University of South Carolina Libraries
JOHN F PROMIf> By EMERSC AUTHOR* of |THE MISSISSIPPI ILLUSTRATIONS by Ra COPYRIGHT 1912 BY EMERSO! SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I?John Raws is born fc? T"Xas. Early In life he shows signs or masterfulness and Inordinate selfishness. CHAPTER II?He marries Laura Johnson. He Is a clerk in a St. Louis railway jcfflce when his daughter Grace is born, xears later he hears Grace's lover, a young engineer named Charles -Halsey,. peak of a scheme to utilize the lost current of electricity. With his usual un eruTTOlousness he armroDriates the Idea ^is o^n and Induces Halsey to perfect ma experimental machine. He forms & company, with himself as president, at ft alary of $100,000 a year, and Halsey as uperintendent of the works at a salary cf $5,ooa MP1 CHAPTER >TT?Rawn takes chMge of the office in Chicago. Virginia Delaware, a beautiful, capable and ambitious young woman, is assigned as his stenographer. 6he assists in picking the furniture and decoration for the princely mansion Rawn has erected. Mrs. Rawn feels out of place In the new surroundings. *. CHAPTER TV?Halsey goes to New Yftrt -with Rawn and Miss Delaware to explain delays in perfecting the new motor to th>9 Impatient directors. He gets a message that a deformed daughter has been born to his wife, Grace Rawn. He returns to Chicago. ^CTTAyTER V?Rawn bargains with Miss Pelaware to wear his-jewelry and appear In public with him. as * means to help him In a business way. I CHAPTER VI?Rawn is fortunate In market speculations, piles up wealth and attains prominence. CHAPTER VII?He frets because his *rife does not rise with him in a socia) way. He gives her a million dollars to leave him. *TER IX?Grace moves to Graynail, and Halsey continues to live in the cottage near the works. CHAPTER X?Halsey's machine proves a success, but he keeps the fact a secret * CHAPTER XI?Virginia Delaware become? more and more indispensible to Rawn. He takes her to New York on a business trip. Idle talk prompts him to offer her marriage. CHAPTER Xn?They are married. Throueh Virginia's tact and ability they ttike a place for themselves in the social world. CHAPTER XIII. Four Being No Company. Happy in his newly-found domestic ' delights, Mr. Rawn waa perhaps more icareless than otherwise he would have fceen regarding business affairs, and Ithat at a time when they needed care. (The truth was that matters still Jagged at the factory, as Rawn ought rto have known. Indeed, he did know: tbpt always his curious helplessness in iregard to Halsey?who alone knew the flast secrets of the most intricate devices of the company's property?conitinued to oppress him. And always Ihere was his wife to console him and to interest him. The distance between Graystone Hall and the factory apparently was becoming greater from month to month. Sometimes Halsey came to visit his wife, but these visits of late ? -a -r XT 1 J*. Decame iewer ana iewer, as tuai i<iuy became more and more discontented, .less and less eager to receive the attentions of him who had so signally (failed to place her where Virginia sat tin power. This alone left Halsey none (too happy himself at the prospect of any of his perfunctory calls; and .moreover, he found himself expected now to be more careful in his attire, tin his conduct about Graystone Hall, fwhere full evening dress tacitly was (desired at dinner, and where an aris tocratic chill was habitual at any -hour; things not customary in Ann Sullivan's household on the factory "side of the city. Not that Halsey ^needed to excite gpcial misgjvings. He was a clean-faced, manly chap, lean, isinewy and strong, and might, save for ihis rather toil-marked hands, have passed for any of the throng of young men who at times came under one pretense or other to visit Mr.?and Mrs.? titawn. . These, in company with Grace, he {one evening found alone, seated on 'the wide gallery that overlooked the tlake front. He did notice then, as ha never before at any tint* had noticed, ,a singular truth?Virginia Rawn's eyes seemed almost reluctant to leave him. He was half her husband's age. Moreover, there was something in the somber slow of his eve. in the occa sional look of his face?rapt, absorbed, remote, pondering on things not made patent to all about him? which held for her ever a stronger fascination. She wondered if things were known in his philosophy no longer reckoned in her own; but which once might have been germane to her as well. She often looked at him. The evening was clear and cool, the lake stirred with no more than a gentle breeze. The silver ladder of the moon's light was flung down across the gently moving waters. The breath of flowers was all about. Calm, ease, assuredness were here. The voice of the hostess was delightfully low and sweet. All things seemed in keeping. Rawn welcomed his son-in-law with his customary largeness of air. "Come on out, Charles," said he, "join us; the evening is pleasant. Won't you have a ciga-r?" He fetched with his own hands the box of weeds?"Take sev eral, my boy, take as many as you like. I give two dollars apiece for those by the box at my club, and you can't beat them in the city o.