The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-05-05
The Disinherited Son.

The D1slnhented Son,
"He has made his own bed" said
Major Martindale, "and he must lie on
it,"
Major Martindale folded up certain
obnoxious letter as he made this men
tai remark, and, laying it on little
gilded letter-rack beside him in COM
pany with tailOrs bill, a ticket to
some forthcoming ameteur concert, and
printed circular containing some Gin
surance policies" went deliberately on
with his breakfast.
He was a handsome, elderly gentle
man, slightly bald, with bright, brown
eyes, straight Roman features, and Que
of those square, firmly-moUlded mouths
which betoken a decided tendency TO
have ones own way. And, as he drank
his coffee, and daiDtily manipulated his
French rolls, boiled birds, and fresh
Strawberries served i'm a 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,n ~ reflected Major Martin
dale. "Its almost certain to interfere
with ones digestion. pll never read
another letter at breakfast-time. What
could have possessed my son to go and
get married in this abrupt, nonsensical
sort of way? Says he feared it would
be impossible to gain my" consent
WNll, 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, and not mine" "
And so, after finishing his strawber-
ries, and daintily cleansing his filbert-
nailed fingers in a Tuby-cOlored finger
bowl, Major Martiudale wrote three
words on a thick, gray sheet of note
paper, enclosed it in an envelope,
affixed a stamp, and gave it to the
servant to post. And the three words
were these: "COnSider yourself diSijl-
herited."
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 romantic
dream and tender memory of his life.
time-but he liked his own way better
And it is surprising how obstinate Z
man can be when he once turns his at
tention TO the business.
"Disinherited Oh, Harry Anc
for men'
Mrs. Harry Martindale, a pretty
blue-eyed woman, with light hair thai
showered itself around her face lik
sunshine, little dots of dimples in he
cheeks and chin, and a round, fresl
mouth like a haby's, looked piteously
up into her husbands face as she spoke
Harry Martindale shrugged his shoul
ders. The momentary cloud passe'
away from his face, and he answered
bravely:
"Never mind, Ariel. We can affor,
to be independent of a crusty old gen
tleman's money. I'll see about tha
clerkship in st. Louis.
'Halt the world away from me
Harry"
at won't be long, pet. Cheer up
Pll send for you when Pve got we'll es
tablished, and We'll have little birds
nest of a home, without asking any ia
vOrs of my father"
Ariel smiled through the dew-drop
that sparkled in her eyes. She was eas
lily cOnsoled. A girls heart at eightee
is blessedly elastic.
Major Martindale elected to 90 to AT
lantic City for the hot weeks tina
season. Why, he did not especiall
particularize TO himself. Saratoga wa
dull; at Newport, one is half a mil
away from the beach, and Long Branc
had palled upon his fastidiOus taste
So to Atlantic City he went, rather eu
joying the very perceptible nets an
snares spread for him by the variou
widows, old maids, and gushing dam
sells who were there engaged in tn
great misunderstanding campaign.
81 wonder if they think Pm fool,
said the Major, as he strolled on tn
beach with a cigar in his mouth.
But one day the Major found himse
forced to give up picnic OH account {
a strange and unusual feeling of lass
tude and languor, and the next day b
was in bed.
''phis looks serious" said the Major
to himself. "IVe heard uf = low feye
hanging about, but | never thought {
it's attacking me.n
The doctor came, twirled his watch
chain, wrote prOdigious Latin pre-
seription, and shook his head.
People made haste to vacate a.
rooms in the immediate vicinity of NJ
SO, and the Major began dimly to CON
prehend, through a mist that wa
slowly gathering around his brain, tina
it was likely to go hard with him.
'I will stay and nurse him, docto
had the fever year or two since, an
do not fear it, and / am handy wit
such people"
"But, my dear, you've no idea whs
you're undertaking."
"Yes, 1 have" answered the soft, lo'
tones; "and we must not let him die fo
want of proper care.n
as your aunt willing ?u
'Quite sou
'srhen you may try; but, take M