — ■ 1 ■ ■1 - ■ -... “And—wait a moment, my dear— there's just one tiling more!” Seemingly the one thing more was In the untidy uud overcrowded top desk drawer of the chairman of the Lest We Forget committee, for that lady was now urgently disemboweling the drawer in an ole vions search for something. Mrs. Huntington, even her nearest friends conceded, “had no system:” hut they hastened to add that “her way with our poor hoys was simply wonderful." She now brought forth and casu ally dumped on the polished top of the desk an apple, three note books, a large shopping hag, two surplus paper weights, a calendar, an en gagement p el, a brush broom, a small box of pens, a mass of unan swered letters pehl together by i brass clasp, a carton of peppermint tilled chocolates, a check book, an ivory paper cutter, and a leather hound almanac dated two years hack. Among this collection she excitedly fumbled, at first with pathetic hope, then with flsing dlt appointment. . "Now, isn't that odd?'1 she asked l he girl who, having risen to go. had paused at her words and was patiently waiting beside her. "I was postivc my address book was in that drawer, yet I've taken everything out and it isn't there.'' The giri made a suggestion. "Possibly it was crowded back Ir tlie other thing'. May 1 try? ’ She thrust n hand and arm into the far recesses of the drawer and removed them covered with duel , tmt both women disregarded this slight detail. Miss llafTT'>n had also drawn forth a small, red covered book which lie chalnnyt pro* grasped with thf crow of an i xul ant baby, "1 knew it was there!" she boast ed "i always know exactly where ruy things are, though of course l can’t invariably put my fingers on them the instant T want .them • loodhy, dear. Vou’re a heaven »nt "omfort to me. Most of tip other girls seem to have lost all in tercst in our poor boys, now that !h" war is so fir behind us. But 1 feel I have an army with banners when 1 think of you. The way you given your time and you vitality, cot to speak of your money )•* simply’ marvelous." Florence Beldtn, who had humid h«TsrIf at a stationary wash stand tn the corner of her leader’s of fi» turned and smiled affectionate ly. but rather guiltily, as she* dem ocratically dried her hands on th* office towel. Site was more touch* d l . file older woman’s tribute than she *ared to sh**w\ but She felt sh» did not deserve if. She had done • tn*.tiling, of course, but so n >»••' more she could have done had *»• • r; forgotten or postponed. Even a • Mrs. Huntington talked Flore he* had been planning to take ad intage of that lady's absent mind edness, and escaped b< fore th* • hairman remembered what she had meant to ask her to do. The other's praise killed that ignoble Impulse Probably, Florence gloomily reflect ed, it had also killed all her own afternoon pimp "‘There was something else you had in mind for me.*' she reculled to h* r leader, something that made* you look up tic ,.ddi*Ms l»ook. U1 •? wag it?” Oh. of course’ Mrs. Huntington. who had dropped the bock among the nther eviden*-es of a busy life, retrieved <• *igairi with some difficulty ud hastily turned it* pages. “Bet me see,” she mused aloud m she did so. • I've forgotten hi name, but 1 think it begins with »•*. Possibly I will recogniz* if f I se** it M m tn Kagan, Forest French Feeney"—her lips moved a! moat noiselessly as she recited th* long litany of names. Florem■• watched her with full understand ing. Rho knew now the special ger • ice required of her. It was without doubt to take some discouraged, malrned young soldi* r under b* r special wing, to write tu him. to • isit him in the hospital. t«» arrange for outing** and other entertain tc.ents jf he proved physically up to them. She had done a great deal of HU* h work and enjoyed it. Mono time* th» hoys were very Intererd ?g Rhe Imped this one. whose name began with F. would be 111 able and responsive. Occasion ally the poor youngsters who had suf fen d so much had passed the point where the attention of even a beauty and a ladle, such a Finn nc«» Holden,* appealed to them—hut u-m ,»Jiv *h« w * them over in the *nd Ah, here It Is! Far rand—I>;»vid P* u rand Twenty .* * vcn. M m i ^Vtrs. Huntington flashed an down the Farrand record, tu r«*fr«■.*■■*; I * r memory, then gave the result to her companion In a brisk r nn tnary fls has lieep In hospitals ever incr th*- armistice, and 1 would] t chile to tel! you bow many opera tions he has hail. Now, at last, he is getting Iietter. In fact he is al most well, but he can't tic made to realize it. lie is still a little 'hipped.’ I am sure you could help to brace him up. The point is—let me see—what was it that made me pick him out for you? <>h, yes. Hi is from your home town, but everybody seems to have forgotten, him. He hasn't bad a letter or a v.sitor for months " Miss Bolden's delicate eyebrows rose. Her "home town" was the great eastern city upon which she now looked out through the win duws of Mrs. Huntington’s office. She had almost forgotten the small western city of Weyo, where she had been born, where her father had made his millions, and from which he had moved to New York 10 years ago. bringing his motherless daugh ter with him. Since then, though Kb i cin e hud ignored Weyo, Henry Belden had seen to it ihnt Weyo should not forget the.Beldens. He had given It the Belden library in memory of his wife; the BeUbn hospital In memory of his father and mother; Belden park, in mem ory of himself. Once a year ho ^drifted lack for a few days i J duok shooting in the region and a chat with his old friends. be hermits, and-last, yet most im portant of all—they had a garden whose beauty was celebrated by th«' few who saw it. That garden had slept behind high brick walls, and to t he childish imaginations of Weyo it took on infinite romance and mystery from the fact. As a child Florence had dreamed of it by the hojir—of what it held and of the old man and the boy who alone seemed privileged to enter it, The boy had become to her a sort of enchanted prince, held pris oner in the mysterious garden by a magic spell. Yes, indeed, she re Tiicinbt red young Farrand. Ho had been Weyo's most stimulating con tribution to her youthful imagina tion. .She remembered that while she was still at school her father had told her Professor Farrand was tb ad, that his grandson had gone to France and that she had been, oven .ift< r the long fntarval, a little thrilled by this nows of him. She did not realize how long she had b<*tn silent and unhiaring, but sh» caught the tail end of what evi *i ntly. was the peroration of Mrs. Huntington’s address. ‘They say he is very unapproach able—-wants to be left entirely alone, of course, that isn't good for him. ' f I*.s o« n us I heard that he The firm young p.iw of Florence Helilen set n little ns she read the brief document. It eeetm-d clear that K.irranil was ’till as remote as In the past. Ten days had been wasted in the preliminary skirm ishes. It seemed high time fur more direct measures, if he really needed help In returning to the liv ing world. The June ; fternoon was surprisingly hot, but she ordered her motor car and drove forth to make her first call on the recalcit rant young warrior. Her fighting blood was np. Whether Farrand knew it or not, he needed her—he needed her friendship and her help. She would have been less than Intelligent if she had failed to real ize hf'w greatly, since the armistice, hundreds of other In uken and heart sick boys had lienef.tud by lioth. The enchanted prince must lie re leased from his to w prison. Purely 'be could h< lp that good and neces sary work along. .it the hospital she received the lulling welcome which always met her there, on every side. Her boys, she was told, were desperately homesick for her. Thi y had not seen her for almost a fortnight— ‘ quite long enough, one of them pointed out, to undo all tiie good of h«-r previous visit- Miss Bel / have not lied to you," nhe heard him rename. "I never claimed to be Prof. Parrantf* ftrandron Florence had never gone ha* k — i t that her memories of Weyo w< r** pleasant, but because the recent full and wonderful years In N»*>v York were sponging off the j>il« lin I*..*--,.»n of h**r childish <i \ • ■■■• had been a tremendous success in he east. She had developed in a wa> -1 ».it made Henry Bolden’s « • w shine when he thought of it. Sic* was n ; democratic as he wan H •* had ir>sts of friends In every « in i«- of ■ if. Incidentally, aim riU-i h« ■ father absolutely, find wholly with • mi his knowledge. She was not thinking «»f all tl w. Her mind was busy wi»li lh - .me of Farrand. It t in in h« ■ fn< mory like a diatanct but full . neii bell, vibrating pleasantly in the avenue of the years Yin. in • ■ted. she remembered a Km rind ■ wo Farrands. The fir^t h • 1 i• * • f* .slight, stoop shoulder* - ath»-t -wcet facet! old man. a retired pm fessor of chemistry, 11% inn on i i» n •on in a small but charming house on the ouftkirts of ^ eye. The re had been a garden— St %va rath*i strange how* vividly all these detail were returning to her; and lh. .