New-York tribune., 1882-04-23
MY FRIEND LEWIS.


psyppka down better than ! could We played at
knacssEe.gate with our hoops; and somehow he
tnn tnnlsys trundled his between The pebbles wmch
swgE.S,,ad To our young imaginations, the pike,
con- ~ onron tollbar and all-whie scattered
msn ." nr6 lost the game. When We first came to-
ether we both schoolDoys on tae same ioIi; %
nls if there was an advantage in the progress IL
"s lns. generally on my side. Somehow he got all the
ffeoi..; was born under extraordinary circum-
,~es Ills family a wild, ambitious and L
s.ve often heard my mother say, INSCRIPTIONS SCI:
nsb be rerjod of his birth they were in the helght
~ ~ .ho,r snleudor It was impossible TO rcprOach
,hem IN those days They had the biggest house
n ;o their neshborhood by far Their l horses ana
I..tles J. were the envy of everybody They gave
s",t;es that blocked up the place with tie cqul.
sres of the guests The greatest people IN the land
went TO see them; and even people OF DISTINCTION
dom abroad on aTrvng In the country Woud tdkc
a. eorest opportunity of paying their respects TO
.be Tewlses Mr.. Lewis himself was gloomy,
morose unpopular man; but ms wife, When sue
ms voung was one of the lOveliest women, as my
Gather often declared to my mothtIs mortlucatloh'
mon whom the sun ever shonc 1t seems that sne
was as brilliant IN mlnd ana as co9ra%geouSS, geo =, III
spjrt as she was in person lovely. Mr.. ana MIS-.
lewis were called, among the local tradeSmen, the
beanty and the beast While lie never bad a
oraciOus word or look she was always Wr6athed IN
smiles She had a kind word and ready hand for
the moor If she dislked her lord, she loved her
children, and they were always with her IN ne
rorri,re Two boys that were the envy OF all Other
bovs who saw them; who wore the loNelleSt
feathers in their hats; trundled hoops with paqdeI
sticks; played with marbles every one OF wMch
was an agate: and spun tops of satln-wO0d with
slken cords were the idols Of their beautiful
parcnt and were very seldom permitted 10 range
beyond her sight. There was an uncle III the
foxiiv-yho had married, | believe the mother of
Mrs Lewis after her fathers death, and whom Mrs.
Lewis loved as well as the most devoted daughter
Ion adore the nest indulgent of parents. lie was
Sor Mentor her guide in all things. Ills word was
her law; and she was never tired OF tcllng her
friends about hls wisdom and ne great loslllon ne
la in Inc world GoSSIps said that the only lact
Iicb made the married life OF Mrs. Lewis hearable
was that her husband was related closely to her
stcp-iather. NJ ror.iS IN ,nolo n,uch
Of her step. father. lie was the parsonage TO Whon
She looked ioT the advancement oI her uhIIiI ooSS
in life His influence appeared TO nu pouhdIeSs-
and M, knew it, as my mother, VINO OIteh sa"
him fTownng out OF his chariot window ON ~ ms way
to see his beautiful stepdaugher would 'eiI NE III
"iIil The elder boy was sckly and WAS kept at home
lut the second was sent 10 school; ana Us nave
said il was at school first met nm. -,.;..ouoa
Tn new boy made sensation IL was Whispered
along the forms that his name was Lewis, ana that
lie had come in barouche with servant III iiVeIy
fo carry his books We crowd ded round him IN the
playground and found that his pockets were 1ull Oh
money: that he had knife with one blade more
than that of the cock of the school ana that
most imposing coat oiaTms was engraved on lhe
heaviest of silver spoons and forks, which were
brought for his use at table. The master iawned
on him and gave him easy lessons, and put him at
the deck nearest to the stove. We hated HIM 1oI
ths-boys are only little men.
