Colony Courier (Colony, Okla.), Vol. 5, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 23, 1913 Page: 3 of 6
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COLONY, OKLA.. COURIER
FRAN
BY
SLUMS OF EDINBURG
Canyon-Like Streets in the
Poorer Quarters.
m\ JOHN BEECKENKIDGE ELLIS
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SYNOPSIS.
Fran arrives at Hamilton Gregory's
nonu* in Littleburfe, but finds him absent
conducting the choir at a camp meeting..
She repairs thither in search of him-
laughs during the service and is asked to
leave. Abbott Ashton, superintendent of
schools, escorts Fran from tlie tent. He
tells her Gregory is a wealthy man.
deeply interested in charity work, and a
pillar of the church. Ashton becomes
greatly interested in Fran and while tak-
ing leave of her, holds her hand and is
seen by Sapphlra Clinton, sister of Rob-
ert Clinton, chairman of the school board.
Fran tells Gregory she wants a home
with him. Grace Noir, Gregory’s private
secretary, takes a violent dislike to Fran
and advises her to go away at once.
Fran hints at a twenty-year-old secret,
.and Gregory in agitation asks Grace to
.leave the room. Fran relates the story
of how Gregory married a young girl at
’Springfield while attending college and
then deserted her. Fran is the child of
that marriage. Gregory had married his
present wife three years before the death
of Fran’s mother. Fran takes a liking to
iMrs. Gregory. Gregory explains that
Fran Is the daughter of a very dear friend
who is dead. Fran agrees to the story.
Mrs. Gregory insists on her making her
home with them and takes her to her
arms. Fran declares the secretary must
go. Grace begins nagging tactics in an
effort to drive Fran from the Gregory
home. Abbott, while taking a walk alone
at midnight, finds Fran on a bridge tell-
ing her fortune by cards. She tells Ab-
bott that she is the famous lion tamer.
Fran Nonpareil. She tired of circus life
and sought a home. Grace tells of see-
ing Fran come home after midnight with
a man. She guesses part of the story
and surprises the rest from Abbott. She
decides to ask Bob Clinton to go
Springfield to Investigate Fran’s story
Fran enlists Abbott in her battle against
Grace. Fran offers her services to Greg-
ory as secretary during the temporary
absence of Grace. The latter, hearing of
Fran’s purpose, returns and interrupts a
touching scene between father and
daughter. • Grace tells Gregory she in
tends to marry Clinton and quit his serv
ice. He declares that he cannot continue
his work without her. Carried away by
passion, he takes her in his arms. Fran
walks in on them, and declares that
Grace must leave the house at once. To
Gregory’s consternation he learns of
■Clinton’s mission to Springfield. Clinton
returns from Springfield and, at Fran’s re-
quest, Ashton urgest hlrp not to disclose
what he has learned. On Abbott’s assur-
ance that Grace will leave Gregory at once,
Clinton agrees to keep silent. Driven in-
to a corner by the threat of exposure,
Gregory is forced to dismiss Grace.
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ILLUSTRATIONS BY'
O • IKWBST • MYEK5
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CHAPTER XVIII.—Continued.
"All? You can prove sho’s ni
fraud?”
“My pockets are full of proofs,
Robert exclaimed, looking significant-
ly at Gregory.
"Dear Fran!" murmured Mrs. Greg-
ory with a sweet smile of reminis-
cence.
"Abbott," Mr. Gregory gasped, an he
began to realize the compromise that
was offered, "you have always been
my friend—and you have been Inter-
ested' In my charities—you know how
Important my secretary Is to my work
It Is true that I did wrong, years ago
—very wrong—It is true that I bitter-
ly—what shall I say?—antagonized the
Interests at Springfield. But that was
long ago. Am I to be punished now-
"Mr. Gregory," said Abbott, clearly
and forcibly, “I have nothing to do
with any punishment, I have nothing
to do with demanding the release of
your secretary. I am a mere agent
of the Interests, sent to you to demand
that your secretary be dismissed tri
the morning; and if you cannot see
your way to promise mo now that you
will dismiss her, my office Is ended.
