The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-12-17
ROMANCE OF HARD WORK.

Raymond Thurston, | believe you
are insane.
As Amabel spoke her voice had a
sharp quiver of pain as well as anger.
She was very proud of her brother
proud of his handsome face, proud of
his talents--and she considered he was
about to degrade himself socially if not
morally, by the stand he had announced
himself to have taken. Seeing her pas
sionate outcry had not moved him, she
said, pleadingly:
"Have You no pride left? You who
had all the old Thurston pride oncef'
81 have just so much pride left, ANA
bel," he answered, "that l cannot sit
here eating the bread of idleness another
day."
"You know You are more than well
come here"
81 do know it. / appreciate your
husbands kindness at its full value, Am
abel. hope the day will come when l
can prove it. And, Sis, / am only too
thankful that you have his true love and
strong arm now, when we have lost so
much. Now, darling, don't try to hold
me back from honest employment
"But, Raymond, you can surely OBJ
tain some gentlemanly position!"
81 have been trying faithfully for six
months, you know with what success.
There, don't look Mt me so pitifully, it will
come right one of these days"
81 wonder what Bertha Haines will
say when she sees you perched upon the
drivers seat of an express cart.
For the first time the forced compos-
ure of Raymond's face was stirred. A
dark red flush crept to his very hair, and
room. Glad to have him moved at last,
his sister said:
"With her aristocratic ideas and the
pride that is Unborn in her family, she
will never recognize you again, Ray
mond."
"Then j must lose tine honor of her
friendship" Raymond said hoarsely.
"Dont say any more, Amabel!" And
unable to bear any further remonstrance,
he left the room, and little later the
house.
The Thurston pride of which Amabel
had spoken was stinging him sorely, i'll
spite of the brave face he carried to cover
it. He was n man of %, and his life
had held only the pleasures of wealth,
the opportunities money gives for the
development of intellect, for twenty
seven Of these years. His parents died
when he was boy, and Amabel, his
only sister, ID years his senior, married
before she was 20, and gave her brother
home, whenever he was not travelling,
or in some seminary or college. While
he considered himself rich man, Ray
mond had accepted this hospitality as
freely as it was offered, and Amabels S
Jewel case, her husbands library, and
her children's play-room bore witness of
her brothers generosity. But suddenly,
without warning, there swept over the
country one of the devastating financial
crashes so overwhelming in this land of
speculation, and Raymond was recalled
from Europe by his brother-in-law, in
forming him that his entire patrimony
had been swept away. Investments that
had seemed to the young man, ignorant
in all business details, as secure as they
were fattering, had fallen to ruin, and a
few hundred dollars only were left OF
what had been a noble fortune.
At first Raymond did not realize the
extent of his misfortune. He was still
Young, we'll educated, in perfect health,
and certainly the world had some niche
where he could earn an honest living.
But weeks of seeking for employment
gave him a keener knowledge of his mis-.
fortune. Friends who had been willing
to smoke his cigars and drink his wine,
who were yet willing to extend every so
cial greeting, shook their heads when
asked to confide any portion of their bus
mess into his keeping.
Brought up to study, to live a life OF
elegant leisure, Raymond Thurston al
28 knew absolutely nothing of business
nor had he studied any one branch suf
fciently to qualify himself for teacher
He tried faithfully to find some employ
ment, spending what little remained o
his fortune with the lavish hand that hat
not yet learned economy.
Society welcomed him home after tive
wears of wandering, for Amabel Barcla,