Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-03-16
.MESCEEE.fV'E0ES.
The herited Son

He has made hisown bed,' said Ma
jor Martindale, 'and he must lie on it.
Major Martindale folded up GER
tain obnoxious letter, as he made this
mental remark, and, laying it on a lit
tie gilded letter-rack beside him, in
company with tailor's bill, ticket to
some forthcoming amateur concert, and
printed circular concerning insurance
policies went deliberately on with
his breakfast.
He was handsome elderly gentle.
man, slightly bald, with bright brown
eyes, straight Roman features, and one
of those square, tirmly-molded mouths
which betOken a tendency to have
ones own way. AS he drauk his cof'
fee, and daintily manipulated his
French rolls, broiled birds, and fresh
strawberries, served in garniture OF
their own leaves, he unused over the
contents of this same letter.
It's great mistake to allow a ser
want to bring in ones correspondence
at meal-times,' reflected Major Martin
dale. Its almost certain to interfere
with ones digestion. I'll never read
another letter at breakfast What
could possess my son to go and get
married in this abrupt, nonsensical
sort of wry? Says he feared it wo'd
be impossible to gain my consent.
Well, he had good reason for his fears.
He'll find it still more impossible after
marriage than before. He knows my
ideas, and if he don't choose to conform
to 'em, it's his business, not mine.
And so, after finishing his strawber.
ries, and daintily cleansing his filberi-
nailed fingers in ruby-colOred finger.
bowl, Major Martindale wrote three
words on thick gray sheet Of note.
paper, inclosed it in an envelope, affix-
ed stamp, and gave it to a servant tC
post. And the three words were these:
'Co1esider yourself disinhaited.'
That was the way in which Major
Martindale disposed of his only son.
Not that he did not love Harry-the
bright, frank boy, who was all that was
left of his young wife, the one 1Oman
tic dream and tender memory of hi.
lifetime-but he liked his own way
better. And it is surprising how obsti
nate man can be when he once turns
his attention to the business.
K
'Disinherited? O, Harry! And fol
mel
Mrs. Harry Martindale, a pretty
blue-eyed woman, with light hair that
shoWered itself around her face like
sunshine, little dots of dimples in hel
cheek and chin, and a round, fresh
mouth like baby's, looked piteously
up into her husbands face as she spoke
Harry Martindale shrugged his
shoulders; the momentary cloud passed
hi fafs - no vol
bravely:
Never misd, Ariel. We can afford
you and /, to be independent of q
crusty old gentleman's money. III
see about that clerkship in st. LOUIS
Half the world away from me, Har.
ry.1
I'll send Tor you when Pve got vel
established, and we'll have little
birds nest of home, without asking
any favors of my father
Ariel smiled through the dew-drOps
that sparkled in her eyes. She was
easily consoled. A girl'e heart al
eighteen is blessedly elastic.
Major Martindale elected to go tC
Atlantic City for the hot weeks that
season. Why, he did not especially
partIcuiarlZe 10 himself. Saratoga was
dull; at Newport one was half mile
away from the beach; Long Branch
had pailed upon bis fastiClous taste
So to Atlantic City he went, rather en-.
joying the very percepuble nets and
snares spread for him by the various
widows, old maids, and gushing dam
sells who were there engaged in the
great misunderstanding campaign.
Il wonder if they think am fool,
said the Major, as be strolled on the
beach with a cigar in his mouth.
But one day the Major found himself
forced to give up picnic on account
of strange and unusual feeling of las
situde and languor, and the next he
was in bed.
This looks serious said the Major
to himself. 'Pve heard of low fever
hanging about, but never thought OF
it's attacking mev
The doctor came, twirled his watch
Chain. wrote prodigious Latin pre-