If you can promise to send her away,
I give you my word the transactions’
shall be forever hushed up, so far as
we are concerned. If you cannot prom-
las, all will be revealed at once ”
“In Just ten minutes,” said Robert
Clinton, consulting his watch.
Grace stood looking at Gregory ns If
turned to stone. She had listened in-
these men we cannot go on with our
work, without her.”
Not for worlds would Mrs. Gregory
have betrayed her eagerness for Grace
to go, but for no consideration would
she have asked her to stay. "Mr.
Gregory,” she responded, “I cannot
conceive of your being in the power of
business Interests to such an extent
as to drive you to anything that seems
like taking your heart’s blood.”
"I refuse!” cried Gregory, again.
“Of course I refuse.”
’Very well," said Abbott, turning.
“But what dre you going to do?”
Gregory asked shrinkingly.
“I shall go now; my endeavor to
straighten out things—or rather to
keep everything peaceful and forgot-
ten comes to nothing, it seems. Good
evening, Mrs. Gregory."
But wait! Wait! Let us discuss
this alone—”
It Is useless now, for the time has
expired.”
"That’s right,” Clinton
clicking to hits watch.
“And all of It Is going to be told?
Everything?"
Unless you will dismiss your sec-
retary.”
hope. Whatever happened—he was I
about to see Grave Noir once more.
confirmed,
CHAPTER XIX.
The First Victory.
When Grace re-entered the parlor
to find Hamilton Gregory alone, her
eyes were full of reproach without
tenderness. As she came struight
toward him, an open letter In her
hand, his body grew erect, and his
brown eyes, losing their glazed light,
burned from the depths.
“Read it,” Grace said, in a thin
brittle voice. ,
In taking the letter. Gregory touched
her hand. With recaptured alertness,
he held the missive to the light, and
read:
"My Dear Miss Noir:
’’This is to officially offer you the
position of bookkeeper at my grocery
store, now that Hamilton Gregory has
decided to make Fran his secretary
Come over early in the morning and
everything will be arranged to your
satisfaction. I am,
ROBERT CLINTON.'
. Gregory looked up, and marked
But you Insult Miss Grace to speak | the fixedness of her gaze. It seemed
in that way. Good heavens, Abbott,
say
"In Just Ten Minutes."
tently to every word as It fell from
Abbott’s lips, but not once had she
turned her head to look at him.
“You are cruel," Gregory Bared out,
“you are heartless. If I send away
the only one who la In perfect knowl-
edge and sympathy with my work_"
"Then you refuse?”
“Of course I refuse. I'll not permit
the work of years to perish beenuse
of an unreasonable and preposterous
demand. You wouldn't exchange ybur
position here for Bob’s grocery, would
lugly.
"Yea—If you dismiss mo," Grace an-
you, Miss Grace?” he ended appeul-
awurud, her eyes smoldering,
’ Lucy”—Gregory was almost beside
himself—“tell her she must stay—tall
what are you doing? How can you
insult that—the best woman in the
world?”
There was a moment’s silence. Then
Mrs. Gregory turned to her husband
and said quietly, "If Miss Noir is the
best woman in the world, you should
be the last man In the world to
so.”
He covered his face with his hands.
“Everybody has turned against me,”
he complained. “I am the most miser-
able man on earth because for mere
caprice, for mere spite, for no earthly
good, it is the determination of people
who have lost positions and the like,
to drive me wild.”
Robert Clinton thumped the keys of
the piano with one hand.
Why, hello, Mr. Bob!” cried Fran,
dancing into the room. “So you’re
back, are you?" She shook bands
breezily.
“Come back, Abbott, come back!”
called Gregory, discovering that the
young man was Indeed going. "You
know what I must do, if you drive
me to the wall. I am obliged to do
what you say. State the condition
again If you have the courage to say
It aloud.”
