Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-10-02
A BROTHER'S SACRIFICE.

am the eldest son of gentleman wht
had q good property in one Of the northern
counties of England. had one brother. 9
year younger than myself-a wild dissipat.
ed gambler. Often I have paid his debt.
ont OF my own allowance, rather than let
my father know of his misdeeds. Each
time did SO, William-my brother was 50
called-promised never to touch a card OF
back horse again and each time after q
few weeks quiet life, he returocd to his
evil courses with redoub.cd energy, an,
soon got in as much debt as ever. When
was about twenty-eight years old my father
died, leaving me heir to all his property.
which was entailcd Hitherto l had lived
a quiet country life but now, forced by
business 10 frequent the busy haunts Of
men, l began to like the exeitemcnts of the
world and the gay pleasures of society.
Hloh, g00d-looking, and easy. tempered,
was soon favorite with those came in
contact with. Simple in the ways of the
world, and unsuspicious by nature, 1 was
silly enough to suppose it was the man and
not the money they courted and it fatter.
cd my pride and conceit to be so muc],
thought OF aud sought after. To crown
my happiness, grew fOodly attached to 9
beautiful girl, who seemed to return my
love: and before I had known her manv
months we were engaged. I need not tell
you her name, nor need give you de.
scription of her, more than in saying that she
was tall, dark, with long raven locks, and
black, flashing eyes; of rather q Spanish
beauty-c0mmanding and imperious-lO look.
ing. / was intoxicated with her type Of
beauty. and worshipped hcr madly. ]
obeyed every look or gestures, and, blinded
by my foolish, insane love. I became her
abjeot slave, only living for the pleasure OF
serving her and being near her.
Oh fool, idiot that was, to suppose
that such as she could love a poor. weak.
silly creature like me! But soon I was ia
be undeceived. My brother came to stay
with mo at the same time that she and hcr
mother We're visiting me. He, too, seemed
struck with her beauty, and told me. in a
!oKlng, laughing sort Of way, what a lucky
fellow I was.
"Tou elder brothers," he said-half bit
terly, l thought-''are always in luck, in
love or war. With q nice snug income.
and dear old country place, you are going
to marry the hands0mest woman in Eng.
land, with whom you are SO deeply in love,
and no wonder ; and who, as matter oi
course" he added, with = half snecring
smile, sis equally devoted to you or your
acres. Oh, happy accident of birth! Now
trated by myself. Unlucky at my birth,
the same evil genius pursued me through
life. Born with the same, or rather ten
times greater, desire to enjoy the good
things Of this life,' brought up together in
comfort and luxury, and not educated in a
manner to fit mo for fighting in the battle.
Held OF life,' come to mans estate, and dis.
cover myself dependent on the generous
bounty of . brother. whose only claim to
superior sagacity is the fact of coming into
the world year before me-"
80 saying, he turned and hurriedly loft
me. felt grieved That he should in hir
heart blame me for his want of luck. had
always given him what I considered Just
proportion Of my yearly income; but If he
had received ten times that amount, it would
all have gone in betting and gambling, and
i1 few months he would have been as poo,
a. ever.
Things went on quietly and without
change for week or two. Then began I,
be sensible OF u change in her behavior t.
me. could not say in what. Only nov
she seemed to avoid being alone with me
and at times spoke shortly nnd inpatient,
to mo. For long time tried to make NV
self believe it was only fancy; but by de-
grees the heart-breaking truth forced itsel
npon me. She was ceasing to love me
Perhaps learning to love another. II 80
who was it who was robbing me of nv idol
Who could it be but my own brother
Alas, alas! how could it be otherwise
Living in the same house, meetink ever,
hour of the day, was it possible for m,
brother to resist such perfection Still,
might be mistaken, and l determined I.
watch them closely. For days I saw nothin,
to indicate that my surmises were correct
and began to think it was but lover
fears, aud my heart grew light and happ,
again: and went to find her, intending t
tell her of my idle, groundloss suspicions.
AS ! went through the garden, on m,
way to greenhouse where the servant
told mo l should find her, came suddenl,
on sight which checked my further pro
gross. Standing uuder the shelter of a tre
were Two people, a man and woman-he
with his arm round her, tcudcrlv suunort
ing her, while she looked un in h;s foc
trustingly and loveingly.
1t WIS my brother and NV nrom;sod ~;sa
As stood still, rooted, az it were tn ~. M
spot, spell:bound, their lips met in a lonn m
cl!ng1ng kiss.
With a groan, turned and fled from H.
accursed spot, and, reaching INV room
threw myself on the Ted, wild with erie
and despair, and unable to collect nv scat
tered thoughts. Nothing but the one terri
Die truth was ever before mel had los
h:rl And he. my brother, whom I had
loved as myself, had robbed me of he,
Still, strange to say, no feeling of resent
ment or anger filled my heart. Could
blame him for loving her, or her for loyin,
HIM ? He, who was handsomer far than
clever and learned in the ways of the world
was more fitting mate tor her than wa
poor, simple, weak.minicd, blinded fool
l lay for hours, crushed and stunned, in
kind of stupor, and at length fell aslccp
worn out by mental agitation.