The $500 Check — page 216: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BERT FORMS A RESOLUTION. 197 ** Nobody knew. He took all his friends by surprise when he went into business for himself ona largescale. Whatever the amount of his capital, he has never been financially embar- rassed, and has gone on prospering.”’ ‘* Till now he is a rich man, living in luxury, while we are living from hand to mouth, and poor father is an exile somewhere.” ‘*'Yes, Bert.”’ ‘* Don’t you receive letters from father ?”’ “Tf I should, it would draw attention to him, and might imperil his safety.” ‘*T might meet him some time, and not know him.”’ ‘* Have you no recollection of him ?’’ ‘Not the least? Haven’t you any picture of him, mother ?”’ ‘‘ Yes, I have a daguerreotype upstairs—an old-style picture.’’ ‘Why have you never shown it tome ?”’ ‘Because it would have led you to ask questions which would have been embarras- sing forme to answer. You might have men- tioned the existence of the picture before some visitor, and compelled me to produce it. Sup- Gomichoo “S