Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-06-07
SELECT STORY.
The Disinherlted Son.
BY HELEN FAwCET LYONS.

Major Martindale folded up GER
tain obnox ions letter, as he made this
mental remark, and placing it in a
gilded paper rack beside him in COM
pany with tsilor's bill, ticket for
some forthcoming amateur concert,
and a printed circular concerning
''insurance policies" went deliberate
ly on with his breakfast.
He was a handsome elderly gentle
man, slightly bald, with bright brown
eyes, strait Roman features, and one
Oh those square, firmly-moulded
mouths which betoken a decided tend
ency to have ones way, as he ate
French rolls, broiled birds and
fresh strawberries served in the
granite of their own leaves, he unused
over the contents of the same letter.
cts great mistake to allow ser
wants to bringin ones correspondence
at meal times" reflected Major Mar
tindale. "It's almost sure to inter-
fere with ones digestion. I'll never
read another letter at breakfast time.
What could possess my son to go and
get married in this abrupt, nom
sensical sort Of a way? Says he
feared it would be impossible to gain
my consent" Well, he had good
reason for his fears. He'll find it
still more impossible after marriage
than before. He knows my ideas,
and if he don't choose to conform to
them it's his business, not mine"
And so, after finishing the straw
berries, and daintily cleaning his
tilbert-nalled fingers in a ruby-color-
ed finger bowl Major Martindale
wrote three words on thick. gray
sheet Of note paper, enclosed it in an
envelope, affixed Il stamp, and gave
it to the servant to post. And the
three words were as follows:
''Consider yourself disinherited."
Not that he did not love Harry
the bright, frank boy, who was all
that was left of his young wife, the
one romantic dream and tender mem
ory Of his life-time-but he liked his
own way better. And it is surpris-
ing how obstinate man can be when
he once turns his attention to busi-
ness.
* X X H* X X
"Disinherited ? Oh, Harry! And
for mev'
Mrs. Harry Martindale, pretty
blue-eyed woman, with light brown
hair that shoWered itself around her
face like sunshine, little dots of dim.
Piles i'll cheek and chin, and round
fresh mouth, like baby's, looked
piteously up into her husbands face
as she spoke.
Harry Martindale shrugged his
shoulders a momentary cloud passed
away from his face, as he bravely
! answered:
Never mind, Ariel. Wecan afford,
you and |, to be independent Of Il
, crusty old gentlen.an's money. I'll
see about that clerksElip i'll ST
Louis"
Half the world away from me,
Harry
at wont be for long, pet. Cheer
up. I'll send for you when Eve got
we'll established, and we'll have a
birds nest of a home, without asking
favors of my father"
| Ariel smiled through the dewdrops
that sparkled in her eyes. She was
easily consoled. A girls heart at
eighteen is blessed elastic.
| Major Martindale elected to &c
Atlantic City for the hot weeks that
season. Why, he did not especially
particularize to himself.
| Saratoga was dull ; at Newport one
WAS half a mile away from the beach
Long Branch had palled upon his
fastidious taste; so to Atlantic City
he went, rather enjoying the very
! perceptible nets and snares spread by
the various damsels who were there,
engaged in the great husband-hunt-
ing CAM raign.
Il wonder if they think l am 8
fool ?" said the Major as he strolled
| on the beach with cigar i'll his
mouth.
But one day the Major found him
self forced to give up picnic on ac-
count of a strange feeling OF lassltude
and languor, and the next day he
was in bed.