The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-08-06
IA VAGABoND.n

The speaker. sallow-faced, 4 not
very agreeable-looking young man of
about twenty, looked up as the door
burst open, and something like smile
lit up his features as he nodded a well
come to his visitor, bright, frank
faced youth about two years his Junior,
who came bounding in, flung himself
into chair, his hat one way, his cane
another, and then began to speak in
eager. excited tones, and with an air
of boyish enthusiasm.
x Congratulate me, Clementy' he
cried. s.My nomination as cadet ar
rived last night, and start in two days
for Woolwich," and Horace Mervyn
looked exultingly at his particular
friend, Clement Hastings, who an
swered:
3 Sand I. too, have good news. Hor-
ace; for leave soon for London, my
uncle having written me to come on
and read law in his office"
mo dull law for me, Glenn" ex-
claimed the other, ''for l long for a life
of excitement. and intend to rise rap
idly as soldier, while You are brow
beating witnesses and endeavoring to
find out, by legal lore, the identity Of
John Doe and Richard Roe
~ "Ah, shall divide my time between
law and literature, as l have a particu-
lar desire to become good writer, and
you know / have already written some
very readable articles for our county
papers; but come, return home with
me, for this will be our last day to-
gether for many a year.
! The two had been companions from
their earliest boyhood. the one being
the son of a widow in moderate cir
cumstances, and the other the heir of
Sir Richard Mervyn, the wealthiest
man in the county where the youths
Fond of life, yet free from dissipation,
and both of them handsome, dashing
youths, it was predicted that they would
make their mark in the world, and as
| they babe each other farewell the one to
| enter the academy at Woolwich, the
| other TO take chambers in tle Temple
| and read law, they mentally resolved
| that they would not 60 through life like
dumb, driven cattle, but
would leave behind them Ill - =
Footprints in the sands of Time"
From the day of his entrance Mt the
Academy, Horace Mervyn set ont to
stand at the head of his class, and this
determination held to him through the
nrduous years of study, and placed his
name at the top of the list the day he
DaQo w 0O1W1cn farewell.
In passing through London on his
leave. prior to joining the battery OF
Horse Artillery, in India, TO WHICH he
had been gazetted, he called upon his
old-time friend. Clement Hastings.
with whom he had kept up regular
correspondence.
- t'Well, Glenn, graduated with first
honors.n he said, after the two had
grasped hands in warm welcome. 49,
| 81 am glad to hear it, old fellow,
| though you have surprised me, as you
| know you never were very fond OF
books"
| True; gun, dog or horse had more
attraction for me in those days of lang
/ syne;' but stuck to work with a will,
| and now have my foot on the first
round of the ladder of promotion. But
how have you fared?o ~
! ''MeP Oh, very well. / read law,
| and was admitted to practice; then 1
received my diploma to kill by science,
| '.Whati lawyer and q doctor, both.
| Clementp'' ~s.-@,..rs :
should know little of everything"
/ s'And what is your profession?"
''Ah! thought / had told you.
| am an author" And there was con-
siderable egotism in the reply of the
young aspirant for literary honors.
True; you sent me some of your
writings, and enjoyed them because
you wrote them, old fellow, though /
must confess they seemed a little too
| pedantic; but you know best, and I
hope you are making your pen pay you. {"
I s'Ah, yes, Horace; but it is uphill
work at first, You know. Yet I have
set the ball of success rolling up hill,
and am engaged on sketches for some
magazines, stories for others, and I
have in hand some dramas for our
theatres"
why, you are busy; and wish you
every success. And after dinner to-
gether the two friends a second time
| parted
Six months after that parting Horace
Mervvn was winning fame upon the
frontier In an Indian war, aud had been
twice recommended for promotion, and
often mentioned in dispatches for gal
1antry on the field.
i And Clement Hastings was plodding
away in London, driving his pen hard,
| and piling up MS, but finding It's
| marketable value just enough to keep
him comfortably, and not allow him te
set much ahead; and his mother being
dead and having had only life inter
terest in the property that had sup-
| ported her comfortably, the young man
j had to depend wholly upon himself.
/ One day he received letter from
j Horace Mervyn, which particularly in
terested him. for it asked him to cab
upon Miss Davenant, the daughter OF
distinguished officer who had lately re-
turned to England from the East.
Miss Davenant,n added Horace, rs
/ the one girl in the world for me. and
enc of these days intend to ask her
! to ben wife, so wish you to see her,
| Clement. and tell me what you think
| of her; and, by the way, don't forget
| tothrow in q good word for yours
truly ri ~
/ OF course Clement Hastings called
on Kate Davenant, and, at sight, he
| fell in love with the beautiful girl,
whose character was as lovely as were
her face aud form. So
| And, as o glance almost. he discov-
cred that her opinion of Horace was
| such that, when she was asked to be-
come his wife she would not refuse, for,
! when about to take his leave, she said,
| earnestly:
s.Oh. MIR. Hastings, please write TO
| Lieutenant Mervyn and ask him 30 be
less rash. for You do not know how