The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-09-03

|
ed. SO the lad sauntered out into the fields
near to while away the time. There John
saw him from the distance.
BARELY q scrap of mourning about him,
and caring fornothiDg but his pipe ~ tho lght
the elder brother severely, vexed that the
chief clerk, who had accompanied him home'
should see Wilfred In this gnise.
John was hard on Wilfred, but he was
worried and worn With the burden thrown
SO suddenly on his shoulders.
"Scowling at me as usual u thought Will
fred. cit will be worse than ever now my
poor fathers gone. But won't be bulled
Eby him he's only my BROTHER
SO the two met but colby, and the dis"
lance between them seemed widened by the
very troubles that should have drawn them
closer.
John, aided by the clerk, gave his brother a
fdry account of business matters, which looked
very unpromisinely just then. Wilfred had
meditated once, suggesting that he shonld
give up ali, or nearly all. of the 81 600 a-year
Eallowed him by his father in addition to his
pay but Johns manner was so unpleasing
that he never gave utterance to the plan,
and left his elder brother to imagine that he
would sacrifice nothing at this time. He
only listened modify to the proposals for
domestic retrenchment, and said somewhat
codly at last that John seemed to have
arranged everything 70 his own satisfaction.
Indeed, no u said John YEARLY, passing
his hand over his forehead. 81 am sorely at
a loss for another trusty head and hands.
If only the training had been given to AR
thur that was wasted on you, Wilfred,
might have had some one to help me-"
Wilfred Redeemed. Why should John
seem to desplse HIM so It was true he
had been brought up to the business. and
showed no mean capacity for such matters,
and it was at his own request that he had
been allowed to enter the army. IfonIy John
had showed any brotherly feeling .oward
bim, he might in this crisis have thrown
up his profession, and gone back to the
office Gay young fellow that he was, he
had good head, he knew, and had often
been regretted by his father as loss to the
Office But work with John, who desplsed
and sighted him No, that he never would
Back went all the tender feelings which
the desolation of the fatherless home had
aroused in him he answered John sharply,
and finally sauntered off with his pipe, as
good an imitation of don't-care Young
fellow as need be-
"He never did care for business said
John to the clerk "Well, I must do :he
best alone, till Basil and George grow up,
though it is more than can manage"
Wilfred rejoined his regiment, declaring
to himself no one could do anything with
such cut-and-dried hard fellow as john.
And then one day came letter from little
May, his only correspondent at home. Is
was very short just to beg her dear Wilfred
to come home quick, for John was ill-so Ill
that nurse was frightened, and so was she.
"John was in bed talking strangely" said the
postscript.
Overweight" said the doctor to Will.
fred, as he stood by his brothers. bedside.
CA touch of brain fever"
Ay, more than q touch for weeks the
strong man lay like a helpless baby only
that at times he talked low and fast of BUSH
ness, of his home, OF the children" even of
Wilfred. ut will fall hardest on him."
said the sick man repeatedly. and the tone
4 was sorrowful, almost loving, in which he
said it,
Wilfred had his HANDS full then; he was
Johns head nurse, and wi.hal frequently
called away by messengers from the office,
he understood business fairly we'll, as he
said, and he threw his whole heart into it
then.
"John shall see l am not such poor fellow
when he picks up the reins again." he
thought.
But John seemed still FAR enough from
that. The anxieties of his position had been
too much for him hard as he looked, he
was not strong enough to battle with
them.
The boys came home at Christmas, and
had to tread softly and speak In hushed
voices, for John was still very ill. May was
altogether kept in the house the cold VIM
ters tried her severely just now. The large
house was still on their hands, Johns illness
having stopped any plans for letting or SELL
ingit.
| Wilfred had taste now of real work,
real anxiety. He thought deeply over the
state OF the family, consulted one or two
friends, and then resigned without distressing
John on the subject.
| "If1 do continue in the army 1 reduce
my personal expenses" he said to himself,
though he drew deep sigh on relinquishing
his connection with the gallant Dashers.
One consolation was. that "business" was