The Red Cloud chief., 1880-10-21

| MN stsN uhdCn- anu u Cdu-
not think OF him even now without the
old grief mastering me-"
WAS he like you. fathery
mo, not in any respect. He was the
~handsomest youth / have ever seen.
My mind wa slow and plodding. He
seemed TO master his studies without
effort. and as if by intuition. He was
gay, witty, generous, and incapable Of
a mean thought; but at times he was
mastered by a strange Incidence, and
never appeared to have any decided
and definite aim. He only seemed to
seek the enjoyment of the passing
hour.
Il a close my eyes and see Charles
as he sat beside me twenty-five years
ago on this very stream. We were drift
ing, and he lay back in the BOAT Within
eyes fixed on the clouds overhead. and
repeating, or transposing, the lines from
Faust:
"'"To the passing hour say.
So beautiful thou ART. thy flight delay"
Il wish we could, Harry would like
TO drift forever on a great broad sea
where there were no banks TO bring up
against
Those words / remember. because
of the vents which occurred that night.
They were the last playful words eve
exchanged between us, the last time j
saw the rapt. dreamy look in my broth
er's beautiful eyes.
"Whcn we reached the landing in
front of Glen Cove (your grandfather's
place. we found a party Of young men
xr.Et.nr nm tho I.,ly Tor ~ TLa,- t~.r.
wild fellows. all of them, except Will
lam Ormond. who was my brothers
most intimate friend.
"'Hallo, boysr they cried; why, you've
been forever in getting here. We've
waited hours and hours for you
"'What's up?' asked Charles, jump
ing out of the boat.
"'Fun's upr cried VIII Estabrook.
the widest Of the reckless band.
We're in for a jolly time to night.
Maggie Dorsey, the tavern-keeper's
daughter, you know, is to be married
TO Aft Grimes. They're going To have
a rousing ball. and old Dorsey saws if
ne grace the occasion with our aristo-
cratic presence, he'll give us a special
oyster supper. Hurry up, We have a
good mile to walk. and it's late. You've
just time to dress. OF course old
Sober-sides Chat was my ~nickname)
couldn't be bribed 10 such an ungodly
assemblage.'
~ don't know about going mvself,'
Charles answered, because nv father
is opposed 10 our going TO Dorsey's ut
any time. He thinks it's a low hole.
and if / 90 to a ball there, he will find
il hard to overlook it
Just listen TO the good little boyr'
VIII went on. DO as you're bid.
sonny, and il papa says no. why, no it
has to be. I've ALWAYS thought nine
teen was old enough for a fellow to
take care of himself. The governor
tried TO get the whip-handle on me, but
/ soon let him know that he needn't
trouble himself to interfere with nv 90
ings out and cOmings in. Well. if
you're bound 10 play the obedient and
dutiful little boy, we'll go on
my brothers face had crimsoned
rs EStabrook spoke, but he said indif-
%ferently:
of | decide to 90. I'll be ready in a
few minutes and then he sauntered
into the house.
loliD"tu Hl11- loT u hHtW IcTItcl-
ly that to taunt him with the exercise
of our fathers authority was to make
him rebel against it. Father was a
very stern man i'm those DAYS. and
Charles found the restraints so irksome
that it was no new thing to evade them.
When we reached our own room, he
shut the door.
81 think I'll 60 to Dorsey's to-
night he said. Il won't say anything
about it to father. for he always has a
lecture ready whether I'm right or
wrong. l won't stay more than an
hour. Just to show the fellows that can
do rs | please sometimes
".Don't 60 | said. You know
that father is right in calling Dorsey's
m infamous hole. It's a miserable
drinking and gambling shop. and the
people who stay at the tavern you
wouldn't notice if you met on the
street. Besides, the boys are evidently
intending to have a spree. Will Esta-
brook has drank more than is good for
him Already
"'And | suppose you think | shall
get intoxicated, too he cried, impa-
tiently.
..Ah, | knew it. More than once
since our return from school, my broth
er had crept up to u room about mid
night, not drunk, perhaps, but with a
flushed face and unsteady steps. Idon't
think he had any real appetite for
liquor. but his easy, pliable nature left
him at the mercy of every temptation.
The subject was lever mentioned be-
tween us. was ashamed TO even men,
ton my suspicious to him. Oh. how
weak, how despicablv weak, l was!
for had 1 prayed and pleaded with him
from the first false step, who can say
what might have been averted?
".Yes, I'm going!' Charles said. de-
cidedly, beginning to dress. Halo,
Ormond, is that you? Come in. I'm
not quite ready vet, but I'll not keep
you waiting many minutes
81 haven't come for YOU Ormond
said. gravely. 'uor am l going myself.
In fact, I've come to try to persuade
YOU to stay at home. The boys have
been drinking already, and there's no
knowing what mischief they may do.
Besides, ALT Grimes. the bridegroom, is
a regular blackleg, as everybody
knows, and the tavern is swarming
with gamblers from Almont. They say
they've come to pluck the green geese
in this neighborhood.'
".Et tn. Brute" said my brother.
laughing; so you're joining forces
with Hal there, to convince me that I'm
one of the young goslings that Will fly
into the trap. Thank you, but I'm 60
ing all the same. 1 hate trouble, you
know, and it's easier for me to 90 with
the boys for an hour or so to the tavern
than to explain to them why l can't 60.
Rather humiliating, too, to say l can't
take care of myself. Well, I'm ready.
Goodnight. But l say, Ormond, stay
with us tonight. I'll be back before
you go to bed and tell you all the
news and humming a tune. he ran
down the steps leaving us looking at
each other ~uneasily.
81 don't like his going Ormond
said. Those boys will get into mis-
chief
"He said no more about it. We
tried to talk of other matters. but it
was a vain effort. Two hours, three