National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-09-22
THE HAMILTON BROTHERS.
4 LOVE STORY.

LOVE STORY.
We sat and talked in the freight, my
brother Frank and |, Just as we had sat
and talked hundred times before in the
busy, backward years which we two
brothers had spent together
Suddenly looking up, Frank met my
ewes fixed upon his moody face. and run
ning 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
ont in Melbourne, Max he sand. d" His
letter to you Is filled with his own pros
peGity.'
1t seems to me merely written to ask
il we could send him out an assistant" |
answered, speaking lightly. ...
sOf course YOU do not know any assist
ant to send out to Bent" Frank said.
a. The poorest young surgeons of your
acauantance are ourselves, the Hamilton
Brothers, and, thank Heaven, we have not
fallen quite so low as to exile ourselves
voluntarily as drug mixers t. Bent. |
would not change quarters with HIM for
any consideration, but | fear | envy his
success. You must own, Max, that it is
hard fighting here"
so it is anywhere, in any profession,
lst at first" answered, quietly. There
l. but one thing we can do However
small our income, we can live down TO 1t,
and work bard to increase it. That, take
it, is the secret Of success, Frank. We
canvassed our prospects, and then Frank
told me how anxious he was to succeed,
that he might win Lettice for his wife. 1t
wa, Lettice's birthday and we were going
10 pay our respects to her on this eventtul
OCCASION. Frank told me how great a trial
il was to him. waiting and struggling tor
succc,, thu he might marry, and | asked ;
Frank, do you feel that the waiting is
trial. too, for-her ?"
~ know what YOU mean, " he answered,
slightly pausing. "Yes, Max, | think
so"
"Do Won know it ~ ! questioned, in a
low voice. whose sadness touched my own
heart. And he answered, with no pause at
all
Yes, Max, know it,"
We had Just finished dressing, when |
startled Frank by saying, very quietly:
Il have made up my mind to go out TO
Bent
"To-what ?"
Simply what | said-to 90 out to Bent.
| want a change, and change holding out
some prospect Of success. Why should |
not seize this opportunity "
But-vou take me SO fearfully by sur
Prise" stammcred Frank. "WhY. you
are far cleverer surgeon than Bent; go"
90 and he his servant"
We stood under the bare old lime-tree,
which in summer shaded the doorway, and
my hand was on the bell when Frank
stayed it, and spoke few words in unusual
earnestness "Tell me one thing. Max.
before we 90 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 can not do so as we
are You would not leave your home and
your friends, and me, and 90 out to drnde-
cry for that reason, Max? | shall not be
comfortable unless you tell me that you do
1t Tor your own sake."N
Knowing that my going would spare me
one great pain which, in my cowar1ice, |
shrank from, answered him with quick
"YeSnl rs e...
We had very pleasant evening with
my detected appearance was referred to
more than once during the evening. Frank
made some remark, when in reply said:
rhe fact is, Lettice, Frank can not un-
derStand my last new whim-which is to
go out to Melbourne to Join an old friend
OF ours"
And this was how told her; on her
birthday night. l. who had worked, and
hoped, and waited, for the fulfilment OF
that one bright dream which now lay shat
tered into fragments in the pretty, cheer
iul room.
What do you think, Letticc of this
new project of Max's 2" asked Frank
laughlngly, as she moved by the tea
table.
She simply said az do not like it but
Il Max thinks it is best, | suppose he does
well to carry out his project"
Max" said Lettice's father as he came
IN, looking curiously at me, whats this
the little one tells me? You are surely
not thinking, in any seriousness, OF going
abroad 2" -
81 have decided To do 50, indeed, as soor
as Frank and | can arrange matters here
can not believe il. Why, if my owr
laughter had suddenly told me she wa'
gong | could not.have beep'more aston
Shed. What can have decided you2"
: have learned by experience" said
,rying to force laugh, that Redbury il
unfortunately too zhealthya place to sup
port so many doctors. .esza.ssa
Frank and ! walked home that nigh
ve'y silently. think we had never beior,
passed along the narrow, quaint old street
alter an evening spent with Lettice, with
OUT talking Of her, and of the home sh
made 80 bright and happy. But when W,
entered our own silent room we both besi
U,ea as i unwilling to separate so.
Max" began Frank at last, stoopinl
uown to push spill into the smouldeIinJ