Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-12-30


averse to children. The temperature un-
der the paternal roof being decidedly chilly
for young Francis, with the possibility
of cold wave and "freeze out" he
sought warmer cline in the care of his
grandfather, at New Orleans. Here he was
educated and brought up in total ignorance
of his father, as there was no correspondence
between the two families When a young
man he started out on a tour north. With
vague knowledge that he was born in
Detroit, curiosity led him to visit the city of
his birth and inquire if his father was yet in
the land of the living. On making
inquiries he found that his father
was regarded as the wealthiest man
in the state of Michigan. A spirit Of pride
and family independence, which he inherited,
prevented him from calling at his fathers
house. He learned that it was the habit of
the elder Palms to visit the hotel reading
room every evening at s o'clock to read his
letters, look at the papers, and occasionally
do a little business with people from out OF
town. That night the son was on hand, and,
punctually at o'clock, short man with "a
little stoop to his shoulders came into the
Office. There was a smile on his kindly face
as he nodded good evening to the people he
knew, and then made his way to a sofa in the
reading room. The son possessed his soul in
patience until he saw his father tear open his
last letter, glance through it, and then turn
to take up a paper. Sauntering up to the
elderly gentleman, the young man, with the
ease of a southerner, began the conversation.
Gradually he drew from Mr.. Palms the ad-
mission that he had relatives in New Orleans.
II have father there and brothers, too,"
said the elderly man. "Indeed," said the
younger, in apparent surprise; land what is
the name!" palms is my name." "And
mine, too," said the young man, coolly.
"Perhaps you and are related!" "My fathers
name is Ange Palms," admitted the elderly
one. "And he is my grandfather" was the
young fellows response.
There was no scene. In few words the
father told the son that he was glad to see
him again, and then gave him to understand
that the hotel would prove more comfortable
quarters than the big brick house up the
avenue
The son thanked him for his kind interest
and acknowledged that the hotel life agreed
with him.
Without asking any favors from his father
the son returned south. At the outbreak of
the war he left the plantation he owned to
enter the army War proved Waterloo
for him, as it did for bis grandfather, and he
went back to New Orleans to begin life anew
Family influence obtained him a clerical DO
sition in the United States courts, and he set
tied down to quiet life. AT the outbreak of
the war he had been engaged to lovely girl
of Scotch parentage, but the struggle had
separated them, and when the war ended
each heard that the other had married. By
chance they learned of their mistake in time
to enjoy short period of domestic happiness
before her death. He afterward married
second time and his wife is still living.
In the course of time the stepmother died,
and on returning from his wifes funeral Mr..
Palms sat down and wrote to his son to come
north He pointed out to him that before
many years he must come into a large prop
erty distributed among pine lands, iron mines,
business blocks, railroad enterprises manu-
featuring and bank stocks and the like.
The son came and settled near the little
brick office in the rear of the paternal resi-
dence. There he has lived quietly, making
few friends and spending the greater part of
his leisure with his wife and his eight chill
dren. He now inherits one-half of his fathers
millions, his only sister, Clothilde receiving
the other half. This sister-Miss Clothilde
Palms-was, it was said, last winter the OBJ
ject of the attentions of Senator Jones, of
Florida.