The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-14
DICK NETHERLY'S FORTUNE.
BY H. s. KELLER.

"4our fortune is In your own
hands, boy ; take II or leave it,"
but, father, do / understand you
to say that 1 must give up Marian ?"
asked handsome Dick NetherIy, turn.
ing 10 his father, with a look of pain
on his face.
"Ihat is my meaning, Dick, re.
sponded the old gentleman, in deci-
sive tones.
"Giye up Marian! Why, father.
you do not know, you cannot know
what that means to me-"
"Nonsese. boy! There are others
eqnallg as fair" .........
sethaps, perhaps; but Marian,
Fslle is my life ="
"Ganted; but not your fortune,
Dick" quickly interrupted Mr.. Meth
erly, with some little show of scorn.
"Andso / must bid farewell to all
my SWEET dreams; must forget the
face so dear to me; must forget the
words of bve we have exchanged. 1t
is hard-vsry hard. Oh, mOney-a
thousand c,rses-no, not that. Faith
er. l cannotgive her up"
"You mus"
"And if l nfuse ?"
"You go rom this house, your
home for twenty-five years, penni.
less"
"Is there no other alternative 1t
is not for the money that am so con-
cerned, but to leave you in your old
age"
"There, you need not speak of that,
Dick. Tell me, once for all, will you
give up that girlH"
Mop
The word sprang from Dicks lips
with such degree of firmness that it
even startled him. The old gentle
man, too, was moved strangely. He
fell back into his chair, and gazed
in speechless horror upon the pain.
stricken face of his son.
They were both tenacious In a Ger.
tlin degree-both were determined
to gain point. Dick knew that his
father did not look with favor upon
his suit, and Mr.. Netherly had hoped
that his son would see the folly OF
ever thinking of marrying a girl.
when the noble estate was weighed
in the balance.
Words had availed nothing; the
boys disposition must be put to the
test. And so, with simple gesture,
Mr.. Netherly pointed to the door.
1t was sufficient and though ter.
rible pang entered Dicks heart when
he left the stern parents presence,
yet was his mind made up to 60
tn rough the crucible of separation
for did he not love Marian so well
that he had cast to the winds the
richest estate in all the county?
But, how is it with the old gentle.
man? All, at first his heart felt cold
toward Dick. The boy had disobey-
ed his iniunctions. had left him alone
in his old age-for what? For the
soft voice of the woman, for the pref
ty face of a siren, so the old man said.
+, "He'll come back soon enough ;
like the prodigal son, he'll come back
and sue for pardon"
Thus Mr.. Netherly mused. as he
sat there in his library after Dick had
left.
But Dick did not come back and
when the week had turned to months,
and year came around. then the old
gentleman began to think that he had
been hard with the boy.
Hurry the gentleman will bleed
to death. Go for the doctor. Tom
my 7" cried the girl, as she lifted the
gray. haired head from the rough
stones. and tried TO bind the ugly cut
near the unfortunate mans temple.
The old gentleman was uncon'
scious. and when he did regain his
senses he discovered that the sur
roundings were strange to him.
What was the meaning of this
strange mystery? All! he remem'
bered that his horse became frighten
ed, threw him, sudden shock, and
that is all that he can recall.
A fair, sunny face, wreathed witt
golden tresses, and made beautiful
by the sweetest eyes he had eyel
gazed into, drew near him just as thu
door opened and the doctor entered
"What is it you. Mr.. Netherly
How did it happen ?"
This last was addressed to the girl
Her face grew red as a rose, thel
pale as hly when the old gentle