Show the black sheep by GEORGE CEORGE ELMER COBB Cory copyright right 1917 2917 union religiously jason hall re probated i pierce parce duntley when be gae up his bis pos us its it a store clerk and joined a show duntley did not become nn an actor or performer but to the grave genvo strict deacon the circus was nn an abomination in ution and the theater a deep pit ile he bluntly informed duntley that lie he was on the downward path and intimated that hint lie he should see to it that he did not also dra drag his wife and child to destruction st dotter better not interfere advised duntley in his oMi offhanded way 1 I see a chance to make money and im going to take it ILI edith the wife and daughter was grieved but slie she accepted the situation she knew the restive spirit ot of this impulsive husband of hers and hoped n brief experience would cure him of the roving taint each month duntley came home for a couple of days he dressed better and had groat grent dreams of sometime owning a show of his own the dismal deacon continued to protest ile he called the behavior of his son in law simply disgraceful the censorious and narrow minded father worked on poor edith until when duntley came back from a long trip lie he found the he household effects in stor age as and edith and the baby under th tho parental roof olve give up your nefarious calling act back to honest work and your wife will come back to you said jason hall otherwise I 1 shall see to it that there is a legal separation A con coolness ness grew up between kanand man and wife NN ife duntley flung away angry den deft ant stubborn A year went by and lie be ditl not reappear stories wore were retailed to ohp effect that duntley had been seen at a picnic in the midst of a rollicking wine bibbing set of men and women omen another story was that duntley had been manager for mile asturia Es turia the brilliant meteoric trap ese ar artist tit in ili a quiet way a divorce was secured the deacon lied died and edith taking her child little paul with her reni removed oved to a quiet country town one day edith left little paul in charge of the nurse for the day iter her plan was to visit a friend in a neighboring village rii ill take the baby down to my sisters and spend the lay day there it if you dont object said mary sirs mrs duntley reached the next nest town to find her friend away she returned home and went to the homo ionic of the sister of the nurse to find them both chatting on the porch mary turned pale as she viewed her mistress 1 I found roy my friend absent explained mrs duntley and I 1 thought I 1 would come and take paul home the nurse exhibited embarrassment and was trembling all over abruptly she burst into tears oh ima aral she sobbed the baby Is not here not here cried edith in quick alarm has anything happened to paul no maam dissented may woefully but oli oh never forgive me but a gentleman has taken a great fancy to paul and lie he asked me to let him have paul with him tor for today where where gasped the agitated mother at the hotel and you left ray my darling with a stranger cried edith wretched woman take me at once to my child who Is this man ile he is oh maam forgive me mel I 1 forgive lye me t he I 1 is your husband that was the they Y made due haste leaste to tu hotel mary knew the room duntley occupied it its door was open pleased Plen sed prattling tones aln mingled acl with tender masculine one on the hie floor was paul and near to him his father the place was littered with toys into the room edith rushed and clasped the boy in her arms as though from the jaws of peril pierce duntley regarded her gravely Hs face and hearing bearing sur suggested a sedateness that had not formerly existed you ton you have changed spoke edith rather abashed at the reproachful look loo ic her husband best bestowed owea upon her somewhat nodded duntley not that I 1 was ever as bad as father hall fancied me that wild mild orgie in the woods was simply a movie scene in which I 1 figured mile bille esteria Es turia the dashing whom I 1 managed was grandmother to eight children but father hall was right it was a trifling life and now I 1 am part of a great humanitarian society spreading education in the dark places of the earth on that mission I 1 leave for hawaii next week and I 1 just had to see the dear little fellow here before I 1 went away paul want vant good man come home with him here cried out the little fellow and ran back to his father and put his arms about his neck no little man but im going to send all those toys home with you im a lonesome man said pierce sadly you tou forget there much to forgive except my old roving ways because of the love I 1 have always cherished for you she could not resist the sincere appeal they were remarried and edith became a partner copartner co with pierce in his bis great life worle work |