The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-07-04

Mr.. Talbert would have insisted on his sister
doing better; for Carruthers had only
moderate fixed income as manager Of some
works in the north.
Somehow after her marriage his half-sister
slipped away from Mr.. Talbert's life. AS
whole sisters and brothers SO often do the
same this fact is not astonishing Mrs.
Carruthers had several children-but one
after another they died off She wrote to
her half-brother announcing tho birth or
the death Of each. He answered her letters
in congratuatory or consolatory way as
the occasion required. This was about all
the correspondence which passed between
| them. When Horace and Herbert were
lanky boys in Elton jackets and round collars
Frank Carruthers was born, and actually
lived long enough togive promise of growing
up. Indeed his father before he died saw
his only surviving child strappins young
| fellow Of seventeen.
Mr.. CaTuthers left his widow an annuity
| for life and few hundreds in ready money.
She lived we'll within her income and ex-
pended her capital in finishing her sons edu-
cation. She may have had some Of old Tai
berts views of things in general, although
lacking his means of carrying them out.
Anyway she sent her boy to Oxford.
There, for three or four terms, he behaved
/ diSgraCCfully.
! He got into scrapeS, difficulties and debt.
So far, indeed Into the last that his mother
for the first and only time in her life applied
! to Mr.. Iallert for assistance. This was given
readily, and the young man was once more
set or straight.
| Then suddenly Mrs. Carruthers died. Out
of her annuity she had saved enough each
year to pay II premium of assurance, and
Frank, when just tweuty-one, found that her
foresight and love put him in possession of
some seventeen hundred pounds
Whatever his faults might have been he
was pasSiouately attached to his mother
Her death seemed to make a changed man Of
HIM He immediately paid back Mr. Tall
| hert'S lOan-better still, he went to work like
a horse-an intellectual horse, Of course. The
consequence was that he became one Of the
most shining lights of his year, and was in
due time rewarded by Il fellowship.
his was lucky; for after having repaid Mr.
Talbcrt he had only euough money left to
carry him to the end of his oxford course.
Eventually he settled down to try and
make his living, or augment the emoluments
of his fellowship, rs an Oxford coach" AT
that particular time the supply of coaches
was beyond the demand, so for some years, i'll
spite of his brilliant reputation, passengers
or pupils-were few. But he stuck to the bust
ness, and latterly had been given as much,
even more, than he could manage. Hence
the overwork
All this Uncle Horace told Beatrice in his
own fashiCu-alI except the wildcat episode.
That was past and gone; Frank was now
successful man, so his youthful sins might be
forgotten.
Beatrice until now knew nothing about her
fractional cousin. An intermittent and Ian
gushing correspondence had existed between
her mother and Mrs. Carruthers, but upon
the death of his first wife Sir Maingay had
not the least interest iii keeping up any form
of relationship with Mrs. Carruthers. lt is
doubtful whether hc even knew of her exist
ence. The Talbcrts, who were far too proud
to disown any Of her kin, had met the young
man several times and had liked what they
had seen of him. They had asked him to
Oakburv, and after excusing himself once or
twice he was now coming there.
as he clergymanf' asked Beatrice
"Ile must he, suppose.
"No,' said Herbert HE never took
orders. The fellowship he holds did not
make that indispensable"
'They ought all to be like that" said
Beatrice. Men oughtnt to be forced or
bribed to enter the church. Besides CON
tl1lutt ILt'N ought lloJ 10 iildhS Il lIldil
give up his fellowship when he marries. Just
as he wants more money they take it from
him. He must either give up his wife or his
income"
Miss Clauson was growing quite a philo-
soLher ON the subject of marriage She
spoke about it as if it were an impossibility
that she herself would ever be interested in
the matter.
"My dear" said uncle Horace, gallantly,
81 don't think a man would consider two hun
lrcd year Il great sacrifice if you were in the
question
She smiled family at the compliment.
'Still the system must be bad, she said. at
might lead to all sorts Of unhappiness. A
man might keep his marriage a dead secret
might not marry at ali. All sorts of misery
might result
"You may be sure, said Herbert, what
IS is best
Exactly so" said Horace
II am sure it is lad she said, decisively.
Miss ClauSun must have been in advance of
her day, the authorities now having in
great measure adopted her views and changed
the system.
shall we write and tell him to CONFER
asked Horace. 1T won't be any annoyance
to your
"Why should it be-what difference will it
make. Ask him, by all means. -
Then, hearing the patter of little feet out
side, she left her uncles to answer their letters
and in few minutes was out in the garden
romping with the child
Horace wrote a beautifully worded letter to
Frank CaIruthers, expressing the pleasure he
and his brother felt at hearing Of the prom
ised visit. He begged him to fix his own day
for coming, and to stay as long as he convs-
niently could. The letter was handed to Her
bert for perusal and approval Herbert read
it, and after nodding his head continued 10
hold the letter in his hand, whilst kind Of
puzzled, thoughtful look spread over his face
Strange to say, Horace also fell into rev.
erie. For some ten minutes the two brothers
sat facing one another, stroking their boards.
If that vulgar wretch from whose rank mind
hat feline nickname first sprung could have
seen them he would, am afraid have been
quite satisfied that he had chosen an appro-
pirate designation when he dubbed them the
IL