Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-04
Portable in, clad in which he set forth on his

MIN TO the very center OF the tOwn-he found
me place wonderfully grown. Where he had
left green fields and tangled hedges. were now
broad streets, flanked with stores and dwellings.
| In short, the place had grown to full six times
| its size fve-and-thrty years before. At the
smallest and poorest public house he stopped
| ana ordered supper, and, while it was being
| prepared. he asked after the Speeds. Did any
one present know themi Yes a man was sit
ting there, in the barroom, who had formerly
| worked for them. Said he:
Well stranger, it would be very difficult to tell
| you just how they stand. Ii you could take 'em
for what they think of themselves, they'd be two
OF the biggest men in creation. That's Nathan
ana Thomas: About score of years ago they
the big-bug entirely. They let out the mills,
and went to Twin on the interest oftheir money:
and it's my opinion at they've come to dippin'
pretty deep into their principal Howsumever,
| they're proud enough
And Peter Speed-what has become of
| him?"
~ he Is here-the same poor, hard Workin',
| uni0rt nit man he always was. He did, one
| spell, drink a 1eete too much; but he finally
married woman that made saved man of
him"
But didn't his father leave him anything?'
| mot outright. The old man, somehow, got
| set against the boy-thought he was wild and
frolicsome. and unsafe to be trusted with money;
| SO he left him in the care of his two older
| brothers"
well" pursued Robert, land what have they
| done for him?"
Really, stranger, don't like to say any
thing against them two men; but if the truth
was told think it would come out at they
meant, from the first. to have the whole prop
| erty in their own hands. For time they re
| fused to let the poor fellow have money on the
plea that he would drink it all up; and then
when he fell in love with Kitty Moore, they told
him If lie married her that they would cast him
| OFF forever. You see, Kitty, bless her sweet
| face. aye and bless her noble heart. tool Kitty
| was poor grl-an Orphan-woTkn in one Of
| the Mills and the blg-feelin' men thought it
would be a stain on them If their brother should
| marry her Howsumever. Peter took his own
way. He married the dear girl, and he's the
father OF five as pretty children as you ever set
eyes on. and as happy as can be, not-with-
stanuln' he has to dig pretty hard to keep the
| wolf from the door"
| 1t was Just in the edge of the eyening--a chill
| autumnal evening-that the door-hell was rung
at the aristocratc residence of the Hon. Nathan
| Speed. and shortly afterwards a servant an
nounced that a man wished to speak with the
| master.
Nathan Speed had grown to be a man of four
and-ffty: red-faced and obese; dressed in satip
house-robe; pride stamped in every feature. HIS
wife. sitting near by. was the same. Her face
| betrayed the use of the wiEe-cup. while the
| sparkle OF many diamonds told where much of
her husband money had gone.
| What sight for the proud man to meet in his
own front hall! stout -brbad-shouldered man;
| poverty strickened garb. and evidently very
| poor.
Nathan don't you know me?-your cousin.
Robert? All. I've had hard luck en- the road.
Beyond Cheyenne l was robbed of every dollar
| L had with me. and
Hold on.' The proud man raised his hand
He wanted to hear no more. He knew of no
claims which his cousin could have on him. And,
| further: " You promised your uncle you would
never again apply Tor help"
| g Have asked fer help?Fl. s1..sa ~ 80
mo; but it was coming r.,ts - ~
| friend"
Then you'd better 90 and hunt up your
COUSIN peter he would make boon compan-
ion for you. doubt not"
Robert got away as quick as possible resolved
next TO call upon his cousin Thomas
He found Thomas at home, and clearly under
the influence of wine-not intoxicated but his
blood unduly heated thereby
And Thomas was even more harsh and unkind
than Nathan had been; and he, too, ta,lntingly
advised the poor wanderer to 60 and seek his
cousin Peter as one who would be fitting
companion for him.
And to Peter Speeds moor cottage Robert
made his way. Not even poor roof to cover
his head had the wealthy brothers given to their
half brother. The cottage really belonging to
Nathan, was hired of an agent; and more than
once the poor man had come very near being
| turned out for nOn-payment of rent.
What" cried Peter, when the wayfarer had
made himself known is it Bobby ?. Don't
deceive me. Come in where it is light" And
he led the newcomer into the little Kitchen
where the supper table stood. with the remains
OF the evening meal upon it. BY the lamp
light Robert saw woman-the sweetest-fac
woman, he thought, he had ever seen-standing
near the table, and near by-twO of them at the
table. two sitting by the stove. while one chung
to Its mothers dress-were five children. the
Oldest not more than twelve.
'Ah! know you! Yes can see the dear old
face notwithstanding the years. and the brown
tan. and the beard. Robert! old fellow! bless
your dear. true heart! how are you?"
They shook hands; few more words. and
then Peter exclaimed:
80. Kitty! in all the days of my early child
hood. saving only my sainted mother this was
the only true and loving friend had-iny cousin
Robert. l was but wee bit of an urchin when
ne went away. but. l can remember how my
mother had to tear my arms from his neck as
tho it had been but yesterday
Kitty greeted the man cordially though at
flrst inclined to be shy. At length she said,
with smile that captured Cousin Bob forever:
''Really. cousin Robert, l ought not to feel
that you are a stranger. Peter has talked of YOU
So much and so often, and with so much of
warmth in his heart, that have, regarded you
more IN the character OF true brother than
anything else"
A few more words and then Peter be thought
himself that his cousin might be hungry
But no. He had eaten hearty supper just be-
fore dark.
II eat at the little tavern at the lower end
OF the village. and shall spend the night there"
"Spend-the na9ht-THERE! You ,ciA, eh?
Hows that, Kitty
II think W. can make him comfortable" the
wife said.
well, think 80, too, Robert"
BY any by, after three OF the chldren-the
youngest-had been kissed all around and put
to bed, and. by the way the little four-years-old
Robert, named after the elder Of the ilk. cried
Justify when they tore him away from s:Uncle
'Obert'-he was to be uncle to them-atter
this said Peter, in his frank, hearty, off-hand
way:
Say, old fellow suppose you have come
nome somewhat under the weather, eh:"
Robert told him that he had left San Francisco
with between two and three hundred dollars in
his pocket, but he had been robbed between
Great Salt Lake and Cheyenne of every dollar
of it. 81 went to sleep in the carr he ex-
planned, ''at night, and must have been chloro-
formed on top of that"
We'll, WELL cried Peter. giving him friendly
pat on the knee. and speaking from the heart,
don't you worry. Thank God, you have health
and strength. Wen fix you up good comfort
able shake-down here; Old fellow, and Wen
look around and Saa what can no dona 7 xyish