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About The Falls City tribune. (Falls City, Neb.) 1904-191? | View Entire Issue (Jan. 20, 1905)
Y . ) tf . . - - . . . . , . - , ) --to The Chance. - - We CAn't return when all Is ended hero To right the wrongs wo do , to mend \ mistakes ; Wo can't return to dry n slnglo tear Or soothe one heart that for our folly nches. We may not carp , nt last , when nil Is . . done ; . * - 'Vo may not feel or have regret or Bee : I The grave , indeed , may be the end , and none That die may know whae was or Is to be. But If It be not so , It from behind The curtain that death guard wo may look out , How shall It be with them who wake to find The marks of sins that shame them strewn about ? how shall it be with them that sell or make The things that brutalize or strangle bride ? 1Iow shall It bo with them that for the . sake - . . Ot wrongful gains put all but greed 'I aside ? Wo can't return to right the wrongs we do , It , waiting yonder , wo may backward glance ; There' : : a chance that death ends all , . 'th true , . ' ioo-- nut can wo well afford to take the . chance ? I -So E. Kiser In Chicago Rccorll-eIIrnld. : , / IN THE REAL WORLD By LAWRENCE HENRY ( Copyright. 1904 . b" Dally Story rub. Co. ) The next day was to be a momentous _ day In the life of Harmon Carlton. It was to bo New Year's da-a particular New Year's day that he had waited five long years to come. As ho lay back on the soft cushions of an easy chair In his cozy bachelor , apartment , before tile blazing fire or , a cheery grate , he tried to subdue his emotions , but with apparent ill success - - . , , cess , It a spasmodic puffing at a strong black cigar betokened an'thlng. Out- side the wind howled and the grab ! ( , , J light of a winter's day had faded into - l darkness. The room wherein Harmon I sat was lighted only by the erratic fiiclterlngs of the burning coal which sputtered and crackled : on the hlRrth. ; A comfortable place it was on an uncomfortable - comfortable night , for a chap with comfortable thoughts , but what chap could be comfortable with the dread- ful anxiety , the awful doubt of the results of a portentous event on the morrow I Rising aimlessly and with a discon- ! s t I I ' i - I ! - . ' , \ ; . _ 4 . ; "What's going to become of me ? " " i solate shrug the young man wandered to the sideboard. "Hang the old man , " he muttered half aloud , "why couldn't he have done ' ' It like other people ! " Seizing a decanter he brimmed a glass with wine , tossed it off and sank i back again on the cushions. The ; warmth or the liquor seemed to soften his emotions for he continued more lightly. "Well , anyway , ho was n good old fellow , after all , and probably had a right to do as lie pleased " Then suddenly remembering some thing , he burst out Yiolently. "Dllt , JDY God , I love her ! What's going to i - , - r become or me iC the thing doesn't come out right tomorrow , " With this ho completely relapsed into motionless , despondent silence , broken only b- the merry spit and crackle at the playful fire on the hearth , and thus the night worn on into the morning ot the new 'ear. . . $ . . Harmon Carlton might well have been sleepless , the prey at doubt and fears. I-lis was a peculiar case. Some- thing over five years before , his uncle , Stephen Carlton died. At that time Harmon was an orphan , havIng lost his parents when he was fifteen and it devolved upon the uncle to take charge of him. At the time at his unclo's death , Harmon was twenh'- two , having been for seven years almost - most the same as an adopted son of the old man. Stephen Carlton was a bachelor , and though regarded as a trifle eccentric had been one of the most successful business men of the day. He amassed a fortune , reputed to be a million or more , In the iron trade. This enabled him , of course , to give his nephew all the advantages in the way of training , social ambitions and the like , and in no instance was anything done nig- gardlr. . Harmon went through a preparatory school , entered one or the swell east- ern universities and finally finished with as little education as the swag- gerest man In the class. He returned to his unclo's roof , prepared to take on a life of case , as befitted his finish and position as heir to the great wealth of Stephen Carlton. The old man had been so busy with his iron that he had apparently given but superficial attention to his nephew's career up to this time and the latter lead been home several months with- out