Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-14
A BLACK SHEEP.
: How sharper than a serpent's tooth It is,
To have A thankless child Z"


quoted Mrs. Deacon Washburn, in her
weak, tremulous tones.
Harry, cher eldest born" stood before
her, tall, dark, with blazing eyes and firm
Iy compressed lips. A handsome manly
looking fellow he was, save for the porten-
tous frOwn which contracted his brow.
The expression OF his countenance indi.
Gated character and an indomitabe will,
with lines Of discomfort and moodiness,
such as dispositions like Harry Washburn' 8
sometimes develop, under certain circum-
stances.
He raised one strong brown hand with
an impatient gesture.
$50 you are ready to take sides with IA
ther against me - he exclaimed, his voice
full of suppressed passion.
Mrs. Washburn sighed in that weak,
tremulous way which had marked every
action of her entire existence.
"0h, dear What can say to you ?"
she cried, appealingly.
90 You can say that you believe l am
scapegraee, if that is what you have IN
your mind OF course there is no blame
anywhere except with me. Joe and Charlie
are saints, because they haven't spirit
enough to draw lines for themselves, nor
resolution to follow them in the face of
opposition. l merely requested father to
let me study for profession, and he fired
up at it, and said that his trade had
brought half dozen children up from in
fancy, feeding and clothing them, and that
bis trade was good enough for his boys.
Bah As though | had no right to look
above a carriage makers shop because L
was born in one.
The youth spoke with intense bitterness.
Wheeling abruptly he would have left the
house at once but a slender form stood in
the doorway, and two deep-blue eyes met
his in glance which was full of mingled
sympathy and apprehension.
What is the matter, Harry" ques-
toned the girl, a ring of anxiety in her
sweet voice.
"Another fare.up !" was the senten.
tious response. Then, in lower tone
Pm going away, Pet. I've borne this
life as long as l can"
Petronilla Wayne-the orphan child of a
distant kinsman of Mrs. Washburn =
reached both hands upward, and placed
them upon Harry's shoulders, which were
almost as high as she could reach.
"Please don't go !" she said, pleadingly.
A rift Of white crossed her cheeks. But
her words did not cause the young man to
waver in his purpose.
{" Do not demonstrate, Pet. I've thought
it all over, and made up my mind what is
best. I haven't been duhful son at home
Il have brought disgrace upon my
fathers name. He said so this very morn
ing. He said, too, that l was the black
sheep Of the fock-because of those boyish
pranks of mine, suppose. ! hate to go,
though, with you blaming me-"
His manly voice showed signs of break
ing, and ne turned away his face to hide
the signs of emotion which he could not
keep back.
al do not blame you, Harry. Perhaps
it is best for you to go, only-it will be cery
lonely for me. That's all.
The girl spoke quite bravely. Harry
dared not trust himself to speak again.
Bending quickly, he kissed the quivering
upturned lips Of Petronilla, leaving one of
his teardrops upon her cheek. Then he
pushed almost rudely past her, and strobe
out into the gray, misty morning.
Pet watched him out of sight Then
she saw Deacon Washburn, tall and grim,
coming up the path.
Harry has gone, Uncle Joseph" she
said, as the man assembled the steps.
"Well, he'll have a chance to try hghtln'
his battle slone-that's all I've got to say,
was the hasty response. Then he added,
pulling vicously at his grizzled beard 4:
He'll come back in week, like
enough, and own that he's Parnt les
son "
But Harry did not "oome back in a
week. nor in a month. A year passed
with no tidings from the black sheep.
Then there was q steamboat disaster on
one of the great rivers, and among the list
of the killed Deacon Washburn read the
name of his son. There was deep sorrow
at the cottage after that, and gloom settled
upon the hearts OF its inmates.
Six years passed.
Deacon Washburn's younger sons, Joe
and Charlie, married and settled down to
humdrum existence within half a mile OF
their fathers roof tree.
But Petronills Wayne remained with
her benefactors Mrs. Washburn had be-
come too feeble and tremulous to attend
to the household duties, and the bruut OF
them descended upon Pets strong, young
shoulders. So she went on with the sim.
pie routine of houseWork, tritie wan and
sad.eyed after the news of Harry's death.
One day q new misfortune came TO them.
The deaeon's carrisge-shop, with all it con-
tanned. was burned. And while attempt
ing to extinguish the flames, the deacon
himself was severely injured. There was
chance for his life, the doctor said, but
his physical labors could never be resumed.
Misforeunes never come singly. Before
Mr.. Washburn was able to leave the
,f fha IN Dut n
an appearance, declaring that the Wash
burn cottage, and the valuable cultivated
ground belonging TO the estate, where held
by a spurious title; in other words, that
Deacon Washburn did not own them at all.
This was a startling discovery to the I'M
fortunate man. The claimant of the es.
state brought proofs which only long and
expensive suit could set aside.
''Sorry TO turn you from your home,
which you have paid for fairly enough"
said Mr. Hoskins, blandly. "But it isn't
my fault that the person who gave you the
title to this property had no right to do so.
Indeed, you were IN fault for not learning
the irresponsibility of the party when you
made the purchase. l shall not force you
to move away until you have sufficiently
recovered to do so. I am a kind man at
heart, you see, Mr. Washburn."
The " kind. hearted Hoskins smirked
and bowed, and left the cottage
The deacon was hslf-crszed by the stu.
alton. He could not afford to carry on an
expensive legal suit, with the probability
of being defeated in the end.
Charlie and Joe were in no situation to
assist him; and Mrs. Washburn was more
weak and tremulous than ever before.
There seemed to be no alternative. They
must give up their home and go-whither?
A week dragged away.
Then letter came TO Deacon Washburn,
written in a scrawly business hand. 1t was
pithy affair, and as follows:
Tread 10 a newspaper that one Albert Hoskins
disputed the legality OF Joseph Washburns title TO
the house and land which the latter was supposed to
own. Knowing Mr.. Hoskins to be an interruptions