Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1909 — The Man From Home [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Man From Home

A Novelization of the Play of the Same Name

By BOOTH TARKINGTON and HARRY LEON WILSON

SYNOPSIS. CHAPTER I.—Daniel Voorhees Pike, a rising young Kokomo (Ind.J lawyer, hears that his ward, Ethel GrangerSirnpson, Is to be married abroad to the son of an English earl. Her father was his nearest friend and he has long loved the girl. He goes abroad to arrange with her the business matters connected with her marriage. IX—Ethel Granger-Simpson and her brother Horace, have become anglomaniacs and are spending much of their late father’s fortune in travel and entertaining. They become intimate with Lady Creech, the Earl of Hawcastle, his son. Almeric St. Aubyn, and Comtesse de Champlgny, an adventuress and associate of the earl’s. They are at a hotel at Sorrento, Italy. Ethel promises to marry the son because she ciaves a title. Ill—The Russian Grand Duke Vasili is shortly to arrive at the same hotel incognito as Herr von Grollerhagen. IV —The Earl of Hawcastle is in need of money and wants his son to get a huge settlement of money at his marriage to Ethel. An escaped Russian bandit is located at Sorrento. V—For some reason the comtesse fears the alleged bandit is one Ivanoff. Almeric tells his father Ethel has accepted him. Vl—Horace agrees to persuade his sister Ethel to settle $750,000 on Almeric. Vll—Ethel tells Horace of her delight at the prospect of her coming marriage into the ancient family of the St. Aubyns. VIII —Von Grollerhagen arrives with Daniel Voorhees Pike on foot, their auto having broken down.

, CHAPTER IX. RECOGNIZED. THE German was frankly enjoying his guest’s conversation and quaint mannerisms and went on: “I wonder you make this long journey, my friend, instead of spending your holiday at home.” Pike looked up in astonishment. “Holiday! Why, I never even had time to go to Niagara falls. I’m here on business.” Ethel, who was still standing by the countess, looked at her friend with pained entreaty, and Horace, catching Lady Creech’s basilisk eye fixed on him, reddened with mortification. Daniel carefully folded his napkin and sat back. “I expect it’s about time for me to go and find the two young folks I’ve come to look after,” he said. “You are here for a duty, then?” asked the German quietly. “I shouldn’t be surprised If that was the name for It,” answered Pike, rising. “Yes. sir; all the way from Indiana!” Both Ethel and Horace started in horrified amazement and looked at each other with stricken terror on their faces. If this should—“l—l can’t stand this. I shall go for a stroll,” said Horace hysterically and rose from the table, while Hawcastle looked at Pike fixedly. “By Jove!” be said slowly. “I expect, doc,” went on Pike calmly, “that I won’t be able to eat with you this evening. You see—you see I’ve come a mighty long way to look after

her, and she—that is, they—will probably want me to have supper with them.’’ * The horror was closing fast around the other party, and they simply stared. “Do not trouble for me,” observed the German. "Your young people—they have a villa?” “No,” answered Pike, with a smile. “They’re right here in this hotel.” Horace, with fear lending wings to bls scattered senses, sprang to his feet and began to walk toward the grove. Pike looked up. “I’d better ask,” he said, and then, observing Horace, went on addressing him: “Hey. there! Can you”— He stared as the young man, paying no attention, proceeded on his way. Pike raised his voice. • “Excuse me, son, ain’t you an American?” As Horace paid no more attention he turned to Mariano. “Here, waiter! Tell that gentleman I want to speak to him!” Mariano sprang after the retreating Horace • "Pardon, m’sleu, the gentleman, he wish to speak to you.” Horace whirled in an angry flash. . “What gentleman?” he demanded, and Pike regarded him calmly. “I thought from your looks,” be proceeded quietly, “you might be an American." Horace planted himself squarely before his interrogator. "Are you speaking to me?” be demanded haughtily. “I shouldn't be surprised,” said Pike genially. "Ain’t you an American?”

‘ “I happen to have been born in the States,” replied Horace aggressively, and Pike smiled quizzically. “Well, that was luck,” he commented. and as Horace turned again to go he said: “Hold on a minute! I*m looking for some Americans here, and I expect you know ’em— boy and girl named Simpson!" Horace flushed deeply to the roots of his. hair. “Is there any possibility you mean Granger-Simpson?” he asked, with elaborate sarcasm, but this was lost on Daniel. "No, sir; just plain Simpson. Granger’s their middle name. That’s for old Jed Granger, grandfather on their mother’s side. I want to see ’em both, but It’s the girl I’m really looking for.” "Will you be good enough to state any possible reason why Miss GrangerSimpson should see you?” and Pike started in genuine astonishment “Reason!” he reiterated. “Why, yes. I’m her guardian!” The effect of this simple statement was terrifying. Ethel reeled dizzily and was supported by Mme. de Champigny. The earl rose to his feet, and Horace staggered back. “What!” he cried. “Yes, sir.” went on Pike—“ Daniel Voorhees Pike, attorney at law. Kokomo, Ind.” Horace fell back from him in horrified amazement “I shall ask her.” he began weakly and shamefacedly, “if she will consent to an Interview.” Pike looked at him in amazement in his turn. “Interview!” he said. “Why, 1 want to talk to her!” Hawcastle, with some of his finer feelings aroused, picked up his sister-in-law with his eyes, much as a clever hostess picks up her feminine guests at dinner, and arose, turning to Ethel. "This shall make no difference to us, my child,” he said and, turning sharply, took Lady Creech by the arm and left the terrace. Pike looked at Horace pityingly. “Don’t you understand?” he said. “I’m her guardian!” For a fleeting instant Horace stared at him and then dropped his chin and walked away. “I shall never hold up my bead again,” he said. The sudden horror of the revelation that Horace had drawn forth bore down upon Ethel’s mind with a crushing weight To her artificlallzed understanding the disgrace was more than she could ever hope to bear, and Horace’s expressed thought that be should never be able to hold up bls head again was but a vivification of her own. Surely It would have been bad enough, she told herself, If this fearful thing had come upon them privately, but to have It appear in the full light of day and in the very bearing of the family of the man she was about to marry was too cruet And with an inward gro’an she leaned for a moment against the terrace wall where the countess had left her. When the first astonishment had passed and she had time to realize what had occurred, events that bad seemed but fleeting impressions rose up before her In all their vivid nakedness. Mme. de Champlgny had looked at her with astute contempt, she was sure, and she dimly remembered seeing the look of horrified amazement upon the patrician features of the Earl of Hawcastle. Then, with an awakened resentment, the fighting blood of the sturdy plebeian Simpson stock, the stock that had upheld Its end In the battle against oppression In several wars, came back to her with a rush, and she decided to see this awful man and give him to understand that he must go away at once and never insult her again by his uncouth and vulgar presence. Such business as had to be transacted could be done through an Intermediary. With a bracing of her spirit she stepped forward resolutely and came up close behind Pike as he stood with drooping jaw gazing in perplexity after the retreating Horace. Ethel cast a look of loathing upon the straight back of the guardian of her peace and ground her little boot heel into the stone flagging. She glanced up and saw that the common German was looking at Pike with grave sympathy and even understanding, and Instantly she hated him for it Then she saw him take his cap from the obsequious Mariano and turn away. When he had gone she said In a low voice: M I am Miss Granger-Simpson." (To be Continued.)

"Reason! Why, yes. I'm her guardian!”