The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-07-26

erty-the first for so long on which he
could feel his own master
At first he decides to read. Is there
not some book he had begun and meant
to finish, so many days ago now that
he has even forgotten what it was all
about, and only remembers that it was
excitingp
And yet, he thinks, he won't read to-
night-not on the very first night of
the holidays. Quite lately-yesterday
or the day before-his mother had
spoken to him, gently but very seri-
| ouslv, about what she called the morose
and undisciplined temper which would
bring misery upon him if he did not
set himself earnestly to overcome it.
And there were times, he knew,
| when it seemed as if q demon possessed
him and drove him to wound even those
| who loved him and whom he loved
times when their affection only aroused
in him some hideous spirit of sullen
contradiction.
He feels softened now, somehow, and
has new longing for the love he has
so often harshly repulsed. He will over
come this sulkiness of his; he will begin
this very evening; as soon as he gets
home he will tell his mother that he is
sorry, that he does love her really, only
that when these fits come on him he
hardly knows what he says or does.
And she will forgive him, only too
gladly, and his mind will be quite at
ease again, No, not quite; there is still
something he must do before that. He
has a vague recollection of long
standing GOODNESS between himself and
his younger brother Lionel. They never
have got on very well together; Lionel
is so ditferent-much cleverer, even
already, for one thing; better looking,
too, and better tempered. Whatever
they quarreled about, Wilfred is very
sure he is the offender; Lionel never
begins that sort of thing. But he
will put himself in the right at once
and ask Lionel to make friends again.
he will consent readily enough-he
always does.
And then he has a bright idea; he
will take his brother some little present
to prove that he really wishes to behave
decently in the future. What shall he
buy?
He finds himself near a large toy
shop at the time, and in the window
are displayed several regiments of
brightly colored tin warriors the very
thing Lionel IS still young enough to
delight IN them.
Feeling in his pockets Rolleston dis
covers more loose silver than he had
thought he possessed, and so he goes
into the shop and asks for one of the
boxes of soldiers. He is served by one
of two neatlv-dressed female assistants,
who stare and giggle at one another at
his first words, finding it odd, perhaps,
that fellow of his age should buy toys
AS if, he thinks Indignantly, they
couldn't see that it was not for himself
he wanted the things.
But he goes on, feeling happier after
his purchase. They will see now that
he is not so bad after all; it is long
since he has felt such craving to be
thought well of by somebody.
A little further on he comes to a row
of people, mostly women and trades
mems boys, standirs on the curbstone
opposite man who is seated in little
wooden box on wheels drawn up close
to the pavement. He is paralytic and
blind, with pinched white face framed
in an old-fashioned fur cap with big
ear-lappelS; he seems to be preaching
or reading, and Rolleston stops idly
enough to listen for few moments,
the women making room for him with
alacrity and the boys staring curiously
around at the new arrival with a grin.
He hardly pays much attention to
this he is listening to the poem which
the man in the box is reciting with a
nasal and metallic shuttle in his voice.
There's a harp and a crown,
For you ant for me-
Hanging on the bOughs
OF that Christmas tree!'
He hears, aud then hurries on again,
repeating the stanza mechanically to
himself, without seeing anything par
ticularly ludicrous about it. The words
have reminded him of that Christmas
party at the Gordons, next door. Did
not Ethel Gordon ask him particularly
to come, and did he notrefuse her sui
lenly? What brute he was to treat
her like that, If she were to ask him
again, he thinks he would not say no,
though he does hate parties.
Ethel is Il dear girl, and never seems
to think him good for nothing as most
people do. Perhaps it is all sham,
though--no, he can't think that when
he remembers how patiently and kindly
she has borne with his senseless fits of
temper and tried to drive away his
gloom.
Not every girl as pretty as Ethel is
would care to notice him and persist in
it in spite of everything; yet he has
sulked with her of late. Was it because
she had been kind to Lionel? He is
ashamed to think that this may have
been the reason.
Never mind. that is all over now; he
will start clear with everybody. He will
ask Ethel, too, to forgive him. Is there
nothing he can do toplesse her? Yes;
some time ago she asked him to draw
something for her. He detests drawing
lessons, but he has rather a taste for
drawing things out of his own head
He had told her. not too civilly, that he
had work enough without doing draw
ings for girls. He will paint her
something tonight as surprise; he
will begin as soon as tea is cleared
away; it will be more sociable than
reading book.
And then already he sees q vision of
the warm little Oanelnd room and hir,