receiving more than the usual pleasant "Good morning , " from his uncle. One day , however , the old man announced he wished , to have a serious consultation with Harmon , the following morning. That night Stephen Carlton died as I a result oC a sudden attack of heart trouble. When the will was read four days later there was great general surprise for the public and overwhelming disappointment - appointment for Harmon at tile con- tents. Old Stephen seemed to have left everything in the air , as it were. The testament first provided a few inconsequential bequests , then left an annuity of $5,000 a year for five years to his "beloved nephew , Harmon , " the same to cease at the expiration of that period. The balance , which meant practically the whole of his vast es- tate , was placed in the hands of trus- tees to be delivered by them as pro- vided in a sealed document placed in the hands of his attorney , coincident with the making of the wUl. It fur- ther conditioned that the sealed docu- ment should not be opened until New Year's day , five years from the first of January , succeeding the date of his death. On that day , at 10 o'clock in the morning , it was to be opened and read In the presence of his nephew , Harmon. There was nothing to do as far as Harmon was concerned. He swallowed - ed his dIsappointment as a bitter gulp , but decided to make the best of It. Ho could do very well for five years on $5,000 a year , or course not cut a dash , but at the end of that period it would be all right , for surely It must be that bis late uncle's inten- lions were to do the handsome thing and he would receive the bulk or the estate. Ho proceeded to Ihe on this theory. lIe had his attractive cozy bachelor's apartments , occasional delectable lit- tle bohemian dinners , was able to ap- pear decently at functions-all these things the $5,000 per took care oC very nicely. But nevertheless , be realized ho was subject to many handicaps. One at the hardest was the way ho was treated by ambitious mothers with marriageable daughters , or ambitious - tious marriageable daughters , who bad no mothers , in the social set. The ele- ment of doubt In his financial pros- Ilects made him a quandary to them. They tolerated , often encouraged him , I - I but It was only up to n certain point. When an amlahlo friendship with a young lady threatened anything more serious on his part there was a sadden - den scampering of tiny feet , possibly because of stern mamma's appear- anco upon the scene , possibly because of the maiden's own Intuitive sense of practical thIngs. Not that Harmon wasn't an attractive - tivo chap , for ho was one oC the hand- some young men about town , nor was he stupid , either , as his small talk was as clover as the best , but the thing was , what did that sealed document say that lay in the old law'er's vault. Until this was known Harmon was too much of 11. speculation. And so , decent , average well-meaning fellow that ho waR , his lIfo grew into one aimless suspense , spending his income amid waiting-waiting for the Now - . -i/A I-- 1// / / t r , I ? / I I y i II I , - / - ' 76-/- 1 "What ? " she gasped , excitedly. Year's day to come that would malte him really a factor in the set in which ho lived , or cast him out alto- gether. This : waiting became more and more intolerable , nothing else seemed to been on his mind , until at a friend's house one evening , he met a girl , 11. girl that seemed to arouse another interest than he had known before. : Margaret Ba'ne was not exactly a girl-sho was twen1y-three , and she was different , so different , he thought than the frivolous butterflies ' everywhere - where about him. She was as pretty , too , as the butterflies , but there was something more In the clear cut arch- ed lips , the great , serious blue eyes that the others had not got. She seemed to tRIte a fancy to Harmon at once , and he felt something strange going on In his heart when she first spoke to him. As she said , sweetly : "Oh , yes , : Mr. Carlton , I know all about you , " after his name was presented , be was a trifle disconcerted , but snc- ceeded in passing a delightful evening - ing with her On his departure she Invited him to call. That night he slept little , he even forgot the provisions of his uncle's wHl. Two big , serious blue eyes hov- ered over him continually In the darl- ness. When he arose in the morning he knew what was the maller-he was in love. After a little Inquiry ho found out more about : Margaret Ba'ne. She