Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-09-23
The DIsinherited ohild.

'aHe has made his own bed.'' said Ma
iOr Martindale, ''and he must lie on it. -
Major Martindale folded up certain
obnoxious letter, as he made this mental
remark, and, laying it in a little gilded
letteF-rack beside him, in company with
a tailor's bill, ticket to some forthcom-
h ing amateur concert, and printed cir
cular concerning "insuranee policies, :"
went deliberately on with his breakfast.
lie was Il handsome, elderly gentleman,
slightly bald, with bright brown eyes,
straight Roman features and one of those
square, firmly moulded mouths which
betOken a decided tendency to have ones
own way. And as he drank his coffee,
and daintily mutilated his French rolls,
served In garniture of their own leaves,
he mused over the contents of this same
letter. HING e
''It's agreat mistake to allow servant
to bring in ones correspondence at meal
times,'' REFLECTED Major Martindale.
.'It's almost sure to interfere with ones
digestion. I'll never read another letter
at breakfast time. What could possess
my son TO go and get married In this alb
rupt, Ronsensial sort of way? Says he
feared it would be impossible to gain my
consent. Well, he had good reasons for
his fears. He'll find it still more impOs-
sible 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 the strawber-
ries, and daintily cleansing his filbert-
nailed fingers in a ruby cOlored finger
bowl, Major Martindale wrote three
words on a thick gray sheet of note pa
per, inciosed it in an envelope, affixed a
stamp, and gave it to the servant to post.
And the three words were these
''COnsider Yourself Disinherited."
That was the way in which Major Mar
tindale 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 romantic
dream of tender memory of his Lifetime
but he liked his own way better. And
it is astonishing how obstinate man can
be when he turns his fun attention to the
business.
"Disinherited! o, Harry! And for
me!''
Mrs. Harry Martindale, pretty blue
/ eyed girl with light hair that shOwered
/ itself around her face like sunshine, liz
| tie dots of dimples in cheeks and chin
| and a round fresh mouth like a baby's
/ looked piteOusly up into her husbands
| face as She spoke.
Harry Martindale shrugged his shOul-
/ ders; the mOmentaTy cloud passed away
from his face, as he answered brayely:
'|Never mind, Ariel. We can afford
| YOU and /, TO be independent of a crusty
old geritleman's money. I'll see about
/ that clerkship in st. Louis
''Halfthe world away from me, Har-
ry."
at won't be for long pet. Cheer up
/ I'll send for you when I've got well es-
/ tablished, and We'll have little bird
| nest of home, without asking any IA
/ vors of my father"
I Ariel smiled through the dewdrOps thai
| sparkled in her eyes. She was easily
| consOled. \ girls heart at eighteen is
/ blessedly elastic.
/ Major Martindale decided to 90 to At.
/ lantic City for the hot weeks that season
! why, he did not especially particular
( iLe to himself. Saratoga was dull; al
/ Newport one was half a mile away from
/ the beach; Long Branch has palled up
/ on his fastidiOus taste. SO 10 Atlantic
| City he went, rather enjoying the very
perceptible nets and snares spread fOl
him by the various widows, old maid:
! and gushing damsels who were there en-
gagged in the great misunderstanding
campaign.
81 wonder if they think I am a fool, ,
said the Major, as he strolled on the beacl
with a cigar in his mouth.
But one day the Major found himsel
forced to give up picnic on account OF
a strange and unusual feeling of lassitud'
and languOr, and the next he was il
bed"
''This looks serious" said the Major Il
| himself. ''I've heard of 4 low fevel
hanging about here, but never though
of it's attacking me -
The doctor came, twiried his watch
chain, wrote a prOdigous Latin presCrip
ton, and shook his head.
People made haste TO vacate the room
in immediate yicinage of No. 90, and tn
Major began dimly to comprehend
through a mist, that was slowly gather
ing around his brais, that it was likel
to 20 hard with him.
81 will stay and nurse him, doctor.
have had the fever, year or two since
and do not fear it, and l am handy wit
such people,
''But, my child, you've no idea wha
you are undertaking.
''Ges, / have answered the soft, 10y
tones; "and we must rot let him die 70
want of proper care"
lis your aunt wiiling?'
, "Quite So
'''Then you may try; but take my wor
for it, you'n back down 1T the end Of til
+ first week.
Major Martiudale heard these word
spoken, as il were oG5 Of the clouds,
he might have heard the thunder of tl
: waves on the beach outside, or the rinSin
. of the church bells, without at all COZ
5 Meeting them with himself. Strans
what 4 world of dreams and shadow
5 his brain and soul had entered into.
e But one day he caISe back out of q
darkness and immensity and the reckle
whirling to and fro of the waves of lif
weak and white and helpless as a baby.
And there, sewing by the window, $