The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-04-08
THE BROTHERS.

In quiet street off one Of the quie,
squares in The vicinity of lIoIborn, there
is a tall, gloomy house, with narrow
dusty windows and massive double
door, that still bears a b ass plate with
the words "Gourlay Brothers" engraved
thereon.
The lower part OF the house was used
as an Office, but the blinds were rarely
drawn up, the door seldom swung back
TO the energetic push OF customers, the
long passage echoed no hurried footsteps,
and Eli Haggart, the clert, was, to all
appearance, the idlcst man in London
till one came to know his masters.
The Gourlay Brothers were never any
buster than their faithful old 'crvant-
never hurried, nurrcd or worried f;
never late and never early. Every
morning az 10 o'clock they entered tbeir
Office together, read their letters, glanced
at the Times, left instructions for posi-
BILE callers, and then went TO the city.
They always took the same route: at
eleven, they might be seen passing along
the sunny side Of Cannon street, at
palEpast one they entered the same res
taurant, and SAT at the same table for
luncheon. Wet or dry, shade or shine.
summer or winter, every working day
for thirty years they had gone through
the same routine, always excepting the
month of September, when thy took
their annual holiday.
They were elderly men: John, tall,
thin, meancholylooking, with light
gray eyes, sc&nty gray hair and whisk-
ers, and n general expression of drab.
ness pcrvading his whole ace and fault.
lessly neat attire. Roger was shorter,
rounder, and more cheerful, and gcncr-
ally warmer in color His pcrvading
hue was brown, keen reddish eyes that
must have been merry once, crisp au-
burn hair that time had not get trans.
muted to silver, a clean shaved, ruddy
face, and brown hands full of dents
and dimples. John WAS the elder still
he looked up to Roger with great re.
spect, consulted him on every subject,
and never, either in or out OF business,
took any step without biz advice or APP
provaI. And Roger was no less deieren-
tial without any profession of affection,
or display of feeling, the Gourlay
Brothers dwelt together N closest friend
ship and love; their life was Il long
harmony, and during all the years of
their partnership no shadow had fallen
between them, and their public life was
~ harmonious ~ their private inter
course. In business they were success
full; every speculation they made pros
pered, every thing they touched turned
TO gold; and IA their whole lives were
spent in getting, not spending, they
were believed, and with reason, to be
immensely wealthy. "CoIh, hard sterr
enterprising," men called them; with,
an acuteness of vision and II stcadinesS
of purpose only to be acquired by long
and close application lq business. Re-
served in manner simple in their tastes
economical in their habits, the Gourlay
Brothers were the last men in the world
to be suspected of sentiment, their
lives TIC least likely to contain even
the germs of II romance. And yet they
had not been always mere business
machines; the sole end and aim of their
existence had not always been money.
in earlier years they had had brighter
dreams, nobler ambitions.
At school John had distinguished him.
self, and his brief university career
gave promise of brilliant future.
Roger had been bright, ardent boy,
with taste for music that was almost
II passion, and talent little short
of genius. With his deep earnest
ness, intense steadiness Of purpose and
clear, vigorous intellect, John could
scarcely have failed to made distn-
guished lawyer. Roger was born
artist, with u restless, lofty ambition.
Life seemed very bright for the brothers.
There was nothing to prevent, and every
thing to assist each in fo lowing his
inclination. But in the very dawn of
their career their father died, and they
were suddenly reduced from anluencc to
actual poverty. Nothing remained from
tho wreck of II magnificent fortune but
the bitter experience that always accom-.
panies such reyeres. Fine friends
failed them, flattercrs looked coldly on
their distress; those who had most fire.
quently partaken of their lavish hospital
ity passed by on the other side. Not
friend remained in their adversely but
one, and she had indeed the win but not
the power to help them. The boys left
college, and turned their thoughts to
business. 1t was hopeless to attempt to
follow up their professions, with an
invalid mother and idOlized only sister |
depending on them for support John
secured situation as clerk in city |
warehouse. Roger accepted desk in the
office of Bernard Russell, an old friend
of his fathers. They moved to cheap
lodgings, and for several years plodded
on YEARLY, the only CLEAN Of sun
shine in their altered home being
the occasional visits of Alice Rus
sell to their sister. Maude GOurlay
and Alice had been schoOl.fellows
and friends; they usually spent
their vacations together, and Alice felt
the misfortune that had fallen on the
family as If it had overtaken her own.
But she could do nothing except pay
them flying visits, send trihing gifts of
fruit and flowers, and write pretty,
sympathetic notes to Maude. IN
A few years of hardship and poverty
told on Mrs. Gourlay's always feeble
frame; still for her daughters sake she
chung to life with a strange tenacity;
but when Maude's lover, who had gone
10 Australia to make his fortune, re-
turned, not wealthy, but sufficiently so
% claim his bride in her altered circum.
tances, MR.. dourlay seemed to have
70 other object to live for. Maude's
marriage was fastened, and the very
lay after the ceremony the poor, weary,
,r0ken- hea rfad mother died Gaop0a |