"The past will be forgotten," said
Abbott solemnly, “If you give your
word that your secretary shall go In
the morning."
And you’ll take me In her place.”
spoke up Fran decidedly.
The time Is up,” said Clinton harsh-
ly. '"It’s too late
tell—"
“I promise, I promise!" Gregory
cried out, in an agony of fear. "I
promise. Yes, I’ll dismiss her. Yes,
she Bhall go! Yes, let Fran have the
place.”
Do I understand you to dismiss
me, Mr. Gregory?” asked Grace, in a
low concentrated tone, leaning slight-
forward.
Fran turned on the lights to their
fullest extent, and looked about with
an elfish smile.
Hamilton Gregory was mute.
"I have your promise." said Abbott,
bowing gravely. “That’s enough."
“Yes,” groaned Gregory, "but It Is
Infamous." *
Fran looked at Abbott Inscrutably.
"Third time's the charm,” she said In
a whisper. "I’m proud of you this
time, Abbott."
(COPYRIGHT 1912
BOBB5-MEPeiLL CO.)
‘ Grace, you have read my heart, I
1 have rend yours; we thought we could
I associate in safety, ufter that—but 1
am weak. You never come into the
room that I am not thrilled with rap-
ture. Life hasn't any brightness for
mo except your presence. What cau I
do but protect you?”
“Mr. Gregory, Fran hasn’t any in-
terest in your work.”
1 love you, Gvace—I adore you.
Beautiful darling—don't you see you
must go away because you are so in-
expressibly precious to me? That’s
why I mustn't have you under my
roof. He sank upon his knees and
caught her hand. “See me at your
feet—should this thing be?”
(■race coldly withdrew her hand.
"In spite of all you say, you have en-
gaged Fran in my place.”
"No one can take your place, dear."
Grace's voice suddenly vibrated:
“You tell me you love me, yet you
agree to hire that woman, in my
place—the woman I hate, I tell you;
yes, the spy, the enemy of this home."
“Yes, Grace, I do tell you that I
love you— would 1 be kneeling here
worshiping you, otherwise? And what
Is more, you know that you love me—
you know It. That’s why I must qend
you away.”
Then send Fran away, when
send me away.”
Oh, my God, If I cduld!” he ex-
claimed, starting up wildly. “But you
Blble.„ I can’t do that,
and I can’t help you.”
Why Is It Impossible? Must' you
treat better the daughter of an old
college friend, than the woman you
say you love? What are those myste-
rious Springfield Interests?”
“—And you are the woman who
loves me!” Gregory Interrupted quick-
ly. "Say It. Grace! Tell me you iovt
me before you go away—Just those
three words before I sink back Into
my lonely despair. We will nevet be
alone together in this life—tell me,
then, that you love me—let me I ear
those words from your beautiful
lips—"
“It makes me laugh!” Grace cried
out In wrath that could not be con-
trolled, "to hear you speak of love
lu one breath and of Fran in the next
Maybe some day you’ll speak both In
the same breath! Yes, I will go and
you can hire Fran.”
"But won’t you tell me goodby?’ he
on this eternity. Well—keep your
Fran! It’B fortunate for mo that I
have one friend.” She snatched up
the open letter, and hurried toward
the door.
“Grace!” Gregory followed her
Imploringly, "not Bob Clinton! Hear
me, Grace, if you ever marrry that
man, 1 shall kill myself.”
She laughed scornfully ns she
snatched open the door.
"Grace, I tel! you that Fran—”
"Yes!" exclaimed the other, her
voice trembling with concentrated an-
ger, “lot that be the last word between
us. for it is that, and that only which
separates us. Yes—that Fran!"
City Is Not Without Beauty—Princess
Street Said to Be Most Impres-
sive of Any Thoroughfare
in Europe.
CHAPTER XX.
ngo
you
now, for I shall
Her Hand.
to call upon him to avenge an Insult.
He could only bluster, “Who brought
this thing here?” He flung the note
upon the table.
