The Iola register., 1880-03-26

economical in their habits, the Gourls
Brothers were the last men in the worl
to be suspected of sentiment, their live
the least likely to contain even th
germs of romance. And yet they ha
not been always mere business m.
chimes; the sole aim and end of the
existence had not always been money
In early years they had brighter dream.
n0bler ambitions.
At school John had distinguishe
himself, and his brief university caree
gave promise of a brilliant future
Roger had been bright, ardent boy
with taste for music that was almos
a passion, and talent little short O
genius. With his deep earnestness, in
tense steadiness of purpose, and clear
vigorous intellect, John could scarcel,
have failed to make q distinguished
lawyer. Roger was born artist, will
a restless, lofty ambition. Life seemed
very bright for the brothers; there
was nothing to prevent and every thing
to assist each in following his inclination
But in the very dawn of their career
their father died, and they were sud.
denly reduced to actual poverty.
Nothing remained from the wreck of q
magnificent fortune. but the bitter
experience that always accompanies
such reverses. Fine friends failed them,
fiatterers looked coldly on their distress,
those who had most freely partaken of
their lavish hospitality passed by on the
other side. Not a friend remained in
their adversely but one, and she had in
deed the will but not the power to help
them. The boys left the college and
turned their thoughts to business. It
was hopeless to attempt to follow up
their professions with an invalid mother
and idolized only sister depending on
them for support. John secured sit
uation as clerk in a city warehouse.
Roger accepted desk in the office of
Bernard Russell, an old friend of his
fathers. They moved to cheap lodg-
ings, and for several years plodded on
wearily, one only CLEAN of sunshine in
their altered home being the occasional
visits of Alice Russell 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 trifing gifts
of fruit and flowers, and write pretty,
sympathizing notes to Maude.
A few years of poverty and hardship
told on Mrs. Gourlay's always feeble
frame; still for her daughters sake she
clung to life with strange tenacity;
but when Maude's lover, who had gone
to Australia to make his fortune, re-
turned not wealthy, but sufficiently so
10 claim his bride in her altered circum-
stances, Mrs. Gourlay seemed to have
no other object to live for. Maude's
was hastened, and the very
lay after the ceremony the poor, weary,
oroken-hearted mother died. George
Leslie took his wife back with him to
Sidney, and John and Roger Gourlay
we're literally alone in the world.
As if in bitter mockery of their loss
md loneliness, Immediately after their
nother's death the brothers inherited a
mall fortune. But it was too late for
|ohn to 60 back to his studies, too late
or Roger to return to his piano. They
lad fallen into the groove of business,
md John at least was seized with a fe.
'erish eagerness to turn his small fortune
nto a large one and become wealthy.
20 they went into business as Gourlay
srothers, with the firm resolution of
etrieving the position their father had
ost, and very few years saw them es-
ablished in Whittier Street and fairly
n the high road to fortune. Then one
uiet summer evening, as they sat over
heir dessert, John opened his heart to
is brother and told him of his hopes, '
reams and ambitions for the future.
"You will be surprised, and, trust,
leased to hear, Roger, that 1 love Alice
;ussell," he said, laying his hand on
is brothers arm; 81 can hardly re-
lember the time when she was not '
carer to me than all the world beside.
he bitterest part of our misfortune to
le was that it separated me from her; S
,e only thing that has sustained me 8
trough our long struggle was the hope $