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Show RUSH FORWEALTH Broker's Failure in Business Leads to Happiness Through Strange Inheritance. By GERTRUDE MARY SHERIDAN. Warren Talcott took a last look at the long counting room that had once been his, but was so no longer. Some men were erasing the sign, "Talcott & Co., Stocks and Bonds," from the glittering plate glass windows. He passed the elevator starter, who halted halt-ed him by gently catching his arm. "I've heard of it, Mr. Talcott," he said, his voice quivering. "Sir, my wife didn't sleep all night over it-She it-She says there's a room for you under un-der the roof you helped us save all your life long, If you'll take it." "Thank you," nodded the broker. "Tell your wife it's such people as you that make a man think there's some good in the world." Men turned and noted the tall, graceful figure as Talcott passed. There was always something royal In his bearing. Even with "Failure" written that day against his business career, a dauntless courage showed In his kindly, steady eye. A bootblack whom he had started In business ran after him, winning the ever indulgent smile of the generous broker. "Mr. Talcott," he said hurriedly, "I've got a savings bank book that says three hundred dollars. I want to loan It out, you see " "I see you are a good, loyal friend," Interrupted Talcott, placing a gentle hand on the shoulder of the grateful cripple. The speaker walked rapidly from the business center. Finally he sought the most secluded corner of an humble restaurant and sat down to think. Frame and face relaxed as he drew out his pocket book. It contained only a few dollars, all that was left of a magnificent fortune. His mind ran back over the past few months. He recalled the warning of his doctor overwork. He remembered how he had one day given a wrong order. Another An-other when the floor of the stock exchange ex-change had gone all black before him, md he had made a confused error in business judgment and lost over two "You Are Almost Rich Again." hundred thousand dollars. Then the verdict of the doctor, nervous collapse, col-lapse, and now the crash. Anyhow, he had paid dollar for dollar. dol-lar. He tried to think of hard work, ' a constitution rebuilt, but never again i the mad rush for wealth, holding in I the end only bitter dust and blight. I Talcott had brought half a dozen ; letters from the office. He opened them in turn. Five were of no conse- quence. The last one startled him. It I announced that an old pensioner of his, James Gregory, living in another city, had died leaving him his entire estate "apply at once to Dockkery & Bates, attorneys." Twenty-four, hours later the senior member of that firm escorted the broker to a secluded city court. In the center of a vacant lot stood a large covered wagon. It had windows like a house and was divided Into ' three living compartments. Seafed 1 on the grass reading from school books were three small boys. Near by was a young lady of about eighteen. She was sosving and four little girls were copying her industry. "Mr. Gregory has left you two horses and that wagon, with all hands Included," said the lawyer, grimly. "In addition, here is the deed already recorded re-corded in your name, to a six hundred and forty acre tract of wild land a hundred miles from here, up near the pineries." "And this Ik my legacy!" Murmured the perplexed Talcott. "Exactly. M1es Gregory will explain the details," and the lawyer left him. Talcott advanced towards the young lady and introduced himself. He fancied he had never seen so kindly tnd peaceful a face. Her blmple story was soon told. Her dead father, fa-ther, an eccentric, had taken in charge, gradually, Eom homeless orphans. For them and herself he had worked, traveling about the country In the wagon and doing odd jobs as a tinker. When the broker asked her as to her plans for the future, she only looked helplessly and pathetically at him. Warren Talcott did some thinking-Then, thinking-Then, as If he had suddenly and refreshingly re-freshingly come to the threshold of an odd, new, inspiring life, he realized that his pensioner had made him his legatee, confident that his old friend would work out the problem aright. They talked for over an hour. Bluntly Blunt-ly Talcott told of his real situation. He suggested a plan. He needed rest, a change, the doctors had said. Here it was, ready made to order. They would go to "the farm," as he called it. It was their only tangible inheritance. He went away for a time, sold his watch and other jewelry, jewel-ry, handed a roll of bills to Miss Gregory, and said: "There is room for me with the boys. You must be the purse bearer and housekeeper. The motive of your father's life was to save these poor little outcasts. It is a noble purpose. I shall try to continue his plan." Talcott went to sleep that night feeling the great load of a broken past lifted from his mind. The odd, the new, the unknown life attracted him. He awoke with a headache the next morning. The reaction had come. By noon he had a fever, by nightfall he was delirious. For him the next twenty days were a blank. He awoke to find himself, weak and emaciated, lying on a bed in the boys' end of the wagon. He glanced from the window. As far as his eyes could reach was a level emerald stretch grass, flowers, trees everywhere. Outside two of the boys were carrying carry-ing a pail of water. They passed out of sight around to the other side of the wagon. From that direction there came the clang clang of metal sounds. Talcott tried to arise. He sank back weakly with a groan. Instantly In-stantly from the wagon living room a light form came Into view. It was Miss Gregory. Wonder-eyed and grateful; Talcott learned how the brave little woman had nursed him, had carried out the plan of the journey to "the farm." Here they were, the children industri- . ous and happy, and oh! such grand fortune, and her eyes danced aa she told him of it. "A railroad Is building right through your section," she explained, "and the wagon stands on the new town site. A man has been here daily to see you about selling him some of the property." The man. appeared next day". He looked Talcott over shrewdly. Then he said: "I see you are a keen business man, eo I'll talk sense. I am a land speculator. specula-tor. I'll give you ten thousand dollars dol-lars for a quarter section, and fifty per cent, of what I make on another quarter section selling town lots." "You mean," replied the broker, gently, "twenty thousand dollars and seventy-five per cent" "I guess I've figured wrong," said the speculator. "You're up to snuff. Well. I'm ready to trade." "And what is your plan now, Mr. Talcott?" asked the motherly guardian guar-dian of the little coterie of children a few days later. "You are almost rich again." "I shall build a nice roomy home," answered Talcott, "and we will all grow up with the country. My dear, good nurse and true friend, I have found hope and ambition where I thought there was nothing but despair. de-spair. I have found love, too. Will you share the new home, as my wife?" And when the blushing, lovable Audrey Gregory answered "Yes," Warren War-ren Talcott felt that he stood at the portal of a veritable Eden. (Copyright, 1912, by W. G. Chapman.) |