The Storyteller

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 271, 17 April 1914, Page 6

The Storyteller

flaw Year Rescl?es. IteM ! THS BROS. rfGt'CWIU Off HIW. RICHARD .MALTOS. Slf!! 4WB HKB SISTEIi, iiU.S3 HILLICKST IIUSMBACM, ARE DI3COVKUEO MESSED FOR I PA.NCE WHICH 18 (IHOHrLV r» take ruci. Tna octere hay bkbis TO ABUItS iUI 'ttUlUiJ', Mrs. MulUsi : Cttw? Of oourss he'll Some, tiekavi'le htwebufty mums since they were at .-wJUga. Beside? be knows tou're to be how. N«w consider you reused him a jnwr when he was merely a fcungsrsop wijiiiul poepeets. You liked Jim Millicent: Always—always—for himseif. Mrs. .Walton : But bis sWe of the proaoired bargain A£.ilioei:t : Don't put it like that. "Ie flewr '&ouf<ht of my money j I never tliongnt of bisjosiUor, W« hadn't an idea or ambition iu comuon—that decided me. We talked it cut no wisely ; I showed hit,, !w> would nerer coumerbakneo sunn differ-onces jfcoinicti'jn lie, with his ancestry, was a So::L ~jt and an Athiest and othur horrid tilings ;_I, though nothing but the daughter ot <* .'nvvonJ merchant, had the deepest resject tor religion and evwi'iiuii oiu ami eor.servsMve. We had endless of iifc„rj , i was rather Kuw a year ago, and Nis»> jafrvid on him though yon wouiciat »h:nk an Atliiest was likely to care. But lie waid he got his theological ideas f rum his •nther ana bis ideal W women Irom his Bother. Mr*. Malt )n : Well, the end of it >ros that you :efu«ed him, „r<d he went to shoot big (MP* I w«\ider sh.vt unlucky lovers will do whec an the big game's shot ? He 10/ i a Here younger son ; he came back the heir of a groat estate. It ought t« make a difference. MiJlioen'.: His brother's dealh filers hia prospects, not lib imposition. ifrs. Malum: You novor know—it'i fivideo' 1 ,/ altered yours. lifc-ant : We v,-ere too conscientious, Shat'* all—both of us. I see now w« might havemid».l Infill i;i.,tch. Mr*_ Million : ;i.i.:;l>„g .voutself, my dear 'hiM.itjv u.sii ; li.. don't imagine you're '"".•■• , - ■>'.:. ii s ;:■'. !v. ;y.".?.'?'t possible thea ; '9 now. ;•_"-""' •■ ' e so brutal. iii2. ,ii..iioii . .vid you are sodislngenU' JUS—oven wit;. ~,... Never mind. (A distant hell rings.) lucre's the first of thenl.

H'a going to lie «■ great i'k><\ lot me—and you too, I hop.-. And htrcS tlit keys of the orchid house I jou know it opens out of the conservatory. The conservatory is ablaze of Japanese huiicins, but the orohid-house will be locked tip >md won't participate in llie g'licml ren.is. J.VIUsk lor an interfit;',,' if lie's still' .if liie same mind, so there fOll are. (Exeunt.) The oichid-h.uHc, dimly lighted by flashes of orange ami crimson ilkiniiuaticn from ti.e iofty coii:-;nvinory througn which it is nppiom iieu. The dour between is shut, ami ;,othtng is visible in oichidlone from cofiservaioi}'. A warm ntBio pliere ; of blhssoui glimmering uimlv through the gloom. A com♦i)i table lounge with hank of oi'ih: J .s be~'»il it. Al one end of loatige tho rod tip of a cgiirette » Ine'.. wanders ab(.ul ns cl>« siuoiicr moves n from hu uiDii!/!; at tlieotbera Hw.le or driipeir i »•"'!■.!><■ iljjh of » tan, Danee, iiiusii:'. dead-jned by distance, "i unds Ihrnuijh J).!.".>i"s -;! coiivui'siiiion. Ti.-i) Il'.vir'iied frr.digal : m Kesponßibilityf Jhouiil in.nk so. >'rigiit(ul. And n.'thii:' io meet it. with but natural dignity. GiA'id tikce, Oakuene—a grt.y sge. Yes—git.** ihock.. il'"/e at h:nn V Tiih tigers thuu 'ennuis. iliilicent; i-ia will havo ft !ong time lo jrsparej

J.iio Uetnnirtl Prodigal Sot likely—oid n: 1- o;,e let; in the grave. , Jliliifliuiiilom .view.,, t-o» ('.«. li<.|urn"ii Pruiiig.'.l; Ah yes—conrrc Jens of a life lii'.e—nr\er chin ge. Pi;j loor old Umt) iii,.<l. I'm not tin: man. Si.llimit: I've hue- thinking so much ibout view, injsclf, la.e'y. Vaslecday was Jfrw Tear's Day, you know. The Returned Piodijil: Was it' C fes. i'irst January. That's iilwuys New low's Day, isn't it"? What then ? Millicent: It's a very solemn sort of a ony f-r me, because Igo fie? aii my odd views (.'>«ry yeiu, and mak{. c y resolutions ami ki on, anti see if anyv.f ir,y opinions have ihangcd.