was alone in the world like himself , but had a well.todo aunt , with whom she made her home. Money she possessed but little , just enough to keep ] her from being dependent. Her connec- tions were all the proper thing , and her lineage of the best , but still she was regarded different from the rest of the girls , not eccentric , and how different , no one just seemed to Imow. Of course Harmon called at the first opportunit What did a man of his temperament care , after all , whether she had money or not when his heart was affected ? She received him most graciously , and bo came away more profound } smitten than before. Everything else was now forgotten , and ho laid siege to her heart with all the fervor that heretofore had _ . . _ M. . . . . . _ . _ - ' . ' _ . _ . _ . _ . _ _ _ . . _ _ . _ . . . . " _ . . 1 1I I . . . . lain sleeping In his being. Ho apparently - ently got on fn.mously. While not encouraging - couraging him , she could not help but respond In many instances to the ardency of his omotionR. Ho detected the warmth in her heart , felt sure that she more than lilted him and one night ho proposed When she refused him he was stun- ned. ned.Ho Ho returned to bits lodgings overwhelmed . whelmed , her soft , but earnest words stinging In his ears : "I must have a man who is 11. part oC the real world " In his anguish he cried out : "Sho' only another heartless coquette ! " but then ho remembered bier eyes and they gave the thought the lie. Suddenly - homily he saw it all. 1I0 was yet poor. I Nothing sure , no position , no wealth. She was like the rest. She wanted i position , wealth. It was only human , L na1ural. Why had ho not thought at it before. "I win have her yet ! I will ! have her yet ! " Ho rose exultant. "Uncle Is r going to make tOod. " $ . . . Now Year's day dawned crisp and clear , the most portentous day In the life of Harmon Carlton. At 10 o'clock he sat In the dingy office at Lawyer Calhoun. Intense suppressed anxiety was stamped upon his taco. For hope and despair ho was a play- thing. No miser ever viewed the prospects - pects of wealth or ruin with greater tension. But it was not gold , it was l\fargaret-only Margaret , the stake now to bo decided for Harmon A side door opened and the old lawyer entered , tearing open an envelope - velope containing a legal looking docu- ment. Spreading It out before him In n slow , monbtonows voice ho com- menced to read : "I , Stephen Carlton , being at sound mind , declare thfs to bo the ultimate disposal of my estate. If my nephew , Harmon Carlton , can prove at the time this paper is read , that he Is possessed ' sessed of in his own right $12,500- a 1. e. , one-half of the entire annuity received by him from me , the same to have been the result of his pru' dcnco and foresIght , thun my entire estate is to bo given to him as his own. Per contra , iC the said Harmon , Carlton cannot meet this condition my entire estate Is to go to trustee ! for the establishment of a home for aged men. " Then followed wordy specific pro visions as to how this was to be ac compllshed. Long before the lawyer ceased read. ing Harmon had escaped to the open air. It was all over for him. The numbness of despondency tOok possession ' session of him. He wandered almles& ly about , not knowing or caring where ho went. A perversity unaccountable brought him before the door at the house where Margaret lived. He had not been there since his rejection , Now ho went up and rang the bell , . he did not know why. In the drawing room he saw Mar , gareL Pausing stupidly , ho slowly exclaimed : "Tho old man throw me down. " "What ? " she gasped , oxcitedly. "Unclo's money all goes for a ham for something or other-old mea I believe , " ho continued doggedly. With a cry of joy she clasped him in her arms and kissed him passion. atelr. "Oh , I'm so glad , glad ! Harmon darling , now I will marry you ! " Ho thought ho was dreaming-nOt she was explaining between kisses. "Oh , the nasty money ! Now you can be a man , now you will have pur pose , now you will live in the real world , where they live and work , and I will live and work with you ! Ho comprohended. Ho was loved by a noble woman. HIs soul vibrated with a now born zeal. Pressing her to his heart , his voice trembled with passion and earnestness , as be an- swerecI : "Yes , love , live and work iq the real world. " Poultry Prizes for Queen. Queen Alexandra exhibited eight bantams at a poultry show and 1'0- ceived ten prizes for them from the flattered judges.