The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-01

q virtue which even q parent could mol
deny him. And calling to mind an old
tale of our university life, at which Sep
and L were wont to smile when we were
careless undergraduates, I laughed, and
said You should be thankful for SO
honest son, who did not keep in
dark, as he might have DONE He
seems as anxious to avoid all misunder-
standing as was Toby O'Connor when
he carefully engraved his name upon
he stone which he afterwards flung
through the deans plate-glass win
dow"
This anecdote had never before failed
to raise a smile; but my friend was evi-
IDENTIFY in no mood for laughter. After
fully folded up the letter, aud smooth
ing it with his hand, continued his
story.
"Can you imagine my feelings when I
read this missive?" he said 81 could
not speak; so / threw it across the
breakfast table to Jessie, and went away
to nv study. For full half hour
there was no sound. Then heard the
door of the dining room open, and my
wife's step i'll the passage. [ called to
her. When she came in saw that her
ewes were full of tears. l took her in
nv arms, and begged her not to fret
1J,
disappointment, and that we shall bear
it together. 1 was quite choky, and she
did not appear to hear me. % Septl-
mus. she said, after a few moments,
what have we done that God should
have given us such a noble son? and
she burst out so bing. L have long
ceased to feel surprised at the behavior
of women. Every man marrles Sphinx.
The power which that boy, with his
frank manner, CHEEKY laughter, and
honest heart, (for I admit his charm, as
who does not p had got over his mother,
whe was no fool, I can tell you, Is mex
plicable. If he had robbed the bank to
buy sweetmeats for the urchins of Little
, Britain, / believe his mother would
have cried for JOY and gone to say her
prayers. There is n peculiar beauty
about woman's character; but as to
expecting rational conduct or logical
argument, you might as well make a
, salad of roses or walk III high-heeled
boots.
, Septimus had now finished the anec-
, dotes of his son. Leaning his head
> upon his hand and looking across the
table, he asked, What is my boy to
, be :"
"What does he wish to be. asked
} in turn.
''That is just what asked him the
other day. said my friend, with half
: smile; ''and the young wretch sug-
gested that he should follow my pro-
fession.
"Your profession - cried L, in amaze
ment. I had known Septimus all my
, life, and was well aware that he had
never followed an occupation for more
than six days at time. The routine of
which he planned on Monday morning,
never could survive the Intervention
of the following Sunday.
My friend looked at me rather com
ically and said, 81 am afraid he was
laughing at me. You know that /
went in for all sorts of things when
II was young man. was
wild about art at one time; and
once 1 seriously thought of making q
fortune on the Stock Exchange. You
remember my devotion to literature !;
and how I studied architecture that
year when we travelled together. I
might have made something of them, if
had not been SO often anticipated by
Mr. Matthew Arnold, Mr.. Ruskin, and
others. It was not until was engaged
to JESSIE that took up political econ
omy, and found that had been an un-
productive consumer. 1t was wonder
ful science, and makes humanity so
simple, showing you that all men are
very much alike, if you look at them in
the right way, and don't confuse your
self by the analysis of peoples char
acter."
well, Septimus," I said, ''you
can't be surprised that your son should
be as idle ajyoung dog as you were in
your youth. Perhaps he may some day
n catch this science, as you did, for it is
, certainly in the air. y
) But said Septimus, 1.-THE curious
thing is that he is not idle at all. Ou
the contrary, he works very steadily,
but hates to get anything for it. I have
| shown him bishops In their aprons. and
Judges in their gowns, but without the
slightest effect. When I took him into
} the House of Commons he expressed
} an opinion that all the members should
wear wigs like the Speakers, maintain
) ing that no man could be revolutionary
: in wig He added that, but for the
head-gear of the lawyers, codiicarion
would be inevitable. When L intro
5 duced him to the peers of my acquaint-
: ance, he cross questioned the noble lord
t about his tenants cottages. I should
suppose him to be- entirely without
7 reverence, if he did not sometimes
5 burst into enthusiasm over people OF
whom, for the most part, / have never
heard, and who have certainly achieved
no position. But though he IS without
ambition, he is SO far from idleness, that
| his industry is almost vice. He not
, only pursues every study which cannot
possibly lead to fortune or place, but he
, occupies his spare time with other
) peoples business. Some days ago my
3 laborer q had but onel abruptly left the
T place, and on inquiry I found Chat Tom
, my, anxious to diminish the surplus ag-
ricultural population, and helped him
I to emigrate. He is on the point of de-
l livering series of lectures to our peace
l full rustics, who have heretofore been
+, perfectly satisfied with my penny read
: ings, and by these means he will proba-
bly, depopulate the village. He talks OF
e visit of inspection to the Valley of the
, Mississippi. In short, begin to fea1
: that am the father of an agitator.
? strange lad, of whom the only thing
which you can safely predict is that he
will do what he likes, and that his moth
q er will abet him. VIII you have any
a more wine?"
"One moment" i said. ST only
!. want to ask, what has become of the
{ borrowed Theodorea"