...The Return Pronigul ( aftor n mjment's •mnsMtnuioi.): V.y I'ovf, so do II Awful itleuin time—New Yeu Always *iake new 'esoiulions myself—hist January—hundreds \( I Ll.

ahtiieent : They steady one so, and by »oki:i.! into our miii' 1 ! we see if we have de-

■ei"pm or dcteiiovated. Tlie llctuiued Prcdigul : Good, Look lere, I lold you all about myself in the past; will >,{; iin, especially as you were so jolly :.iL,d as t.) give ma t- is private chat. Millice.'t: The past is sacred; but I reaember j iur opinions only too well. The Itet irned Prodigal: Developed frightfully- since then—abroad. O'd country — isiutic ens. )tns —difference beiween our own Orieuiai intelligence—chucked Socialism. ? ~tk on sub irdination now. 111., lent: I'm glad indeed. r'he Rcturigu Prodigal : Yes—equality'* M— Nalu-e doad arainst it—look at tho ■■fftrnnce in iltaa. Among other resolveß, i.iade about Free Breakfasts for Poor—that's all 'glit, »h? Millicen : A benutiful thought. Tou have ibanged indeed i The Seturned Prodigal : Shall go to thuich, too, when i drop into Oakdene—esimple—can't hurt y.'u—nothing when you're ased to it. Eisryone goes. Man'su, fool to rely merely on iiis reaton —I was. Iliilicent: Will you keep these resolves? The P.eturned Prodigil: Bather— awfully determined chap (pointe.liy)—clogged—masterful—in some tiings uo»'t take "No" for in answer. Millicent: Such frankness 'ught to be rei»a:d';d. Would yoa like to he».- some of my New Year resolves t '!he Si-turned Profcgal: Delight j't heßrin' ir/thing-bet they're beautiful, jiatever decided 13 d;. jjW» M.'Uicent: I'm goinf, io be larger-niindei.. The P*turned Prodigal (dropping cigarette and cooling nearer): You couldn't be. Millicent: Yes, indeU ; I'm prejudiced Ukirow, and easily carried away by an idea. Looking back through the year I see, for initanct- that feminine Netrncss is not what Itlooked like before. Tne Returne-i Prodigal : Of coarse, of jow.'se '. Yon had much too much heart to

6e a New woman—•hreye Ww you had. iliilicent : And you poetess too much brain to be anything but Conwrvatire—l tnnehow felt that.

The Ketarncd Prodigal: And do yon still feoiwrj girLj 3hine—publie sphere—piatform »-i>!vgiwe public morals—franchise—so on? iliilicent: How curious I Another of m 7 (lew Year resolves ia to give up that theory altogether. While you wart away several women appeared; they meant fo well m\ fcitd so hard—aal that wae all. The Returned Prodigal: Dear things—ao pathetic : we who have the brains laugh— J»ugh good r.ituredly. Let 'csi ride bicycltf.' —col V.MiAa, eh I Miliicrnt; Vn forgettingßdaboutthetip*, Wbero's that kay, Ur. Wvotg ; Whatever ►ill iti7 :iister j«,yr TheTUtarned 'Pttiilfu'.: !Sh»iet Frigttt" <p«a Would a Xew 'frocMa bit frljhtenei i

JtMeeM . Te{, if i Jiadn'i jam* «f ft *ew Woaun about ra° I shouldn't ha? JOTS* ... The Returned Frodigai : jfoa oam« to anld liing syne. Jolly rum thing—aw' iielp thinkin' about jvaragi, Milli'pnt : We egrecd i> let the WW past b« pant K«,i remain friends—always. Tfc* lfetu"r->I Prodigal : Yea—owin' tr differences opinion over which bad no <yn tool. But t'oies change arid we change wltl \;m—all the Latin I know, by the way, wi (ton't know that in Latin. .Millieent; You m«an our New Year rw» lutiona hiivo -have The Returned Prodigal: ??s awful]' rum-r-ciin't jou gee with your penetration! Stems me .'•'suost good eno'ugh try over thai old tulk.-.-.gj'..,—with all these rippin' gani resolusii.is chucked in—eh? I went un< br«.-*d aivj aliot after you said "No. •ana broodin' and shootin' opened my eyei Natural intelligence came to rcßcue. !?».t where wronx;. Millieent: You take a much nobler suviej of life now. The Returned prodigal: 1 do—so do yon Boeuis we've made just the very resolution! that tit us run double harness. ■ Think jue as rnach alike now as two pens in a pod—eh' Millieent: I see what you mean; I shut certainly watch your career with deep mtflr est' knowing these resolves. The .Returned Piodigal; Well, corno mi watch it close. Gome and polish np say to Aolutfonswhtn begin to get off color, fllilliont: What do you mear: ? The Returned Prodigal (coming What 1 said a year ago. It's only fair lista. "weanuss opinions so much modified. Fiji i»e»er changed in some respects—lovj for yoa itistsau;?. Face haunted nie—jungio, bunga ows—aboard ship—everywhere. You don': my "No " this time ? May 1 1 Mrs. Malton on retiring finds no.e upon h«j dres3i'ig4»b!f. It enclosed key of orchij houae and runs as follow?: " Dearest—Have sons to be<>. Bathe apjet. His wonderful natura has hlossomer in the desert. He appears ou*.ii&ed. and is alive t> the great responsibilities of the life which awaits him. Nothing lies between us now. What constancy 1 ; had never been oat of hit mind !—Ycui ere&th '