"A messenger.” Grace’s took did
not waver.
“The Impudence!” he exclaimed.
“The affront!
“However,” said Grace, "I presume
It is final that I am dismissed?”
“But his unseemly haste in sending
this note—it’s infamous, that'B what I
call it, infamous!”
“And you mean to take Fran in my
place, do you not?"
"You see," Gregory explained, "Bob
Clinton came back to town this even-
ing from Springfield, you understand,
and Abbott came with him—er—and
Mrs. Gregory was In the room so they
could not speak exactly openly, and
Abbott made the condition—I can
hardly explain so delicate an afTair of
—of business—but you see, Bob is evi
dently very much In love with you,
and he has It in bis power to do
mand—" f
Grace calmly waited tor the other
nr.™ . ... ,. ^ | t0 lapse *nto uncertain silence, then
e<!_w,th.c<?,d d,Kn,ty- and | said, “This note tells me definitely
that I am offered another position, but
you tell me nothing. It was I who |
sent Mr. Clinton to Springfield to look
into the private record of that Fran."
“You see,” Gregory explained, “he |
was afraid I riight think It presumptu-
ous of him to do that. It was like I
ftwirwav-riiu ------ I doubting my word, so he came to me-
nu,-,, ,0re*0fY ha«l melted however, he Is back and there Is noth-
He Sank Upon HIs Knees and Caught | complete mlster°of “y
you.
Fjjan shall be sent unceremoniously
about her business. I fancy Abbott
Ashton wants to marry her—let him
take her away. Then she will be
gone. Then my—er—duty—to friend-
ship will be fulfilled. And If you will
come back again then, we might be
happy together, after all.”
She stamped her foot violently.
"This need not be. and you know It.
You speak of being master of your^
self. Wliat do you mean? I already
know you love me. What Is there to
hide?”
“But others would see. Others
would Buspect. Others would betray.
Good heavens, Grace, all my life has
been made horribly miserable because
I’ve always had to be considering what
others would think and do!”
"Betray? What Is there to betray?
Nothing. You are what you have al-
ways been, and so am I. We didn’t
commit a crime in speaking the truth
for once—you are sending me away
forever, and yet you try to temporize
The Enemy Triumphs.
Old Mrs. Jefferson would long
have struck a blow against Grace Noir
had she not recognized the fact that
when one like Grace wears the helmet
of beauty and breastplate of youth, the
darts of the very angles of Justice,
who are neither beautiful nor young,
are turned aside. Helplessly Mrs. Jef-
ferson had watched and waited and
now, behold! there was no more Drag-
on. Fran had said she would do It—
nothing could have exceeded the con-
fidence of the old lady to the new sec-
retary.
Mrs. Gregory’s sense of relief was
not so profound as her mother’s, be-
cause she could not think of Grace’s
absence except as a reprieve. Surely
she would return—but the present was
to be placidly enjoyed. Grace Was
gone. Mrs. Gregory’s smile once more
reminded Fran of the other’s half-for-
gotten youth. When a board has lain
too long on the ground, one finds, on
its removal, that the grass is withered;
all the same, the grass feels the sun-
shine. '
Fran thanked herself that Grace was
no longer silhouetted against the hori-
zon, and Gregory, remarking this atti-
tude of self-congratulation, was thrown
more than ever out of sympathy with
his daughter. Fran was indefatlgabls
In her duties as secretary, but her
father felt that It was not the same.
She could turn out an Immense
amount of work because she was
strong and playing for high stakes—
but she did not have Grace’s method-
ical ways—one never knew how Fran
would do anything, only that she would
do it. Grace was all method, but more
than that she was as Gregory phrased
It to hlmBelf—she was all Grace.
Gregory missed her every minute of
the day, and the harder Fran tried to
fill her place, the more he resented It.
Fran was separated from his sympa-
thies by the chasm In his own soul.
