Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-04-11
A D1sHON0RED
A Story for Young Men.

A DISHON0RED BILL.
A Story for Young Men.
'1t's a great matter, Alick, an you're
much indebted to your Uncle Peter. A
desk i the house O. McTavish, and a
!91oo a year, is an open gate for a lad
like you"
81 shall always try to do my duty,
father; would not be your son if l did
not"
These were the closing sentences of a
conversation between Donald Mcleod
and his son Alick, as they sat together
in the hot little Office of the Carstock
Iron Works. Donald had earned his
daily bread in that dreary room for
NEARLY forty years, and had begun life
with ten shilling a week, and thought
himself well paid. But though he had
never risen above the position of con-
fidential clerk to the works, his eldest
brother, Peter, had been more success
ful; for, after a long career of CONNER
'cial industry, he had returned to the
i1:links of Avon,'' and built amid the
fields. where he had played as a lad, a
very handsome residence.
Peter had the reputation of being ga
very close man," but he was not I'M
mindful of the claims of kindred, since
OF his own free will he had procured for
hjs nephew the desk in McTayish's
Bank.
ut is very good of you, uncle, and
Ill never shame your thought for me-"
said the lad, frankly.
"Dinna be too ready Wi the promise,
Alick. A lang tongue is a short hand.
Ihae got you a seat, an you maunm max
room for yourself lie down. Do your
duty, an dinna rim i debt-o' no count
Uhatever-an' may never waur happen
you than your ain prayer, lad!'
The kind wish begot the kind act,
and Peter, after a little hesitation, took
out his purse, and laid five soyereigns
on the table.
"Im no for gieing lads money they
don't earn; but this is a by-ordinar
occasion. How much haze you, Alick?"
''My father has given me ego, uncle,
and two new suits Of clothing"
Cover much! over much! I'm maist
sorry / mad it mair. But pit the DER
come j. the bank-to keep it i your
pouch is jist a tempting o yourself-me
lad should do that"
''Where is cousin Margaret, uncleP 1
should like to bid her goodbye"
'She's wi the gardener, [ trow; gae
your ways ben, she'll be glad to see
you"
..Alick doubted this. He loved Mar
garet dearly, but Margaret either did
not or would not see it. And now,
when she knew he was going away, she
was, if possible, more .reticent, and re-
firing than usual. He did not dare to
speak of his love, but he could not al
together hideit. Margaret read the un-
spoken tale, and in some occult way he
felt that he was understood. Yet moth
ing but common words of courtesy were
spoken, and Margaret looked far more
at the carnations she was tying up than
at her lover. However, Love finds
Hope where none else would see her,
and Alexis prospects were frightened
tenfold by the flicker of a girls eyelids
and the shadow of a tender light they
failed to hide.
He was well pleased with. his sit
uation, and soon became expert in the
duties demanded of him. For awhile
the excitement and interest of his new
life were quite sufficient, but after a
few weeks things began to look differ
ent. He had been the eldest of an ad-
miring circle of brothers and sisters,
and he missed sorely the praise and
sympathy which had hitherto bolstered
him up in all his exertions.
He was lonely, too. His uncle had
strongly advised him to make no friends
with those beneath him in the house;
and those above him hardly seemed con-
>os@,,e &c lSo 11@,a.. Tl.- H-A
thusiasm of his work wore away, and
he found no more stable motive for ex-
ertion and, industry. In this unfortu-
mate mood he was one day accosted, as
he was going out to lunch, by James
Blantyre, one Of the cashiers, and a
very stylish young man. Alick had
held the door open for his senior to pass,
and as they stood together on the steps
Blantyre said, c~ourteously:
''Thank you, Mcleod; I have been
wanting to speak to you. / believe you
are a nephew Of Mcleod, of Avon Hill"
Alick proudly acknowledged the re-
lationship, and Blantyre said:
81 met your cousin, Miss Margaret
Mcleod, at Bailie Nicol's last winter
a very beautiful young lady. Viii you
lunch with me?"
Alick was only to proud and glad.
The poor fellow was hungry for COM
%panionship, and especially company
that could talk to him Of Margaret and
home. Blantyre ordered a costly meal,
and Alick noticed how o%bscquious the
servants waited upon him, and that the
proprietor pue himself out OF the way to
receive Mr.. B%lantyrc's nod of recogni-