The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-12-22
THE HAMILTON BROTHERS.

We sat and talked in the freight
my brother Frank and /, just as W,
had sat and talked a hundred times
before in the busy, backward years
which we two brothers had spent to
gether.
Suddenly looking up, Frank met
my eyes fixed upon his moody, face
and running his fingers lazily through
his curl a hair, he laughed, but his
laugh had not its own warm, careless
| ring.
"How well Bent seems to be get
ting on at Melbourne, Max" said he.
His letter to you is filled with his
own prosperity"
ut seems to me merely written to
see if we could send him out an assis-
tant," | answered, speaking lightly.
OF course you do not know of any
assistants 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 so low as
to exile ourselves voluntarily as drug
gists to Bent. | would not change
quarters with him for any considera-
ton, but l fear | envy him his sue
cess. You must own, Max, that it is
hard fighting here"
$50 it is anywhere, in any profess
sion, just at first" l answered quiet
ly. "There is but one thing we can
do. However small our income, we
can live it down and work hard to in
crease it. That, / take it, is the
secret of success, Frank" We cam
vassed our prospects, and then Frank
told me how anxious he was to sue
ceed, that he might win Lettice for
his wife. 1t was Lettice's birthday,
and we were going to pay ourrespects
to her on this eventful occasion.
Frank told me how great a trial it
was to him, waiting aud struggling
for success that he might marry, and
| asked:
Frank, do you feel that the wait
ing is a trial, too, for-her?"
81 know what you mean," he
answered, slightly pausing. eyes,
Max, | think So"
"Do you know it?'' I questioned in
low voice, whose sadness touched
my own heart. And he answered,
with no pause at all
"Ees, Max. | know it,"
We had just finished dressing, when
| started Frank by saying very
quietly
AZ have made up my mind to 30
out to Bent"
''To-what?"
"Simply what | said-to 20 out to
Beut. | want a change, and a change
holding out some prospect of success.
Why should | not seize this OppOr-
tunity"
but you take me so fearfully 10y
surprise - stammered Frank. "Why,
you are a far cIeveTer surgeon than
Bent; you 20 and be his servant"
We stood under the old lime tree,
which in summer shaded the door
way, and my hand was on the
bell when Frank stayed it and spoke
"A few words in unusual earnestness.
Tell me one thing, Max, before
we 20 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 l want to marry, and cam
llOt no ST IT. We dlC. IOu NOuih l'l
leave your home and your friends,
and me, and go out 10 drudgery for
that reason, Max? | shall not I've
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, an
swered him with a quick Yes"
We had a very pleasant evening
with Lcttice. ] did not feel very
happy, and my detected appearance
was referred 10 more iiIan ur,rr III the
evening. Frank made some remark,
when in reply said:
''The fact is, Lettice, Frank cannot
understand 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
worked and hoped and waited for the
fulfillment of that one bright dream
which now lay shattered into frag-
ments in a pretty, cheerful room.
"What do you think, Isettice, of
this new project of MaX's?" asked
Frank, laughingly, as she moved by
the tea-table.
She simply said: II donot like it;
but if Max thinks it best, ] suppose
he does well to carry out his project.
MAX" :" said Lettice's father, as he
came I'm, looking curiously at me,
whats this the llttl9 one tells me?
You are surely not thinking, in any
seriousness, of going abroad"
AZ have decided to do so, indeed, as
soon a. Frank aud can arrange mat
tiers here"
"I cannot believe Ii. Why, If my
own daughter had suddenly told me
she was going / could not have been
more astonished. What can have
decided you?"
al have learned by experience" ]
said, trying to force a laugh, ''that
Redbury is unfortunately too healthy
place to support so many doctors"
Frank and | walked home that
night very silently. think we had
never before passed along the mar
row, quaint old streets after an even
ing spent with Lettice, without talk
ing of her, and of the home she
made so bright and happy. But
when we sntored our own silent room
we both hesitated, % if unwilling to
separate so.
hMax," began began Frank at last,
STOPPING down to push spill into the
smouldering FIRE, hthis hause seems
dreqTy enough To return to even with
you. What " i'll it seem, | wonder,
when you are gomez"
at depends on who shall live here
then. dear fellow" | answered. "No
house where you and iiettiOe live
could be dreary III any way"
| could see the scarlet rush into his
face even before he lighted the gas.
| Then he turned 10 me with joyous
ewes, and leaning on the chimney
piece, asked me laughingly when /
would come back and T. I'VE that for
myself.
~ will come" / said quite cheer
fully, "in-iet me see-in twenty
years, PERHAPS .
40 nonsense, Max he cried, in
his quick earnestness, laying one
hand Upon my armi "ypr viii come
for my Weddipg.H "
"For your wedding?n / echoed, as
ifthe words spoken so simply had
bewilderel He, "Frank, does she
really love you"'
"Why, Max, old fellow, / never
saw you so nervous before. Are you
afraid that am deceiving myself, ol
that she is deceiving me?"
"No-never afraid of that. You
kn6x sHe layes yCY, Frank'"
eyes, AfaK, ] know iE"N
"Tben will come, unless you mar
ry within ten years time"
Franks whistle of establishment
broke into a hearty laugh. "a nice
little waiting time you allow me
Max, We shall certainly have leis.
I =. -. ,l,t,,.- ~ x..aIt ns.ar -