The time came when Gregory felt
that he must see Grace again and be
alone with her. At first, he had
thought they must not meet apart
from the world; but by the end of
the week, he waB wondering what ex-
cuse he could offer to Induce her to
meet him—not at Miss Sapphire's,
where she now boarded, not at the
grocery where Bob waB always hover-
ing about—but Bomewhere remote,
somewhere safe, where they might
talk about—but he had no Idea of the
conversation that might ensue; there
was nothing definite In anything save
his fixed thought of ljelng with her.
As to any harm, there could be none.
He had so long regarded Grace as the
best woman In the world, that even
after the day of kisses, his mind con-
tinued In Us Inertia of faith—even the
gravitation of material facts Was un>
able to check its sublime course.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Edinburgh.—Edinburgh has slums
/hat look and smell the thing they are.
There is something not only forbid-
ding, but almost threatening in the
canyon-like streets of the poorer quar-
ter, with their huge grim tenementa
built of uncompromising stone and
rising high above the sunless streets.
One meets on the Old North bridge,
which spans the gulf between two
high portions of the town, pale-faced
women hooded in their shawls, and
bearing In their faces the marks of
poverty, hard usage and vice. One
sees also on that historic bridge, how-
ever, many a lovely girlish face, many
u daughter of the people such as in-
spired some of Burns’ finest love
songs. The lund is manifestly full of
native vigor, and the commonfolk
show the desclpline of the struggle
that they and their ancestors have
long waged with a thin soil, a dif-
ficult topography and a climate some-
what niggardly of sunlight and
warmth.
Edinburgh still deserves its ancient
name of Auld Reekie, and between its
boldly magnificent topography, Its
self-gonerated smoke, its stormy
skies, and Its frowning and monumen-
tal architecture, it has a sort of
grandeur hard to match in other and
gayer cities. llolyrood is surely a
pluln enough royal residence, but
where In any other town is there so
nobly and almost Insolently dominant
a pile as Edkiburgh castle. It gives
the final touch of something like
domesticity to that aloof and high-
set mass of gloomy architecture to
Bee at night the gleam of lights
through a few of Its long, Blitted win-
dows. Nothing can be finer than the
sudden hole» of after-sunset bright-
ness that appear In the stormy skies '
of Edinburgh on summer evenings.
These aspects of the sky suggest
In the Canon gate.
moved slowly toward the hall door.
Fran slipped between Clinton and
the piano, and began to play softly,
carelessly with one hand, while she
watched the retreating figure.
In a very short time, Gregory found
himself alone In the parlor. Abbott
and Clinton had withdrawn rather
away unobtrusively, and Fran, last of
all, had given the piano a final bang,
and darted out of the house.
Gregory stood pale and miserable.
It seemed as If all the world had do-
sei-tod him. The feature without
Grace would be as dreary as now
seemed his past with Fran’s mother.
He suffered horribly. Was suffering
all that life had left for him? Per-
haps he was reaping—but is there no
end to the harvest? One sows In so
brief a time; Is the garnering eternal?
absolutely nothing to
girl Is no lin-
ing to reveal,
reveal.”
"Is he sure that the
postor?”
"He knows she Isn’t HIs pockets
are full of proofs. I know you sent
Bob on my account, Grace, but alas!
Fran la a reality—she can’t be dis-
missed.”
"It seems I can be. But of course
I am nothing."
"Grace, you are everything."
She laughed. "Everything! At the
HISTORIC SPOT IS UNMARKED
Location of Nation’s First Whits
Houss, In Philadelphia, Known,
but That Is All.
VotcMsom^^Hl ,hK !“ °Url,0U#’ word of ttn Abbott Ashton, a disgraced
^?encraBnddd«r|,l,*-0™n°n'I ^ make m° Ul8, lha”
the nnnn ' °r,e*ory T""1 to I He cr,ed out Impetuously, "Shall I
on the .111 ’ d e^ned hoav,ly t,,n y°u why *0 must part?”
on the sill, taking great breaths, star-
ing dully.