-* any where else." HpJsey listened almost absent-mlnd {AWN rr^TLinr* ninrfTrM i&m )N HOUGH BUBBLE; 54-40 OR FIGHT .y Walters THOUGH edly, and "FLawn returned to "his 'seat near his wife, a little apart on the gallery. The master of Graystone Hall was intoxicated more than usually this evening with her. She sat now in the dim light, a cool, dainty and beautiful picture, in blue and ivory Duchesse satin and filmy laces, gowned fit for a wedding or a ball, as she always was of an evening at home, with Just a gem gleaming here and there in the occasional glimpse of light which broke through the windows at the back of the gallery as their curtains shifted | in the breeze. At that moment John J Rawn would have been glad to have j - - * - t the entire world snare doxcb ui uigtu s with him. John Rawn. collector?what man on all the North Shore Drive at that moment could claim such surroundings as these? "I thank you, Mr. Rawn," said Halsey, taking a single cigar from the box which his host had placed upon the near-by tabouret. "I think I'll be content with one. I mustn't get into bad habits; I'm afraid Jim Sullivan and I can't afford them at two aonars apieue just yet!" He moted now quietly and dutifully apart toward the end of the gallery where sat a less-resplendent figure, that of his wife, Grace. She had not j risen to meet him. j "Well," said he, as he sank into a seat beside her. "Well, then?" she answered, and ui-ion him a face dour, ine:- j pressive, pasty, almost frowning. "Is that all you have to say to me?' he began later, as he sat smoking. "I haven't had much chance yet," he commented. "No, I should say not! This is the first time you've been here for four weeks! Have you stopped to think of that? You seem to care little enough how I get on!" Halsey paused for a moment before replying. "That hardly se^ms fair to j me." "Why isn't it fair? It's the truth." "Well, I've been busy all the time, as you know. Besides again, when it comes to that, it doesn't seem to me that you've been altogether anxious to have me come." "You talk as though you worked day and night and had nothing else to do." t otinnrtao t prmld pome over YT Viij JL v ww ?? ?every night after dinner?wash the soot and the cinders from me, get out my four-hundred-dollar go-cart, and come over here to call on my wife in my thirty-dollar evening togs, couldn't I? She lives in Graystone Hall. Where do I live? What do I get out of life, when it comes to that, Grace? When I do come here, you begin to * * --L 111 - J J T nag me oerore i gei secueu uuwu. 11 always used to say when I was a young man, that if I ever found myself married to a nagging woman, I'd just quit her!" "What do you mean by that?" she demanded imperiously. Again Halsey was deliberate," al-1-1 niorV?A/3 OO ronlioH * lUUUgU lit; II CHI BIgUCU UC liu ivyuv.. "Pretty mucL what I say, Mrs. Halsey, since you ask me. The truth is, you quit me when I needed you. I have had worry enough from this business at the factory. I don't particularly care to have all other kinds of worry on top of that. You had all this place to fall back on. Your father's taken care of you. But he hasn't taken care of me very well. The fact is, I've been scapegoat about long enough!" j "You seem to have learned the factory ways of talking!" "Yes, I don't know but I am rather plain, and common, and vulgar. It's a little different here?even from Kelly Row, let alone our place on the West Side. I fancy you're getting the North Shore accent, along with other things.?It all only means that we're j that much further apart, Grace. Did you ever stop to think of that?" "I've had time to think of plenty of things," she answered bitterly. "You had plenty of time to think of some of them before you came over here," he rejoined. "You didn't like what your husband could offer you, and you chose something better which your father did offer you. You've quit me, practically. You've not been in our home twice since you came tc live here. I've seen that poor baby of ours only once in a while since you j * ? ' ^ I leit our nome iui~ mis. iw ?c uui been a wife to me. That's the truth about it?I might as well not be married! That comes mighty near being the situation, since you put it up to me to answer." "Then what do you mean?" "The courts would make it a case of desertion, if you force me to say that," answered Halsey. "Now, I don't want to live on this way for ever! I'm a young man, and my career's ahead of me! I've got to choose regarding my life before long! And I'm going to choose. I'm not going to let things run on in this way any further." 