Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-07-28


that had fallen on the family as if it had
overtaken her own. But she could do
nothing except pay them flying visits,
send trif1ing gifts of fruit and flowers,
and write pretty, sympathetic notes to
Maude.
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 strange tenacity;
but when Maudes lover, who had gone
to Australia to make his fortune, re-
turned, not wealthy, but sufficiently so to
claim his bride, it altered circumstances.
Mrs. Gourlay seemed to have no other
object to live for. Maude's marriage was
fastened, and the very dsy after the GER
emory the poor, weary, broken-hearted
mother died. George Leslie took his wife
back with him to Sidney, and John and
Roger Gourlay were literally alone in the
world
AS if in bitter mockery of their loss
and loneliness, Immediately after their
mothers death the brothers inherited a
small fortune. But it was too late for
John to go back to his studies, too late
for Roger to return to his piano. They
had fallen into the groove Of business,
and John at least was seized with a
fortune into a large one and become
wealthy So they went into business
on their own account as Gourlay Broth
ers, with the firm resolution of retrieving
the position their father had lost, and
very few years saw them established in
Whittier street. and fairly on the high
road 10 fortune. Then one quiet summer
evening, as they sat over their dessert,
John opened his heart to his brother, and
told him of his hopes, dreams, and ambi-
tons for the future
You will be surprised, and [ trust
pleased to hear, Roger, that [ love Alice
Russell" he said, laying his hand on his
brothers arm; can hardly remember
the time when she was not dearer to me
than all the world beside The bitterest
part of our misfortune to me was that it
separated me from her; the only thing
that has sustained me through our long
struggle was the hope Of some day win
ming her; nothing else can ever compen-
safe me for the ruin Of all my hopes and
glorious ambitions. [ once dreamed of
being famous, Roger; for her sake / put
that behind me, and have grubbed for
gold like miser. We, Gourlay Brothers,
are on the high road to fortune; [ may
aspire to the hand of Alice now!".
Oul0ll, COul, anu IuC yOuuSCl
brothers voice was husky, and his hand
to your success"
"Thanks, brother / should have told
you all this before, should have confided
in you, but I feared troubling you on my
account; you would have seen thousand
shadows across my path, you would have
ben more unhappy than [ was myself.
And now want you to promise that it
shall make no difference between US. We
shall be Gourlay Brothers still"
Roger stretched his hand across the
table, and John grasped it heartily.
"Gourlay Brothers to the end Of the
chapter, old fellow, and may you be as
happy as you deserve. God bless you,
John"
Johns face became a shade or two paler
with emotion, and he walked up and
down the room few times; then he stood
behind his brothers chair.
Roger, you will think me:very weak,
very nervous, but dare not speak to
Alice myself. [ could not endure re-
fusal from her. | have never even given
her the most distant hint of my feelings.
have not the slightest reason to suppose
that she regards me as other than mere
acquaintance, at most as Maudes brother.
Roger, we have always been friends as
we'll as brothers = stand by me in this;
you are less shy and more accustomed to
women; see Alice for me, ask her to be
my WIFE"
John, you're mad! You do not mean
It'll"
"I do; it is my only chance. Plead for
my happiness, brother, as / would plead
for yours. I am man Of few words, but
| feel deeply. A refusal from her lips
would kill me; I could bear it from you"
AS you will, John; I'll do my best"
and Roger leaned his head on his hand
and shaded his face from the light, "I'll
call on Alice tomorrow"
The next day was the longest of John
Gourlay's life-a bright, warm, happy
day, that made people even in the city
look glad and cheerful. He went about
his business as usual, ate his luncheon
and walked home leisurely. Roger was
standing at the window watching for him,
and he kept his back to him when he en-
tered the room.
"Well," John said, gently; "well,
Roger, have you seen herr"
Yes, I've seen her." and Roger faced
round suddenly. "John, old fellow, it's
no usen
"Brother!" and he lifted his hand as if
to ward off a blow.
It's no USE" Roger went On in hard
voice. "She does not love you; she
loves some one else. Be man, John,
and bear it; for there's no hope"
One low, stifed groan, and then John
Gourlay wrung his brothers hand and
walked steadily out Of the room. What
he suffered in the hours that followed no
one ever knew, and when he appeared at
the dinner table he was calm and self
possessed, but something had either come
into his face or gone out Of it that altered
him. But of the two Roger looked the
most unhappy. The blow had really
fallen most heavily on him.
"Jack, old fellow, we're Gourlay Broth
ers now to the end of the chapter" he
said, huskily. 81 know you'll never
marry and neither will l." and somehow
John felt that Roger meant what he said.
twenty-five years passed by, a quarter