* <1 Farrand was a i i I’-dm. ./ i* in el. Tho boy had been :*w.»> ->t .• hool most of the year, but home in the summers with his gt-inufath i i. lie had been all of lti or F lark Hid large for bin To Florence, whose IJJth Idrthda . was yet to come, he seemed n young man, barely less remote than th* Ic iivcnly b<»dies to which lo r teach ers were urgently beginning to d feet her attention. Si• • had h».nd nueh of him had lien ft .it del 1 . parsing glimpst ■« t.r him h id even dreamed of him. but she 1 **! n«*ver met him. In the summer time when he %%a me, she was often ftb nt, vc t nr schoolmates or ttavcilng with • i father. Am! It .‘li tun 1 • F.irrands kept to thetns< Ives Henv ;ih, how all the details w. ip filling in! Tho old professor had li%cd ..;• i»•* .%.• for a man servant: Fen< 1 d • en.rd no one helnur'ii t<* him • v « ej.i his grandson both »pt»* a,f.,i t. » « .me from Weyo, yi.tir ohl home. I w ax sure you would take an inter • *i in hi.x case," Klon m c banished her crowding n • nmriop. 1 will." Mu* prom'scd Dad will, i*ki. l .mi hup1. Perhaps, in the t on ■ !i’ii*nv d would U well to make lather slowly. I will write him thin afternoon and send hini a t.a*,} 4 f in .i few days Then I’ll mo • i nut to the hospital In a week • r iwn, after he has grown recon lied to Si ting me k’loy. *1* ar. you're mil h x coin bit' ’ Mrs Huntington txhahxl a breath **f relief Thai almost Id* w from In r desk the entire impressive eollee lion upon it. KIoreta'4* r* sejul the lighter artie1»w. r»M»nd them to • im ir own*!*, amt l»*ft th* office. her thought* Htill l.uey with her n* w oii-tege Strange that the breath of i Ole chlidt I roinrinci far it • * a 15 v amounted fo that—should rt *• b.i* k into their hf** after a wit de d‘ i ad* The reflection in . v.ued h« r. Th • af’* i "«.i t . w rote 1»i 1 Karrand a eharmlng not**, incident* ally no ntiouing that they had uric** b*«n fellow citiz* iih of Weyo. A1 most immediately it Iwamo clear hat th** fu« t did n*»i interest him II*- gnored the charming note Hhe had been prepared f*»r this and *f• * i a f« \v 4'• ‘ he \m *• ,r it sending him a larn* package of n* w h« • h •* and magazines. Th* gift brought a formal six lin* r* spcmxe from one of the nurse**. Mr Karraml, Jt appealed. wish* *! to thank Miss Holden t i her imm * f II* wn . not aide to rend mu* h at pi es*'ht. but lat«! h*' lioped t»* be \t . m Held* n sent another letter, with a banket of hothouse frill*. a b*»x of * igarn and th* inevitable *-ig . * i * Is To this Impiasviv* offering th« s.me ntlise rcppoyirii .1 with a X * r 111.*' not« i f ;»• koaxvh dg* ’ • n* .Mr Kftrrnud. h* explain* *1. appro .afed th*- pleasure t he rafts hail i.lvi-11 h « f• 11 - x\ s i ••n‘ at the h"« 'r.d. ilen looked up her protege*, finding them singly in group*. some fill in their hod*, trussed up In • laU.sal* apparatus, oChets stretch* • d out In invalid chair* in reading room* or on the h ug veranda* cir • lls.g the hospital, a f* w hobbling alout tie grounds. When she had g .onung them she sought out her now stanch friend, the h* *d nurse, and sipn •'^'d h* r wish to meet \oui.g Farrand. Tr ♦ an- ere Miss i in ley. w ho had r*ci tl\* human rod und* r. the. chaitn of th»* girl s face and n ann*-r and the real value <f he i will, r» Verted to her for mer aloof personality with a sud • i. nnow Unit amaxeit the caller. “Farrand does n»»t receive via it.irs she briefly announced Florence gazed it her askance. W’hat**\ci the «Jegr< • i*f lor liking f nutmd’i*. . V. patont^wrho « '.titled with Mi** <iic*ie\. If Far i and desired to »*hi a|>r v isitors, «i* clearly w itvhn v\ • . I protni him from them. • I know l it • I« n't \* i ’1 nk ycu • miM pervuadr him to see me*”’ Mbs Hidden's voice held the rajol mg luces of ,i « Isili! lagging sweets ti.ur its nurse. Mi Huntington thought you might. And y l know,” • •» reminded Uo ether W Tnn.U, ! si- had some luck with boy * who t ught they didi t want to meet tranger*. Ile«dd»'*. when it comes t ip. i Mr Karv.md .»! I me not i • ally strnr.g* i >\ \Y* .»•»• from the aloe western t,?y and l have k now a al> »ut Idni »?• . 1 was a little cili.” You h.l v» ° Mi* «ireclev w .is ' I man i gnm "Y**n are Hie only or© v ho •!« * « know, then.” fh** volun* t er» d. ‘lie b our nr-story man M** n* ver talks About hinwlf or his ••Hu* oi 1. *-• p i * exp* ii* ••»**■. All n . )■ . v about him iv hi* arlnv r. cord, which U fine <h«* has half u t] n ih orations', and what is • n Ins ii« >pltal chart? Sin* stop t - !. oh’ oo*d> fo.