'That's what my father always saia: Your career; your life! Where does your wife come in?" "You come in precisely where you say you want to come in, Grace. We get what we earn _in this world. If you leave me and take up a life which 1 I can't share, if you leave my house and don't care for what I can give < you?why there's not much left to talk t about as to where you come in. You come in here. I belong over there." * "You're selfish! All men are, I 1 lL tl uunfc.. "I'm not going to argue about that 1 in the least, Grace, except to say that 1 it's the Rawn half of you that said * that. The Rawn half of you can't see ( anything but its own part of the ^ world. It wasn't the Rawn half of you that I married. You were different, ( then. You're not much like your moth- * er, Grace! And I married the part * of voa that was like your mother. She 1 ; was a good woman, and a good wife.'' 1 "You must not speak of her!" 1 "Oh, yes, I must, and I shall when I like. It's al! in evidence. There's ( the record." He nodded toward the I two dim figures at the other end of * the gallery. "She's very beautiful, yes, ( ! very beautiful!" His eyes lingered on 1 j the figure of Virginia Rawn, faintly -1 outlined, cooi in satin and laces. IITI M li'lm VlOir VA11 OQTT Ollt? U IIAU IV/ j vu uuj tuuw : sneered the wife. "I perceive, my dear, that you two 1 ! love each other very much. But as I was saying, you don't seem to me, ( ; Grace, to be much like your own moth- 1 er?you're more like your stepmother, 5 over there, in some ways. Your mother 1 didn't change. She made good?if you'll let me use some more factory * slang?on the oJd ways, on her own 1 old lines. That's what I call class, * breeding, blood, if you like?just plain 1 North American sincerity and sim- 1 plicity. She didn't pretend, she didn't : try to climb where she knew she 1 couldn^i; go. That's what I call blood!" 1 "Thank you! You're sincere also, at least." ] He seemed not to hear her. He j 1 went on. But you've changed. You dropped me. Your head was turned ' with all this sort of thing. . . . | : Since these things are true, are you 1 coming back to me?" He found him- ' self wrenching his eyes away from the ' cool, dim figure far down the long gallery. 1 She straightened up suddenly, pale. ! ( "Back!?to that? To live in that : hole??" "" ' i i - i /-< res, just DacK 10 mai, uiaw. x?. o all I have to offer you. Just that hole." "I'm not happy here." "Then why do you stay here? Why don't you come back to me?" "Because I couldn't be happy bver there any more, either! -I know It I admit it. It's got me?I couldn't go back to the old ways, the ways we'd have to live. Why can't you come here?why doesn't Pa give us money enough?" ? - - *? iit i I lie turned to ner now graveiy. i suppose it's the pace?yes, it's got you, and a lot of others. But I'm not taking that sort of money Just yet And that doesn't answer my question. I've come over to-night to arrive at some understanding about us two. I want to know where I am. There are going to be changes, one way or another." She turned to him suddenly again. I "What's wrong over at that factory, I Charley?" she asked. "Why haven't f you made good before this? My faWW MS V Vl i<_. h < 1 w ? H' u! haven't Been Bought and Paid For, Myself." ther has been on the point of tearing up things a dozen times! He's sore at you?awfully sore." "Yes? How do you know I haven't I made good?" I "Then why has Pa talked so?" "For the very good reason that he doesn't know any better than to talk that way. He hasn't got any more sense. He didn't talk that way to me." "Then you have got it?you've made Jio/invarv it'll -arnrV UUC UiOtU v J A w Ai ?? V* . "Our machines not only will work, j but have been working," said he calmly. "I haven't seen fit to tell your father. I'm going to tell you, however, that all this was my idea from the first. If I haven't byeen a competent manager, let him get some one more competent. I'll take what I know with * ^ J T'tv* ooirin cr In me m my own uecmr. x .lu aaj n?b ( you, his daughter, that I worked out this idea, myself, and all he did was to get the money in the first place for it. For that reason I call this discovery mine, to do with as I like. I haven't been bought and paid for, myself. I don't want money when it costs too much. I've just begun to understand things lately." "Yes, I've worked it out into prac- I Hnsi fnrm " he concluded, as she sat I silent. "Your father never did and never can. He's got to come to me, to me, right here. Since you drive me to it, I'll just tell you one thing. I've had this whole thing in my own hands for more than eight months! The company doesn't know It, he | doesn't know it, no one knows it. I've ! beea just^ waiting?to see whether 11 \ ^ * , ~ ~ I iad a wjic or not. "You never told? Then you've been j iisloyal, you've been a coward! You j ook his money?" "All right," said Halsey suddenly, ;rim!y, "that's all I need. I see, now. ! know what to do now." "But you didn't tell father!" she *ent on fiercely. "And we all knew iow much has been depending on that 'actory. Weren't we all in that? lidn't we all help, from the very first? Didn't I?" "Yes, you did, you and your mother," said Halsey. "You've had or will lave all you earned. She got divorced - X. ^ t :'rom her husband, you may get enforced from me! It's a fine world, sn't it? We've all been chasing