The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-01-26

! That letter which Esmond had re-
ceived was becoming somewhat
ceumpled by being continually bent
and even twisted between his fingers.
You would only find It pleasant in
the same way a. the Others. Is that all?''
She seemedla little confused by this
question, and he made q laundering
effort to relieve her. " T" 't
II mean that I should like you to say
that you would miss our pleasant Cos
sips about books"
"I should, indeed" She was inter-
rupted by Mrs OBryan calling from
the foot of the staircase:
Lucy, here's some one for that
gownd-" - <
Esmond did not know whether to bless
or curse the interruption when he saw
Lucy 60 away. her cheeks crimson as if
with the consciousness that she had been
about to say more than she wished to
say at that moment ..s.-.
They were SIX ting on very thin ice,
and this conversation had made them
both aware of it.
He stood looking at the door for an
instant as if he still saw her there.
Then he turned to the window and
looked out upon the fog. but the ex-
preston of dissatisfaction on his face
was not caused by the weather. Pres
emily he became conscious that he had
not read the letter which Lucy had
brought to him. Recognizing the hand
writing of the only friend who knew his
address in Camberwell, he hastily
opened the envelope.
&C.,. FIG-rREE COURT, TEMPLE. Thursday.
my DE AR CALrHoRPE: The fnclosed Is, 1
suppose, from your governor, and I hasten to
forward ii. Hope be Is going 20 make it up
with you and set you on your feet again.
are you going to explain to me the meaning of
this masquerading under another name? Look
me up as soon as you can. Very busy;
The letter which was inclosed in this
abrupt missive was addressed to Maui
rice E. Calthorpe, ESQ.,, at the chambers
of his friend in the Temple. 1t was
from his father. and Maurice laid it on
the table unopened. but his hand trem-
bled . little az he did SO. for it had re-
called many bitter memories. There
had been a quarrel between the father
and son. and, as in most Guarrels, there
had been serious faults on both sides.
Maurice had been called to the bar, and
while waiting for briefs, which came
too much like angels visits. he had been
entirely dependent on his father. The
allowance was not large one. but
Maurice was not extravagant in his
habits. and he was able to maintain his
position without any financial anxieties
on his own account. He. certainly did
not inherit this frugal spirit from his
father, who had been known in his ear
ly days as one Of the most extrayagant
young men about town. The estate was
soon mortgaged at heavy interest, but
although only part Of it was entailed,
Calthorpe would not sell the land.
Maurice. an only child, had been
brought up in the expectation of inherit
ing considerable income. One morn
ing he was suddenly told by his father
that there was pressing need for large
sum of money, and that it could only be
raised by breaking the entail. To this
proceeding the son positively refused to
assent. Hence the quarrel and the
separation.
Maurice forfeited his allowance, re-
duced his expenses to minimum. and
with a stout heart began the uphill
struggle for fortune anu position. AL
though he had not yet inspired many
solicitors with sufficient faith in his for
ensic powers to induce them to overload
him with briefs, he had gained some
reputation as writer on legal subjects.
He had also contributed ANONYMOUSLY
to the magazines miscellaneous
sketches, essays and verses, and to his
pen he looked for the means to support
himself while he waited for briefs; but
he soon found that the productions
which had provided an acceptable adj
junct to his income proved precarious
mainstay. In spite of all his economy,
debts accumulated; and he soon became
aware that they would 60 on accumu-
lating if he did not make some radical
change in his mode of life. His debtors
became importunate, and only refrained
from extreme proceeding because they
knew that he would ultimately be able
to pay everything with interest. He be-
came morbid by too frequently brooding
over his present circumstances. and
comparing them with the position, which
he ought to have occupied had his
fathers affairs been managed with ordi-
nary discretion. He did not complain
of the change in his affairs, however.
and he tried not to think unkindly of
his father; but while he continued to
move among the friends and acquaint-
ances of his pallny days, he was con-
stantly reminded Of what might have
been. 8
So one day he disappeared into the
unknown regions of Camberwell. and
there assuming his second baptismal
name of Esmond, (Thackeray's novel
had always been one of his favorite
books), he determined to work out his
own way in life. etJIac 81 assE US
There had been no correspondence
between him and his father since the
day of his leaving Calthorpe, but he had
learned indirectly that the old gentle
man was living much more retired
life than he had hitherto done. Maurice
had been always expecting to be again
pressed to break the entail, and he
wavered in his determine
ton to persist in his refusal when he
thought of the old mans solitude and
priration. Now came this
letter. and he hesitated to open it. At
length he broke the seal. The letter
was written on the old-fashioned auarto I
page; the penmanship was small and
angular. with many fiourishes; and the
lines Were az close together as if post
ACE had still been q consideration.
CALTHoRPE, April Is
MY DEAR MAURICE: Alfhnu2h we parted
IN q somewhat unpleasant manner, ] still
hoped that q soon as you had had time to cool.
FOUR better judgment would see the necessity
and reasonabieness of complying with my re-
lueSt. and that you would see It to be your
luty to give me some indication that you re-
yretted the haste of your conduct That there
was some temper on my side. too, i should be
he last person in the world TO deny; but the
,l,s finrs 1iifYarsz,f frr,rn o.,r claa,