Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-09-27
The Blue River Bank Robbery.

more about it."
"1 cannot indulge you in this, Har-
ry. Indeed, you should believe me
when say we cannot afford it.
Mr.. Houghton leaned his head
heavily on his hands as he spoke, and
seemed to deprecate the displeasure
of his handsome, impatient son.
"Very well, sir" said the youth of
nineteen, his hand qulvering as he rose
with the anger he seemed striving to
keep out of his words and tones.
81 hope you will never be sorry for
the tride you have refused me tonight.
| shall make the trip to Lake George
next week, nevertheless, if | have to
sell my grandfather's watch and chain
to get the money"
A halfgroan came from the hidden
face of Foster Houghton, and a re-
proachful 40 Harry from his moth
er, whose eyes had been filling with
tears as she sat silent through the
stormy interview. But the boy was
angry, and in earnest, and he twisted
the chain in his waistcoat to give en-
phasis to the threat. Then as he
took his cloak and cap from the clos
ct he continued:
"Tou need not sit up for me, or
leave the door unlocked: | am going
to Tinborough with the fellows to the
strawberry party, and as there will
be a dance, and the nights are short,
| shall wait for daylight to come home.
if do not stop and catch a nap at
the Valley House before starting"
"Who is going from ElmGeld?" in
quired the father, more from a desire
to show al interest and win the boy
from his moodiness than any real Gu
riosity.
Nearly everybody of my set, said
Harry, with something of studied
coldness; arthur Brooks and Tom
Boxham and Frank PettengiIl, and
Harrison Fry, if you want the whole
list"
His father turned sharply away
but the mother spoke appeaIingly:
"If you would cut off your intimacy
with Harrison Fry, now and forever
| think there are very few things your
father would refuse you. | have seen
his evil influence over you ever since
he came back from the city. He wa.
a bad boy, and will be q bad man"
"Like myself and other wicked peo
pie" said the boy, looking at hi,
watch, Harry Fry is not halfso black
as he is painted. But l am not a:
intimate with him as you fancy; ant
as to father, l don't think his treat
ment of me tonight gives him a claim
to interfere with my friendship"
Henry Houghton shot his shaft de
Hberately, for he knew his father
sensitive nature, in which it woull
rankle cruelty; and in a moment h
was of, bounding through the low
open window, and running with fee
steps down the gravel sidewalk to
ward the common.
The family circle thus divided wa
that OF the cashier of the Blue Rive
National Bank of Elmfeld. Foste
Houghton was man past middle age
and older than his years in appear
ance and in heart. He had petite,
his only son in his childhood enougI
to spoil most Boys, and now made tn
balance even by repressing the ex
uberance Of his youth with a sharp
ness sometimes no more than JUS
sometimes querulous and unreasona
bic. The boys grandfather, old Pc
/, leg HOughton, who died a year be
| fore at ninety and over, had aImos
worshipped Harry, and, on his deatl
bed, had presented his own super
Frodsham watch to the LAD; and bot
father and mother knew he must b
deeply moved to speak so lightly &
] parting with it.
! 81 fear Henry is getting in q yer
! bad way" said Mr. Houghton, gloon
! lily, after a pause in which the sharI
> er click of his wife's needles told th5
. her thoughts were busy. "He goo
7 to the other church too often to b
l gin with. He smokes, after I hay
repeatedly told him how the hab
hurt me in my boyhood, and what
{ fight | bad to break 1t off. He is q
+ together too much in Harrison Fry
} company. He has been twice befol
II to Tinborough, driving home aero.
e the country in the gray Of the NOR
a ing. And this project Of going alor
y to Lake George on a weeks trip
e positively ridiculous"
Is Every likely you are the best judg
+ my DEAR" said Mrs. Houghton. 81
e always began in that way when 81
u meant to prove him otherwise.
Ie fully agree with you about that rec
n less young Fry. But as to Harry
T. going to the brown church, and /
e visits to Tinborough think the sar
u cause is at the bottom of both. Ora
'e Chamberlain has been singing in t
II choir over there this spring, and nc
she is visiting her aunt at Tinboroue
70 And as to that, she is going with b
1e aunt's family to Lake George to spel
ol S July, and suppose they have EXPIRE
y cd wish to meet him there. Ora
H. Chamberlin is very pretty girl; a
2 Harry is like what you were at
'l, age"
% %ta "Bless my soul, Mary" said +
~ cashier, "then why didn't the boy t
- - me what he was driving at? Chasi
- across the country after pretty ia
- is foolish enough, at his age, but it
- " not so bad as going to a wateril
20 20 place merely for the fashion of
~ like some rich old nabob or prof
~ % sional dandy. If Harry had told
10 10 he wanted to dangle after CIR;
Chamberlain, instead of talking
that desperate way about the wat
en- | might have received it different
mt There is a charm on the chain "
Dr. my mothers hair, that | wouldn't h5
re go out of the family for a fortune.
of Just here the door-belI rang, as
re- powerful, nervous hand were at
me knob. Mr.. Houghton answered
or ring. for their one domestic had b