for nore money. Well, here we are! rhere's a couple over there, here's an)ther one here. Fine, isn't It?" "But Charles!" She moved toward lim and laid a hand on his arm. "You ion't stop to reflect on what you are saying! If you have that secret in rour hands, why, don't you see?don't rv/u ? "What do you mean?" "Why, even Pa will have to come :o you! You won't be poor then." "I should say he would have to 3ome to me!" said Charles Halsey slowly. "Yes, I dare say. I dare say, ilso, I could make a lot of money ivhether he did or didn't." "Listen, Charley. He's got every;hing, and he wants everything. He's ny father, but he doesn't care. He? to cnifi me out. What do we owe to lim and her? What did he do to my nother? I tell you, he thinks of no >ne but himself. Yet you and I?we vho found that idea and worked it out, ;vho have it in our own hands now, as rou say?you and I have got the whip n our own hands now, it seems to me." "You talk excellent business sense, Mrs. Halsey. I compliment you. It seems that you begin to discover some;hing in your husband and his possiDilities. It's a trifle late, but you deight me!" "Well. I didn't know, you see," she murmured, pawing at him vaguely, in i fitful and inefficient essay at some coquettish art, grotesque in these coniitions. (TO BE CONTINUED). The N Capital i EV: . \ I ?u5 V 1-^VF t,lh; step tow man has account, increase) - ? a?A * liability greatest one. I I Pan iuc yon i Four Per JAS. McINTOSH, I | Stiff Joints | Sprains, BruisesI I are relieved at once by an applica- I J-!-- -f CI T : rinn'f I uon ui oiuctii a uiiiui^iu. rub, just lay on lightly. 44 Sloan's Liniinant has done more good than anything I have ever tried tor stiff joints. I got my hand hurt so badly that I had to stop work right in the busiest time of the year. 1 thought at first thu- I would have to have my hand taken off, but I got a bottle of Sloan's Liniment and cured my hand." Wilton Wheeleb, Morris, Ala. for Broken Sinews G. G. Jones, Baldwin, L. I., writes : ?"I used Sloan's Liniment for broken sinews above the knee cap caused by a fail and to my great satislaction was able to resume work in less than three weeks after the accident." SLOANS LINIMENT (Fine for Sprain Me. Henry A. Voehl, 84 Somerset I St., Plainfield, N. J., writes : ? "A I friend sprained his ankle so badly I that it went black. He laughed when I I told him that I would have him out I in a week. I applied Sloan's Liniment I and in four days he was working and I said Sloan's was a right good Lini- I Price 25c., 50c., and $1.00 t} f ft?-V Sloan's Book Truth has its use, but it often happens that a poor story dealing with fact may be greatly improved with a little fiction. ewberry Savings Stock, , - $50 IKY DULL I YOU PUT I THE BA Wj SLTI? F NCT H ; if KjrjL \ \A SL JL1 Ithe wi pbetween A i>? nn r% ? ?ri 1 Al>X?fiSll ,Copyright 1900,byCI Zlramrmaa C0.~K0.fi3 Jfa KY dollar you i j bank means ar 1 W ^ o?? ara success, nu su ; ever been without ; A bank account d prestige and a sens and security, well w< effort in order to I- TL.U A1 Hoc The li llkti tunajo tiao im Cent Interest Paid on Savings President J. t NO! nHHBHHBIIHHnBHBHBIBI ra WEN Is Easy to Have, Natural Colored and Beautiful So many women have grey or faded hair; neglect it until it becomes thin, dry and lifeless, begins to fall out and . makes them appear much older than ' they really are. If your hair is in this condition get a bottle of Hay's Hair Meaun ioa .y. uon i wait uuui ?ome one says how much older you look. You'll be delighted at the results from even one or two applications. The grey hairs gradually dis- ?k appear and your hair will become full of life and vitality. No one can tell V tnat you are using it. us not a aye but a nice, clean preparation that 41 quickly and effectively keeps your grey hair dark, glossy and natural colored and that all druggists guarantee satisfactory or refund your money. Always ask for Hay's Hair Health. It never fails. Free: Sign this adv. and take it to the following druggists and get a 50c. bot- i tie of Hay's Hair Health and a 25c. . cake of Harfina Soap, for 50c.; or $1.00 bottle of Hay's Hair Health and two 19 ?5c. cakes of Harfin^ Soap Free, for $1? II Gilder & Weeks j Best Known Congh Bemedy. ? - I For orty-tnree years ur. jvms New Discovery has been known throughout the world as the most reliable cough remedy. Over three million bottles were used last year. Isn't , this proof? It will get rid of your cough, or we will refund your money, i J. J. Owens, of Allendale, S. C., writes the way hundreds of others have done, 1 " ' " T T\i? Alter iweuty yeaio, x nuu. wai ? m King's New Discovery is the best rem- , edy for coughs and colds that I have % ever used." For coughs or colds and all throat and lung troubles, it has no equal. 50c and $1.00 at all druggist* ^ . ! i ; {g <> '^'rSSL ssg ill I Bank 1,000.00 4R~ IN i i NK % [ENS ] LLL YOU 1 T < : j I b*?* ??? jut in ? lother - M ccessful j^l a bank flj means ^ e of re- ^ I >rth the j 1 armiirp "j J -w ! money i i Deposits I RWOOD, Cashier j JJBu