The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1886-01-30

that do my duty, and am disliked for
it, while Frank, who never thinks of his
duty, is loved?" But it took him life
time to find the answer to his question.
Meanwhile, the''little rift in the lutte"
grew larger. Frank got into debt; Fran
els, with strict justice but little mercy,
said he could not spare the money to
help his brother out. Then, both boys
contended for q prize. Francis toiled.
hard, but Frank, by lucky stroke, won.
Next, they fell in love with the same
girl; and though the attachment was
not deep, and the young lady married a
third lover, yet, for the time, it was
Frank who was favored.
So gradually their enmity grew, until
when commencement day came, they had
nothing in common but a speaking ac-
quaintance. Two years later, even this
ceased, for the boys grandfather died
their parents were already deadland left
a will that was the cause of complete es-
DtlNttIl lIlClIs
His property was shared equally by
them, but certain heirlooms-especially
a valuable ring which had been in the
family for several generations, was left
in the words of the will--"to my dear
est Francis"
1t was known that he had intended to
make another will-the same in princi-
pie, but reducing the property by one or
two public bequests; but, if made, 1t
was not to be found, and every one
thought that death had surprised him
before he could carry out his intentions.
Had such a document seen the light, the
ambiguity of''my dearest Francis" might
have been cleared up.
As matters stood, each claimed the
heirloom. Frank had been the old mans
favorite-all knew that. Still, he had
tried his grandfather sorely of late, by
his needless ways and extravaganza; ;and
beside, no one ever called him Francis.
As for the other, he was always called
Francis, and had been more of favorite
lately than at fist; then, too, he was
the older.
So each young man urged his claim,
and defended it, although, in his secret
heart, Francis did admit that he was not
''the dearest, "just as Frank felt assured
he was. And Frank, with his usual I'M
pulsiveness, spoke ont, and strongly,an
after this, it was hard for either of the
two to give up the case.
Still, it might have been settled if the
matter had not been discussed one day
in public. In the excitement of the
talk, Frank at length called Francis a
designing scoundrel To be sure, he
retracted his harsh speech, but the apol-
ogy was not accepted, when an otIicious
friend reported the matter to Francis.
Designing, am I?" said he, grimly.
every well. You may say to Frank
Denham when you meet him again, that
am designing enough to get and hold
my own. The ring is mine, is in my
possession, and no court of law in the
land will adjudge it away from me to
him
No court did take it away, though
Frank went to law to establish his
claim.
Francis said the ring had always gone
to the eldest son; in fine, it was in his
possession, and no one could prove that
it ought not to be there.
This settled the matter, though not
the feelings that had been reused. The
brothers had now nothing whatever to
do with each other. They lived in the
same town, belonged to the same church,
and married neighbors' daughters even
tually; yet they met as strangers. After
a while, each went into business in Bos
ton and moved there. They still attend
ed the same church, but met less fire.
quently than before.
In business, the difference of charac'
ter showed itself at once, in their meth
ods, and consequently in their success
Francis became quite wealthy; Frank
though not poor, was never prosperous
His children became something of q
trial to him as years went on. The
hereditary impulsiveness led them into
all manner of difficulties, some of then
expensive; and in marked contrast wer,
the sensible boys of Frank.
The latter had two sons and on'
daughter, named Aida while Frank haC
seven boisterous boys.
In little Aida Denham, lay all the hid
den grace and unexpressed tenderness O
her fathers nature. She was the poem
of his life,-the fair-haired Ida he called
her, dimly remembering some old Saxor
heroine.
She was, indeed wonderfully lovcl!
child, rather silent, passionately fond o
her father, devoted to mother and broth
ers; yet with room in her gentle hear
for a nameless host of pets. She knew
about the family trouble-had heard 1
talked of-all the more since her broth
ers met their cousins at the public
school.
The latter, to do them justice, would
have fraternized in rough-and-ready
school-boy fashion, but Francis Den
hams two sons drew back. They haC
their fathers disposition in some degree
and reserve was more natural to then
I than hasty friendship, Beside they
knew about the trouble, and thought
their Uncle Frank had behaved in avery
unjust fashion. So when Franks chill.
dren reported at home how "stuck-up''
and insolent Herbert and Morris Den
ham were, their needless father burst out
before them with violent expressions Of
hatred.