Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-09-21
THE HAMILTON BROTHERS.
A LOVE STORY.

LOVE STORY.
We sat and talked in the freight, my
brother Frank and |, just as we had sat
and talked a hundred times before in the
busy, backward years which we two
brothers had spent together,
Suddenly looking up, Frank met my
eyes fixed upon his moody face, and run
ming his fingers lazily through his curly
hair, he laughed but his laugh had not its
old warm, careless ring.
"How well Bent seems to be getting on
out in Melbourne, Max" he SAID. "IIis
letter to you is filled with his own pros
perity.'
ait seems to me merely written to ask
il we could send him out an assistant"
answered, speaking lightly
"Of course you do not know any assist
ant to send out to Bent" Frank said,
"The poorest young surgeons of your
acquaintance are ourselves, the Hamilton
Brothers, and, thank Heaven, we have not
fallen quite so low as to exile ourselves
voluntarily as drug mixers to Bent.
would not change quarters with him for
any consideration, but | fear | envy his
success You must o"h' Max thaC II Is
hard fighting here"
80 IL IS anywhere, IN any proleSS'or'
Just at first" answered, quietly. "Therc
is but one thing we can do. However
small our income, we can live down to it.,
and work hard to increase it, That, | take
IL, is the secret Oh success r rank we
canVassed our prospects, anu 'lleh FRANK
tola me now ANXIOUS ne was 10 succeed,
that ne might WIN LeUuice lor HIS WIFE, III
was Lettlce's oirthoay ana we were gong
10 pay our respects 10 her Oh thls eVentiul
OCCASION FRANK told me now great a trlal
IL was 10 hlln' Wal'Ig ana struggling Tor
success that ne might marry, ana asked
"frailk' 40 you leei tlaC olle waiting Is
trlali zoo, lor-her -,
-" know whaC you mean, lie answered.
shghtly pauS'ng' les Max l 'hlhN
So. ga,
10 you hlo" IL quesl'oheu' III
low voice, whose sadness toucheu my own
hearC' anu lie answered. "ilh 10 pause AT
all.
res MAX, l SNOW IT,
we nau just llI''sneu dressing, WDeh
starIleu FRANK ny saying, very quletiy'
l nave llaue up my iillhu 10 20 out to
bent;
"Io-what q
"o'mply what saiu|to 90 out 10 Bent
want cuailgec anu cnaige holdihs GU,
some prospect OF success. why should
NOT seize IhiS opportunity
but-you take me so learlully oy sur
PRISE, stammered FRANK why, you
are lar cIeVeref surgeon IMAM bent; go"
60 and be ms servant"
we stood under the bare old llme-tree
winch IN summer shaded the doorway, and
my hand was on the bell, when FRANK
stayed IL, ana spoke lew words IN unusual
earnestness' " Tel me one thing, Max
before we 60 IN. You 40 not decide tc
leave here tor my sake because have SC
often complained that our practice is not
sufficient for two; and because you know
want to marry, and can not do so as We
are? You would not leave your home, anc
your friends, and me, and 60 out to drudg.
cry for that reason, Max? shall not be
comfortable unless you tell me that you dc
it for your own sake"
Knowing that my going would spare me
one great pain which, in my cowar1ice,
shrank from, | answered him with quick
" Yes"
We had a very pleasant evening witt
Lettice. | did not feel very happy, anc
my detected appearance was referred t.
more than once during the evening. Franz
made some remark, when in reply said:
"The fact is, Lettuce, Frank can not un
derstand my last new whim-which is tt
go out to Melbourne to join an old frienC
of ours"
And this was how | told her; on he
birthday night. |, who had worked, ant
hoped, and waited, for the fulfilment o
that one bright dream which now lay shat
tered into fragments in the pretty, cheer
full room.
"What do you think, Lettice Of thi
new project of Max's 2" asked Frank
laughingly, as she moved by the tea
table.
She simply said: 81 do not like it; bu
if Max thinks it is best, | suppose he doe
well to carry out his project
" Max" said Lettice's father, as he cam
in, looking curously at me, what's thi
the little one tells me? You are surel
not thinking, in any seriousness, OF goin
abroad F"
have decided to do so. indeed, as 500