The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1872-12-26
A Story for Christmas.
The Heart of Robert HAM
mOnd.

bonds, and other securities that wer
not perhaps quite as legitimate col
laterals
A cold, hard man, whose blooc
might have been ice-water, and who's
heart was only machine, to keep hi
brain In working order. For Ralpl
was one of those workers who ate hi
bread in the sweat of other men,
brows, and rather prided himself up
on the fact
He had married a simple, illiterat'
woman for her money, and as she qui
etly slipped out of life after giving
birth to a son anS daughter, leaving
all her property to her husband, he
was not disposed to consider his mar
riage as an unwise speculation.
How the children grew up I sup
pose their good angels knew. He
gave them food and clothing and
shelter and sent them to school. But
every year he became conscious thai
they were growing to an age when it
would be impossible longer to ignore
their existence. And this fact struck
him not unpleasantly one fine summer
evening when they returned together
for the long vacation.
Robert, the eldest, had become a
really handsome fellow, and the father
acknowledged this the more readily
because in appearance he
'stood beside him like his own youth"
But here the resemblance ceased.
Morally and mentally no two men
could be more unlike.
Lucy Hammond was brighter,
fairer copy of her mother; pretty,
gentle girl,
'fNot too bright rgood,
| For human natures daily food"
So Ralph, coming one night to the
dull, silent house which is called
''home," found there a new element
which he scarcely knew how to man
age. For though he hardly acknowl-
edged any love for his children, ne
was very sensitive as to whatever touch
ed his own pride or comfort; and it
gave him new sensation of pleasure
to consider, this fine manly youth as
his son, and the bright, pretty girl as
a bond to his wishes and commands.
However, he did nothing on JIM
pulse. He thought over all the cir
cumstances which might, could or
would affect his own welfare, and then
resolved to take Robert into his office,
and make Lucy the manager of home,
which he refurnished with ostenta-
tious but grudging extravaganza.
At first Roberts share in the bust
ness was confined to its most legit-
mate aspects, and being apt and clev-
er, he won his way very rapidly into
his fathers favor. But as he became
more familiar with the secrets of the
business, and found Friendship, Hon
or and Integrity only SO much stock
in trade, bitter disputes occurred be-
tween them.
Not for this, however, had the eld-
er Hammond any idea of dissolving
the business relationship he had form
ed with his son. Unwittingly to
Robert his open countenance and free,
gentlemanly manners were useful in
alluring that confidence which his
own crafty countenance would never
have gained.
In the second year of their alliance,
however, these disputes grew every
day more determined in character,
and Robert finally summed up all his
faults by romantic and improvident
marriage with a girl whom old Ralph
declared in a passion of anger, "was
not worth a penny" For youth, beau
ty, virtue and love were not marketable
assets to a man who knew no stand
ard but ''cash."
The result of this marriage was o
total estrangement between father
and son, land the erasure of the lat
ters name from the business. I do
not believe the last result troubled
Robert much, for he had always spok-
en- in contemptuous terms of the prin-
ciples on which it was conducted.
Besides that, he had made the girl he
loved his wife, had one thousand dol
lars in hard cash, and unlimited funds
in the bank Of Faith and Hope. The
latter, however, he found below par
in the market, and ere long he was
pushed very close to the wall indeed.
Then Hope told him many prom
Using tale, and urged him westward
with persuasions which We're well sec
onded by his necessities. Only one
thing held him in New York, the face
of his pretty, gentle sister; but she,
with the unselfshness of true affec-
ton, forgot her own loneliness in his
welfare and urged his departure.
Before leaving he sought his fa-
theirs presence to win from him some
kind word or promise of forgiveness; +;
but the old man was very bitter in
his anger and disappointment.
81 have no time, sir," he replied to
Roberts petition for forgiveness and
goodwill Il have no time for
such fooleries. If you are sorry,
come back to your desk again. If
you can't do that must understand
my goodwill to mean share of my
| e.. II, $1,000 i ILL.,. T..