Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-06-11
THE BROTHERS.

In quiet street off one of the quiet
squares there is tall, gloomy house with
narrow, dusty windows and a massive
double door that still bears brass plate
with the words "Gourlay Brothers" en-
graved 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 foot
steps, and Eli Haggart, the clerk, was to
all appearance the idlest man in London,
till one came to know his masters.
The Gourlay Brothers were never any
buster than their faithful old servant
never hurried, furried or worried, never
late and never early. Every morning at
70 o'clock they entered their office togeth-
er, read their letters, glanced at the paper,
left instructions for possible callers, and
then went to the city. They always took
the same route; at II they might be seen
passing along the sunny side of Cannon
street, att 80 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 they took
their annual holiday.
They were elderly men-John, tall,
thin, melancholy-looking, with light
gray eyes, scanty gray hair and whisker,
and general expression of drabbiness
pervaded his whole face and faultless
neat attire. Roger was shorter, rounder,
more cheerful and generally warmer in
color. His pervading hue was brown,
keen reddish eyes that must have been
merry once, crisp auburn hair that time
had not quite yet transmitted to silver, a
clean-shaved ruddy face, and brown
hands, full of dents and dimples. John
was the elder; still he looked up to Rog-
er with grave respect, consulting him on
every subject, and never either in or out
of business took any step without his
advice or approval. And Roger was no
less deferential; without any profession
of affection, or display of feeling, the
Gourlay Brothers dwelt together in the
closest friendship and love; their life
was long harmony, and during all the
years of their partnership no shadow
had fallen between them, and their pub
lie life was as harmonious as their pri.
vate intercourse.
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 fol
music that vas almost passion, and 8
talent little short of genius. With his
deep earnestness, intense steadiness o.
purpose, and clear, vigorous intellect
John could scarcely have failed to make
distinguished lawyer.
Roger was born an artist, with a rest
less, lofty ambition. Life seemed very
bright for the brothers; there was moth
ing to prevent and everything seemed tt
assist each in following his inclinations
But in the very dawn of their career
their father died, and they were suddenly
reduced from affluence to actual poverty
The boys left college and turned theil
thoughts to business. John secured tn,
situation as clerk in city warehouse
Roger accepted desk in the office O
Bernard Russell, an old friend of hi
fathers. They moved to cheap lodgings
and for several years plodded on wearily
the only gleam of sunshine in their al
tered home being the occasional visit
of Alice Russell to their sister.
Maude Gourlay and Alice had bee
school-mates and friends; they usual
spent their vacations together, and Alic
felt the misfortune that had fallen on til
family as if it had overtaken her own.
A few years Of hardship and povert
told on Mrs. Gourlay's always feebl
frame; still for her daughters sake sh
clung to life with a strange tenacity; br
when Maude's lover, who had gone t
Australia tomake his fortune, returned
not wealthy, but sufficiently so to claii
his bride in her altered circumstance
Mrs. Gourlay seemed to have no 9th,