Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-22

her half brother announcing tho birth or
the death of each. He answered her letters
in congratulatory 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 Eton jackets and round collars
Frank Carruthers was born, and actually
lived long enough to give promise of growing
up. Indeed, his father before he died saw
his only surviving child a strapping young
fellow OF seventeen.
Mr. Carruthers left his widow an annuity
for life and few hundreds in ready money
She lived well 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
disgracefully.
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. Talbert for assistance This was given
readily, and the young man was once more
set off straight.
! Then suddenly Mrs. Carruthers died. Out
of her annuity she had saved enough each
year to pay a premium of assurance, and
Frank when just twenty-one, found that her
foresight and love put him in possession of
some seventeen hundred pounds.
/ Whatever his faults might have been he
was passionatey attached to his mother.
Her death seemed to make changed man of
him. He Immediately paid back Mr.. Tal-
bert's loan-better still he went to work like
a horsc-an intellectual horse, of course. Tho
consequence was that he became one of the
most shining lights of his year, and was in
due time rewarded bv n fellowship
! This was lucky; for after having repaid Mr..
Talbert he had only enough money left to
carry him to the end of his Oxford course.
Eventually he settled down to try and
mako his living, or augment the emoluments
of his fellowship, as an Oxford coach At
that particular time the supply of coaches
was beyond the demand so for some years, in
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 fashi0n-all 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 Maingav had
not the least interest in keeping up any form
Of relationship with Mrs. Carruthers. 1t is
doubtful whether he even knew of her exist
ence. The Talberts, 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
Oakbury, and after excusing himself once or
ttx-ip bn 7i,,cr
SIS he clergymanF' asked Beatrice
''He must be, 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 oughtn't to be forced or
bribed to enter the church. Besidcs,n con-
tinued She, they ought not to make a man
give up his fellowship when he marries. just
as he wants more money they take it from
him. He must either give up hi wife or his
income
Miss Clauson was growing quito a philo-
sopher ON the subject of marriage. She
spoke about il 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 n man would consider two hun
bred a year great sacrifice if you were in the
question
She smiled family at the compliment.
"Stll the system must be bad she said. 1T
might lead to all sorts of unhappineSs. A
man might keep his marriage dead secret
might not marry at ALL All sorts OF misery
might result"
"You may be sure" said Herbert, ''what
is is best
Exactly so,n said Horace.
.,,,,., i IL
Miss ClauSon must have been in advance of
her day, the authorities now having in n
great measure adopted her views and changed
the system.
"Shall We write and tell him to comer
asked Horace. st won't be any annoyance
to youF
"Why should it be-what difference will it
make Ask him, by all means
Then, hearing the patter of little feet out
side, she lett her uncles to answer their letters
and in few minutes was out in the garden
romping with the child.
Horace wrote n beautifully worried letter to
Frank CalIuthers, 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 conve-
niently could. The letter was handed to Her.
bert for peruSal and approval. Herbert read
it, and after nodding his head continued to
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
that 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
"Tabbies
Herbert and Horace knew without speaking
that their thoughts were running in parallel
lines. They often thought of the same thing
without previous word on the subject. Tho
similarity OF their natures, no doubt, accounted
for this
"lerbert,' said Horace at last, "you are
thinking Of what Beatrice saidN
"Ncs, am"
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