Ont of school, Lewis l must say, gave himself no
scattered when the apple woman came INTO the
playground He would buy "A shlilngs worth ol
Bonaparte's rbs, and give every boy IN the school
one. lie would propose scramble Tor apples or
whole qnart of Spanish nuts l have known INN
come with half a dozen cocoa nuts, and give one
eorh IN the fellows who had played at horses with
him PLAYING at horses his passion. boy
must be a great favOrte, or be able to dispense
favors who wants to drive team in the play
ground Lewis was amable enough we thought
then, and was ready to give everything he had
provided we would be his nags We made HIM pay
-and he drove us lie was ready fellow Wlth I'M, ms
fists | admit. He would glye-but he would nave
no takIngs. | got on very well with nm, ana was
often his of-sider, because | made my bargain
openlv and he liked that. | carried OF heaps 0l
fbings till nv mother at home quite alarmed
Where did you get that splendid top Bob = SAID
mother. Lewis, was my answer; Ihat kIte
must have cost i've slnlllngs. BOD Lewis re
piled Your father knife Is not worth that my
maternal parent observed. Lewis was my re-
sponse. But never liked MN. - ,o. ma 81 .,,o
We PLAYED tTuant together, ana he GOT me OH tne
runiSLment and the school cheered him III the
playground for it. / thought they made much OF
tt-but | mnst say Lewis himself didn't; and he
behaved well IN asking me home 10 his mothers
great house to dine and spend a Saturday afternoon
with him. Mrs Lewiss step-iather WAS there,
and everything gave way 10 him. lie punched my
ear playiully, and tipped me when went oil TO
school in the evenng-loaded with fruit and cakes
for the boys of our FORM which Mrs Lewis packed
up with her own white hands, while her step.iather
stood by looking at her and joking very ailaDly Tor
so great a man.
Once when the holidays came being then an or
Lewis persuaded his mother 10 invite me for fort
night so TO their country house. 1t was here saw
tie LewiSes and their mighty friends i'll all their
glory The house, castle an ancient one, which
her Stepfather had given TO Mrs Lewis as marriage
present, and which he helped her to beautify
experimenting the cultivation of the fruits ana
flowers, the telling of tho timber, the planting out
OF the shrubberes, md the repairs and adornmcnts
Of the house himself. They were picture together
when he was shifting about III his gray dressing
gown and She was in her white morning robe, with
her abundant hair floating about her-eo long that
she could throw IT round Lewis, and almost
smother him with it-which made him look very
foolish, thought. She pettcd Lewis in the most
ridiculous style and made him dress like page in
a bureSQue. To Inc she was almost as aiectiOnate
as to her own son; and when told her how was
lelt an orphan IN my fourth year. and how had not
hreiaton IN the world, big hot tear from her
.rimmed eyes tell upon my hand winch she was
holding while she talked TO me She said must
let her be mother to me- and called up Lewis
and told him. in her serious mPetuOus way, that
De was to look upon Inc as brother, and be
always KIND to me.
Mrs Lewis was an ndulgent mother; but she
was stct too, as her stepfatheI directed her TO be,
ana MS word was 10 her law in everything Lewis
Nent 10 bed al 9. and so did while was at the
caste We begged half an hours grace sometimes; !;
,he middle OF a song. She sang dynely, and Lewis
ioVed 10 hear his mother. SOmetin es he would
Keep ne awake for whole hour after we were in
ueu listening TO Mrs lewis's VOico in the drawing
fooh. was obliged TO keep awake being his
fuest but this shows how inconsiderate he could
ne Hi9 begged Mrs. Lewis TO allow hm 10 give
me one OF his shetland ponies on my birthday; and
ne Lad surprised Inc with it, with bran saddle
anu bridle which was very good. am quite free
10 10 own but he might have remembered that
liked fishing much better than riding and that
rol and tackle.
One day Mrs. Lews's stopfather seeing Inc on
Tue terrace alone, called lie TO him. aud began to
question Inc on the lie that ny guardians had pro-
lected for me- When | told him that had not
heard from them for year and that had nnt The
ieaSt rdea OF their intentions in regard to me he
%1his ii my ear ana muttered, Poor lad poor lad
1ha Elm s,i;1n - 1ne way The world is managed And So
nc cropped. and Lewis and l. az ibe end ot
Tie hohdayS returned to school -N - "' 'io Gnu u
point OF enterie" SeI'GGS u, @ me when was on the