The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-10-23
HIS BROTHER SLEEPER.

The question was asked playfully
but the young man sitting at tn
breakfast-table, from which a red-arm
ed girl was carrying the dishes, thre1
down his paper, and springing up, said
with a flushed face
''No, Dick, you're not good for any
thing!"
"Come now!" was the angry re
sponse. and Mrs. Barnes hurried for
ward nervously, for it seemed as if tn
two brothers would fight.
''It's fact. You are living on us
you are lazy-and you're almost twen
ty years DID," said Tom, the eldest
go boys! boys!" protested the WON
an, holding out her hands. "Younev
er quarreled in your life. Don't be
| gin nowl"
"It's time he heard the truth" NUT
| tered Tom.
| ."But, mother, haven't I tried?'
| asked the boy, turning to her, and his
voice trembled just a little.
! "You know, Tom, that Dick is deli
cate" pleaded the woman.
/ Eyes, and that's been his shield lone
enough, 1 should say. He's not toe
| delicate to 60 to all the emerry-makings
and eat his share, and when he gets a
good chance in life, he don't know it.
! I'll never try for him again, never!"
and out he went, slaming the door be-
hind him.
81 don't see what's got into Tomb
said the widow, distressfully. Il nev-
er knew him to act so before"
Egnh If'cy haa,, in, hin, -
muttered Dick, hoarsely. "Ever since
he got acquainted with the Moses.
That's what's the matter"
'Doyou really mean it, Dick?'
"Of course do. Helikes Miss Anne,
down. I'm in the way. wish father
had lived, or I had died with him.
"Dick, darling, don't talk so''
t'I say I do! Everything was going
on just right. liked my studies, and
meant to make a man, though in a
different way from Tom. He likes
hard work, and can do it. hate ev-
erything but books, study and law.
I don't see why Tom should be SO
hard on me. Pm trying my best.
Lawyer Bates said that in less than
two years Lean make my own way"
"My, poor, dear boy! You are do
ing your best know you are
eyes, you think so; you feel SO; Pm
sure of your sympathy, but you see,
Tom wants me to be making money.
He begrudges me the food l eat, and
thinks 1 am shirking, and trying to
get along without work. He never
said SO before, but have seen it of
late. I canread it in the way he looks
at me-"
"My dear boy! try not to mind
it!' said the widow distressfully.
"Ihave tried; laughed at his hints land
swallowed my chagrin. But can't do
it any longer, my self-respect is hurt.
All is, must throw up my place with
Lawyer Bates, and GO out to Oregon,
and buckle down to hard work" E"
''Dick, | never will consent to it!'
said his mother, growing pale. "You,
with your delicate constitution, to go
away so far from home, e,-from me, :
when you have always needed to be
watched over and cared for! Try not
to mind TOMB
81 havedone so, mother, but I can't
pretend to try any longer. Tom wants
to be married-to the silliest girl in
the family, too, because she has a
pretty face and dresses so stylishly. 1
suppose he's not to blame; he's twenty
five years old, and doing fair bust
ness. It's only l am in the way. He
has to help me to clothes, you know,
and of course my board costs some
thing. l might as well say yes. The
Journey will do me good, maybe, and
there's chance to make money. It's
a. new Mace Won know
The conference closed, and Dick went
to his Office, leaving his mother al
most broken-hearted. 1t was such a
change from the tender care of her
husband, to dependence upon the
strong, self-willed man whose word had
begun to be law. And it was embar-
RAISING to feel that before long she
would only be second in his heart and
home, For he called the home his,
though his mother had bought it with
her own money years before, and fur
nlshed it herself. But now she was
left so impoverished that she had no
means to pay the taxes, and her health
was poor.
Ii Tom would only wait! But no:
Tom believed that Dick was lazvv: that
his studying law was but farce; that
he should be- no more exempt from
hard work than himself And he had
just had such a splendid situation Of
Tered for him, that it angered HIM be.
yond measure when Dick declined. |
gentleman Dick" as he sneeringly
called him. Besides, he did wish to
marry, but would not while he fancied
Dick an incumbrance.
That night the brothers met for a
few moments; the mother was not in
the room
Have you written your friend in
Oregon?" asked Dick, and something |
in his handsome, intellectual face re-
hulled his elder brother It's he an
swered,-
".So; / shall write to him tonight. -
TEL him accept,' - said Dick, Short.