Footsteps wers heard again. They
were near by. They stopped at the
door—they were hers. Gregory start-
ed up with a low cry of reanimated
Orace returned with a somber look,
"So Fran la to have my place!"
Gregory Interposed passionately, "It
Is because I love you."
“So Fran Is to bs your secretary t”
•he persisted.
Excepting for a few months, Wash-
ington lived In Philadelphia during
his entire administrations as presi-
dent of the United States, and John
Adams did likewise during his term.
There was uo White House, but a
brick house, and, as quite generally
known, It stood on the south side of
Market street between Fifth and
Sixth streets. The house Itself long
since disappeared, and It seems
strange that Philadelphia has nover
taken tho trouble to make In a suit-
able way tho spot whore the nation's
executive mansion stood when occcu-
pled by the Father of Ills Country.
When Washington came to Phila-
delphia to attend the continental con-
gress before taking command of ths
army, he lived In the swellest board-
ing house In the city. It was kept by
Mrs. TrUte, at the south weet corner
of Fifth and Market streets. But
while more fashionable, the house has
been far less famous than the hore
modest one, two blocks farther west,
at the southwest corner of Seventh
and Market streets. It was In the lat-
ter that Jefferson boarded, and on
the second floor, corner room, In
which he wrote the Declaration of In-
dependence.
According to John Adams, who
could have qualified as chief gossip
at any quilting party, Philadelphia
was then away ahead of Boston and
New York as a fashionable center.
The great patriot told his Impressions
In those voluminous letters to his
wife. He was quite awed by tho lo-
cal splendor.—Philadelphia Ledger.
lothlng less majestic than a MUtonlo
war of the heavenly hosts.
It has been said that Princes street
}f Edinburgh ie the most Impressive
n Europe, and if any ouch assertion
's to be accepted It owes its truth not
(o much to the highway Itself and Its
buildings and monuments as fo the
imazlng topography of Edinburgh,
tome of whose noblest features lend a
?ort of awful dignity and splendor to
Princes street. The marvelous view
Jf the castle and Its slopes would
alone give Princes street the highest
distinction, and the castle and Its
steep constitute only one of several
noble eminences within view. The
oroad gardens, too, are rich and love-
'y. and there are fine old historic
structures along the highway, while
:he Scott Memorial really does not
ook like a church engulfed by an
earthquake with its steeple still above
{round. As a matter of fact the
monument, with that amiable and
itudlous seated statue of Sir Walter
let within, Is a dignified and beautl-
’ul thing, even though it has to vie
with the austere and awful steep
erowned with the vast and wandering
pile of Edinburgh caBtle.
HEARSE BREAKS IN DESERT
Work for Msn and Woman.
After all, you know, there Is room
for both men aud women In this
world. Men have their work to do
and women have theirs. It Is the
woman's work to provide for the Inner
man and It Is the man’s to provide for
the outer woman.
While Driver Went on Companion
Keeps Off Animals With Fires Un-
til Conveyance Is Rspalrad.
Suit Lake City.—The motor hearse
containing the body of Michael Moran
of Sun Diego, which is being taken
overland from San Diego to Salt Lake,
■tailed in Skull Valley, 90 miles west
of here. William A. Peck of Los An-
gles, who Is driving the hearso, said
he was compelled to leave the ma-
chine where it stalled. The rough
roads broke the springs and tore the
tires. The body was left In the care
3f F. H. Hatnbley of San Diego, who
>■ accompanying It. Hambley
pitched camp beside the hearse, aud
Kept the desert animals away at
night with q huge camp lire,
Chicken Bone Causes Pneumonia.
Trenton, N. J.—A chuck bone which
odged In the throat of Solomon Pa-
pier, nine months ago, pierced his
oronchlul tubes and resulted In pneu-
monia, which caused his death. Alt
sfforts to remove the bone hod falleg.
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Seger, Neatha H. Colony Courier (Colony, Okla.), Vol. 5, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 23, 1913, newspaper, October 23, 1913; Colony, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc942318/m1/3/: accessed April 26, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.