* a moment'* re* flection, while the * il l *1 f the hoys \s .,ii*it n Mfv tf illx fin the r» ult •*f he! ttUNt |t lot's. "He l-eally ought to b< stirred up a bit,” Miss Greeley suddenly con ceded. "Dr. Brown wart saying so only the other day, and talking about the need of a new influence t j hasten his convalescence Yet if 1 go and ask him to see you, X am sure he won't do it—and you are the one person who could help him, if ary one could," she handsomely ended. Florence dropped her j. • of th* beguiling child and became briskly business-like, addressing tin- Other from the. secure pedestal of past success. "Suppose you take me straight to him and leave me there?" she calm ly submitted, "lie can't do more than order nte out, and 1 don't imagine he will do that. I won't stay more than a f<-w moments this first time—just long enough to break the Ice so I can come again. Where is he?" While the head nui— pondered the suggestion, her men;*] pro cess's being slow when directed outside of their usual prto» Flor ence cheerfully drew her forward in w hat she hoped was th- Jim- of the young man's retreat. * "I suppose you have wheeled him outside somewhere?" she asked. "Yes. We keep them all out as much as we can, of course, though it's really cooler Inside in this un seasonable heat. Who would think It was only the first week in June? But h.- has a pet spot among some tre*s—I think well find him lh- re—" She hud yielded and wa. briskly leading the way. The visitor fol lowed her along the veranda and a' ross a lawn toward a heavy Hump 1 f Im-s and shrubb* ry sonic dis tance away. "There's a little open spot among 'hose *.crgreens,” Miss Greeley ex plairOd. "it is about the size of a -mail room, shaded on three sides, and in front there's a lovely i.% w of the water. That's where Far rand ,'s most « f the t:' M» !ut helped bin self to the place and it has become an under-mod thing that others shaii kc-cp away. Fume times ni stretch cut his rh.ir and he lies there asleep f.-r »hours. Sometimes he sits up ar.d looks out over thi water. When w> pernt-ra* ier him we go and wheel him in. t" • i we forgot him ’ill »upp. r time. t call out or make ary s -n f we .'■ft him there all night. There wa ■ t be am extra chair so v ■ v ll take th s camp stool for r u. Kloren.-e picked up the stool, whose position proved th.it some Am1 ri-'an fighter hail languidly kicked it over as he left it and carried it to the clump of trees, un the edge of these the head nurse halted and peered between the tow bending branches. "He's there," she whispered, and he is sitting up in his chair. Go in quietly so you won’t startle him " Florence endeavored to go ’ in quietly, H"r foot broke a twig ar.d the camp cha: struck a branch and strok-d a protesting his*, but the sib i t figure in the wheel chair ■lid not tuin its hrad Struck by a Midden susid* ion, She jrrt«.-si-d the cha:- stealthily and then turf . d for a straight look at Its occupant. It was a» she had thought. Though the young man w.-i* sitting up he was sound asleep, his head relaxed against a Cushion, one litnp atm and hand hanging at his side, the other hand still clutching the end of a hnen rug that bad sllpi- d from his knees. — Very quietly the \ isitor pla*»d her stool several f* et to the Wt and a litth in front of the wheel chair. Th»n. sitting down, site deliberately studied the sleeping man. It was not quite fair to him. perhaps, hut •h. impulse ftfflt prompted her was friendly, and already her interest in him was strong. Her first impres i*n w is that he was very tall very pale and thin, yet good to look at. Ml* Yj. r was almost black nm* mhc n d that. So were the long « y elfish es that rested on his cheeks. She took in the g. nvru! immaculatc of his appearance He had the h*.*k *? one frenhly shaven. fr*$hly till'd* d, and freshly dressed* The sUh v* v and trousei^ of his uniform w *M. neatly creased. The hospital •di.ri he wore, w ith its open. rolled ha* k collar, w is spoil* ns. As.de from this and the se*ft sltpp* ra on his feet. h* was re-«d> for th* criti cal inspection he wu> u» *onsciou*oy hi !■ r going. His hands wer»> ;up, well sluiped, cold evs ar. 1 painfully • Pin, with admirably oared for r ul? S'. podded slpw ly and with ap pr.o.il She had t« fri* nd« l many Im*> wh*•v'- c ars and nec Ws .;fp| f • m r rail* had one. mad* her stupider She had long since passed that stage of amateur i - A suff* r ng iMid «r was a MifTcrtng f*oldic-r, howi’v r unlove ly hi* appearance, hi- manner*, nr even h • nature. Hut -he was «uh i-.o ’ \ g)a It*' t ■ that thr« p. y i■ f h* J MMch < * lav still