The Placer herald., 1871-12-30
The Hamilton Brothers..
A LOVE STORY.

talked 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 mood face, and running 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
at Melbourne, Max" said he. ellis letters
to you are filled with his own prosperity"
1T seems to me merely written to see if
we could send him out an assistant" l an
swered, speaking lightly.
''Of course you don't know of any assist
ants to send out to Bent" Frank said. "The
poorest young surgeons of your acquaint-
ance are ourselves, the Hamilton Brothers
and, thank Heaven, we have not fallen SO
low as to exile ourselves voluntarily as drug
gists to Bent. would not change quarters
with him for any consideration, but l fear
envy his success. You must own, Max,
that it is hard fighting here"
$50 it is anywhere, in any profession, just
at first, answered quietly. "There IS but
one thing we can do. However small our
income, we can live it down aud work nard
to increase it, That, ! take it, is the secret
of success, Frank" We canvassed our
prospects, then Frank told me how anxious
he was TO succeed, that he might win Lettce
for his wife. 1t was Lettice's birthday and
we were going to pay our respects TO her on
this eventful occasion. Frank told me how
great t,ial it was to him, waiting and
struggling for success that be might marry
and | asked;
Crank, do you feel that the waiting is a
trial, too, for-her?"
81 know what you mean," he answered
slightly pausing. eyes, Max, think so. =
"Do you know it ?" | questioned, in a
low voice, whose sadness touched my own
heart. And he answered, with no pause at
all:
eyes, Max, know it.p
We had just finished dressing, when
startled Frank by saying very quietly:
81 have made up my mind to go out to
Bent.
"To-what9'
"Simply what | said-to 60 out to Bent.
; | want a change, and change holding out
some prospect of success. Why should !
not seize this opportunity?
"But-you take me so fearfully by sur
PRISE" stanmered Frank. "Why you are
a far cleverer surgeon than Bent; you 60
and be his servant"
We stood under the bare old lime tree,
; which in summer shaded the doorway, and
nv hand was on the bell when Frank STAYED
it and spoke few words in unusual earnest
ness:
"Tell me one thing, Max, before we 60
in. You do not decide TO leave here for my
sake-because have SO often complained
that our practice is not sufficient for two;
and because you know want to marry, and
cannot do so as we are? You would not
leave your home and your friends, and me,
and 90 out TO drudgery for that reason, Max?
| shall not be comfortable unless you tell me
that you do it for your own sake"
Knowing that my going would spare me
one great pain, which in my cowardice !
shrank from, answered him quick eyes. -
We had very pleasant evening with
Letiice. did not feel very happy, and my
detected appearance was referred to more
than once in the evening. Frank made some
remark, when in reply said;
"The fact is, Lettice, Frank cannot un-
derstand my last new whim, which is to 90
out to Melbourne to join an old friend Of
ours"
And this was how | told her, on her birth
day night. l, who had worked, and hoped
ard waited, for the fulflment of that one
bright dream which now lay shattered into
fragments in that pretty, cheerful room.
"What do you think, Lettce, of this
new project of Max's p asked Frank, laugh
ingly, as she moved by the tea-tabe.
She simply said, 81 do not like it; but if
Max thinks that it is best, suppose he does
well to carry out his project.
"Max," said Lettices father, as he came
in, looking curiously at me, ''what's this the
little one tells me? You are surely not
thinking in any seriousness of going abroad.
81 have decided to do SO, indeed, as soon
as Frank and can arrange matters here"
81 cannot believe it. Why, if my own
daughter had suddenly told me she was go
ing could not have been more astonished
What can have decided you ?"
81 have learned by experience" l said
trying 10 lorce lauSh IhaI heupuiy Is
unfortunately too healthy "a place to support
so many doctors.
Frank and walked home that night very
silently. / think we had never before passed
along the narrow, quaint old streets after an
evening spent with Lettice, without talking
of her, and of the home she made 50 bright
and happy. But when we entered our own
silent room we both hesitated, as if unwilling
to separate so.
"Max." began Frank, at last, STOPPING
down to push spill into the smouldering
fire. "this house seems dreary enough to
return to even with you. What will it
seem, | wonder, when you are gomez"
cit depends upon who shall live here
then, my dear fellow" | answered. "No
house where you and Lettice live could be
dreary in any way"
| could see the scarlet rush into bis face
even before be lighted the gas. Then he