Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1880-03-11
gifts Of fruit and flowers, and write pretty
sympathetic nOtes TO Maude.

Mrs. Gourlay seemed to have no other
'u lect to live for, Maude's marriage was
Iastenel, and the very day after the cere-
mony, 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 moth
err death, the brothers inherited small
fortnne. Bnt it was too late fpr John to
go back to his studies, too late for Roger
to ret,nr to his piano They had fallen
INTO 'the groove Of business, and John at
Ieas was seized with a feversh eagernCss
10 turn his small fortune into large one
and become wealthy. So they went into
business on their own account. as Gourlay
Brothers, with the firm resolution of re-
trieviug the position their father had lost,
and 4 very few years saw them established
in Whittier street, and fairly on the high
road to fortune. Then one quiet summer
evening, as they sat over their desert,
John opened his heart to his brother and
told him OF his hopes, dreams and ambi-
tions 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 ann; 81 can hardly remember
the time when she was rot dcarcr to Inc
than all the world beside The bitterrst
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 compcn-
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 grubbcd for
gold like miser. We, Gourlay Broth
crs. are on the high road to fortune; |
may aspire to the hand of Alice now!"
Surely, John, and the younger broth
er's voice was husky, and his hand shook
as he took up his glass; 81 drink to your
success"
"Ihanks, brother. should have told
you all this before, should have conf led
in you, but feared troubling you on my
acCount you would have seen thousand
shadows across my path, You would haye
been 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 ta'
bic, and John grasped 1t heartily.
"Gourlay Brothers to the end Of the
chapter, old fellow, and may you he as
happy as you deserve. God bless you,
John"
Johns face became shade or two palel
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 tC
Alice myself. could not endure rclu
sal 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 Maud's brother
Roger, we have always been friends n
well as brothers stand by me in this
you are less shy and more accustomed t
women see Alice for me, ask her to b'
my Wife"
"John, you're mad! You do not meal
i'll"
81 do; it's my only chance. Plead 70
my happiness brother, 0s ! would plea'
for youIs. am Il man Of few words, bu
feel deeply. 4 refusal from her lip
would Kill me; could hear it from you.
"As you will, John; I'll do my best,
and Roger leaned his head on his hant
and shaded his face fiom the light; "tl
call on Alice tomorrow"
The next day was the longest Of JOIN
Gourlay's life--a bright, warm, happ.
dav, that made people even in the cit,
look glad and cheerful. He went abou
his business as usual, ut, his lunchc m
and walked home leisurely. Roger wa
standing at the window watching Tor him
and he kept his back to him when he en-
tered the room.
"Well," John said, gently; "welI
Roger, have you seen harP
"Yes, I've seen her; and Roger flce,
around suddenly. John, old fellow, it
no use.
"Brother!" and he littedhls hand as
to ward off blow.
, ats no use." Roger went on in IL har
voice. "She does not love you; she love
! some one else. BE man, John, and bea
it, for there's no hope"
One low, stiled groan, and then JOIN
r Gourlay wrung his brothers hand an
e walked steadily out of the room. WhG
e he suffered in the hours that followed n
I one ever knew, and when he appeared !
c the dinner table he was calm and sci
= possessed, but something had either com
, into his face or gone out of it that alterc
:, him. But of the two Roger looked TIL
+; most unhappy. The blow had really ialle
: most heavily on him.
y "Jack, old fellow, we're Gourlay Brotl
:, ers now to the end of the chapter"
! said, huskily. Il know you'll never ma
u ry, and neither will l." and someho
e John felt that Roger meant what he SAL
Twenty FIVE years passed by, and qua
n = ter OF IL century of changes and chance
j and still the Gourlay Brothers held Il
n even tenor of their way. They were rit
" beyond their wishes or desires, and II
!. altogether unhappy in their solitary trien
,. ship. Alice Russell seemed to have drii
n ed completely out of their lives; her nan
, was never mentioned, and whether 81
y was married or dead they did not know.
l. One morning about the middle of Sc
re tember they were walking along t
d Kings road at Brighton. whittier they hi
e gone for their annual holiday. Roger e
id tered shop to purchase something, al
is John stood outside looking dreanily
Of the passers-by. Suddenly he advanced
t, step as a lady in an invalid chair W
re wheeled by. CHANGING to look up, S
IN met his glance with smile of reCognitio
n. "Mr Gourlay, it surely is, it must be yc
5; | am so glad to see you!"
y "Aud too meet you" John said, wi
j. a courteous bow. 81 have not the plei
ir ure of knowing" .,
re my name-I am Alice Russell still
al she said frankly. At that moment Rog
ne appeared. For an instant the blood fl
ne sock his ruddy face, while hot crims
o. flush rose to Alice's pale cheekas she tri
I'd to stammer out some words Of greetin
,ir Roger was no less confused, and the {
IT. preston of both faces was revelation
ed John Gourlay. He felt as if the wol
e. had suddenly dnfted away from him a
nd he was left solitary in some unknown il
er nate space. But there was nothing
ge that in HIS voice as he asked Alice for ]
It address, and permission to call upon
Dir in the afternoon. Then taking his brotl
nd by the arm he led him away, and I'll
for continued their walk without exchange
us single word about the strange encount
pt- In the afternoon John called at M
il, Russell's hotel, and in few moments
4 Ia. 11I 10 L..