Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1881-05-04
A ROMANCE OF LABOR.
AN ENGLISH STORY.

The following true incident was brought
to my remembrance while listening tt
the rebellious words of young man
who could not see his fathers wisdom il
desiring him to learn trade.
cit will make common man OF me
father, he said querulously; 81 shall be-
rs dirty as blacksmith and have hands
like coal.heaver."
Sand If you think, Fred, that wearing
fine clothes and having white hands
make you gentleman, let me tell you
sir, that you are very common man tt
begin with. A good trade might helr
you to truer notions of gentlemanhood.
Then I looked at the handsome youne
fellow-for he was handsome-and
thought just now of Steve Gaskill. Steve
had made his mark now, but many years
ago heard just such talk between him
and old Josiah Gaskill, relative to the
young man learning his fathers trade Of
wool stapler.
''It's dirty business, father" said the
splendid Steve, in full evening dress
"and I hate the smell of oil and the sigh
of these men in blue linen blouses.
hope that I shall do something better fol
myself than that
every we'll, lad, what is it thou'd fail
to be?"
"a lawyer, father"
"They're naught but lazy, quarrel
some set, but thou shalt not say I eve1
stood in the gate. Be lawyer, lad
III speak to Denham tomorrow about
thee"
SO young Steve was articled to Den.
ham 4 Downess to study law, especially
conveyancing. He was an only son, but
had three sisters, and over them and his
mother he exercised supreme influence,
Whatever Steve did was right, what.
ever he said was beyond dispute. Even
old Josiah, with all his sound sense. was
in spite of himself swayed by the undis.
puted acknowledgment of Steve's super
iority. He would not advise his son tc
be lawyer, but seeing that Steve was
not afraid to be one, he was rather proud
of the lads pluck and ambition.
It cost them a good deal. Stoves
tastes were expensive, and he fell natur-
ally among class of men who led him
into many extravagances. There were
occasionally awkward scenes, but Steve,
supported by his mother and sisters, al.
ways cleared every scrape, and finally
satisfied the family pride by being regu
larly admitted upon the role of her ma.
jesty's attorneys.
In the meantime his father had beer
gradually failing in health; soon afte1
this he died. Most of his savings haG
been secured for the helpless women oil
the Gaskill family, and Steve now found
myself with a profession and thousand
People said old Gaskill had acted very
wisel y, and Steve had sense enough to
acquiesce in public opinion. He knew,
too, that as long as bis mother or sisters
had shilling they would share it with
him.
So he hopefully opened an Office in
lis native town of Leeds, and waited for
clients. But Yorkshire men are proven
bially cautious; a young lawyer was not
their ideal. Steve could not look crafty
and wise under any circumstances, and
that first year he did not make enough
to pay his rent.
Nevertheless he did not in any way
curtail his expenses; and when the sum
mer holidays arrived, he went as usual to
fashionable watering place. It hap.
pened that year saw the debut of Miss
Elizabeth Braithwaite, a great heiress
and very handsome girl. Steve was at.
tracted by her beauty, and her great
wealth was not drawback in his eye.
In short time he perceived that Miss
Braithwaite favored him above all other
pretenders to her hand, and he began to
consider the advantages of a rich wife.
His profession had hitherto been a
failure; his one thousand pounds was
nearly spent; his three sisters were all
on the point OF MARI iage, a condition
which might seriously modify Their
sisterly instincts, and his mothers annual
income wouldn't support him month
would it not be the best plan to accept
the good fortune SO evidently within biz
reach?
Elizabeth was handsome and inclined
to favor him, and though she had the
reputation of being authoritive in TEN.
per and economical in money matters. he
did not doubt that she would finally &C.
knowledge his power as completely as
his mother and sisters. So he set him.
self to win Miss Braithwaite, and before
OuAAoG46o Gucf were udTT1GU.
True, he had been compelled to give
up great deal more than he liked; but
he promised himself plenty of post mar
ital compensations. Elizabeth insisted
on keeping her own house, and as Steve
had really no house to offer her, he mus
needs go to Braithwaite Hall as the hus
band of it's proprietress. She insisted
upon his removing his Office to Braith
waite, small village, offering none O.
the advantages for killing time which {
large city like Leeds did; and she hai
all her money scrupulously settled OF
herself for her own use and under he1
control.
Steve felt very much as though hil
wife had bought him, but for a little
while the eclat of having married great
heiress, the bridal festivities and foreign
travel compensated for the loss of his
freedom. But when they returned tc
Braithwaite, life showed a far more pro.
sale side. Mrs. Gaskill's economical dis.
position became particularly offensive to
Steve. She inquired closely into hie
business, and did not scruple to make
unpleasant witty remarks about his in.
come. She rapidly developed, too, an
authoritative disposition, against which
Steve daily more and more rebelled.
The young couple were soon very un
happy.
The truth was that great transition
was taking place in Steve's mind, and
times Of transition are always times Of
unrest and misery. The better part OF
his nature was beginning to claim hear
ing. he had now seen all that good So
ciety could show him; he had tasted all
the pleasures money could buy, and he
was unhappy.
She had no ennui and no dissatisfac-
ton with herself. There was her large
house to oversee, her garden and con-
servatories, her servants and charity
schools, her toilet and whole colony Of
pet animals. Her days were so short for
Az the small interests that filed the day: