Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-19

gence, and he had received an education
far more thorough than people of his class
usually acquire. 1t may be chronicled
passingly. that his early social surround
ings had risen above those In which for
many years he had found himself. His
youth had been a sad story of expecta
ton cruelty cut short by financial ruin;
his father had stood high in one of the
larger Eastern towns as an lmporting
merchant. Orphaned and penniless a an
age which he mad been taught to antici-
pate as the threshold of a
bright career, be had found every
best energy taxed for the task OF
mere bread-getUing alone. Thousands
placed like him would have gone feebiy
TO the wall, and perhaps persisted of dis
sipation In the gutter. A few would have
lifted themselves in secure exemption
from the demands of manual drudgery.
Still many others, perhaps, would have
sunk precisely into the groove which
Luke Nesbitt had occupied for many
years. But he had always retained it
with bitter feeling of burt pride, of
scornful and even rancorous grudge. He
was like some one who had come fortn
the loser from a sharp and desperate
quarrel; he could never forgive his en-
envy; but, alas! the enemy, in this case,
was vastly Indifferent one. 1t was the
huge, cold, inviDcible antagonist which
| we cali bOCl6iys w can never u8ub So
ciety; we can do nothing except tenn
porize with it, steal marches upon 1t a
conquer it, If we conquer at all, by STRAIT
| egy alone.
For his son, MILFORD, he had always
| shown a tenderness quite unique and eX-
| ceptional with him. MILFORD was two
| years younger than his sister, Clara,
whom he loved with he deepest brotherly
fondness. Almost from his birth he had
| haan onh
year consumption had sternly threatened
| MIN. But Nesbitt had never brought him
| self to believe in the sad tact of Will
| toTd's doomed state, though he had surely
| been tormented by mlsglvings which were
irrepressible. He had sent W ilfOrd to
| Columbia College when he was Is and the
boy, with strong scholarly aptitude, had
made an enforced failure OF his academic
lie. He had repeatedly broke down be-
cause of ill-health, and had only at last
been graduated with ordinary honors
| through a certain professional pity and
kindness. Meanwhile he had met fell
! low-classmate at Columbia named Ernest
Vanderveer, young man as beautiful
and athletic as he himself was frsil and
| forceless. Ernest had taken the most
violent fancy to the sick youth; it was 9
genuine, fraternal affection, and not sur
prising either when Wilford's loveable
disposition and genial mind were con
sidered.
But Nesbitt had always opposed the
| intimacy. In vain Clara had repeatedly
said to him:
sit does Willy good, father, to have Mr.
| Nanderveer come and visit him when ne
isn't well. Willy is nbetter spirits when
they have talked tolether. And Pm sure
Mr.. Vanderveer is a very pleasant, kind.
hearted gentleman"
| Nos htff had cold xUifE
grutf sarcasm. she belongs in an alto
gelher different class from ours. You
| know what | mean. These Vanderveere
are nigh and mighty folks; they call them.
selves KnlckerDockers, and all that non
sense"
"Mr. Vanderveer has only one near rela
tive" answered Clara. ''He lives will
him. | mean an Old uncle who is very ode
in his ways. He's rich, but be won't lei
his nephew have more than little spend
ing money now and then. He pays young
Mr.. Vanderveer's bills, but he grumbles
dreadfulIy when he does even that. He
might make Ernest so happy If he were
not such a miser and 80 cold to him al
ways, but"
Luke Nesbitt caught his daughter
arm. and q trIfle roughly.
"YOu called this young fellow 'Ern
est!" he exclaimed. Nv nat do you NEAR
by thatY'
Clara dropped her eyes, coloring:
| ''Pve heard WiliOrd call him by his frs
name so often" she stammered.
Her father shook his head with dari
frown. IL wish he wouldn't come here u
see Willy,' SAID this ustere, wry-natureC
man. sit makes me almost sorry Nv,
educated the boy when think what dis
content such gentle folks may brInl
| him."
/ clara aiIant fnhQl
she gather up a courage which su
rarely let her father see, and said:
you've educated both your children
sir, and we both thank you for 1t. Yol
sent me TO school and I'm certain that In
happier-tar happier-because you did
And know, too, that Willy is happier 70
the knowledge he has got. strand that i
makes his bad health easier to bear"
Keep in your own class, tn ugh, boil
Of YOU" grum bled Nesbitt; and he passe,
out of the room, gong to his work.
Clara unused on these words:
"W hat does father mean by so often say
ing them now adaysY she inquired of he
brother that same day.
MILFORD had not been 80 we'll since hi
graduation. Besides his Mt of sever
coughing he had suffered great deal iron
exhaustion. He was lying on a loung
now. in the prim, Eigidly plain parlor o
the Montgomery street house. Clara sa
l-slde him and held one of mis- limp, fever
~ hands. WillOrd laughed; his laug
Was always as sweet and musical as
girls.
81 suppose iather means that you mus
be care ul," he said, mot to fall In low
with Ernest Nanderveer."
son, Willord." cried his sister, reider
ing like June rose.
Tue truth was, these two young peopl
had already fallen IN love with eac
other. Ernest scolled at the idea that h
was choosing a wife below himself in sta
ton. What he had repeatedly asked hin
self, was the ''statiOn" of his miserly oil
uncle? Was there anything patrician i
shutlling about big, damp, dismal nous
on East Broadway in slippers and dress
lng gown, and never seeinE a soul for 81
cial reasons or any reasons except thOs
of business, from one years end to al
! other? How, demOcratically urged tn
. lover of Clara Nesbttt, were the Wander
vcers a whit better than anybody else
4 Here they stood, a family OF two, lear
] misanthropic old uncle and a yOun
4 nephew VINO got scolding If his clotne
: smelt of tobacco smoke ard was eXpec
ed 20 make one overcoat do tor two wiz
ters!
D But Luke Nesbitt looked at the matte
t din rently. He thought Ernest tar boy
? his daughter, and heaven knows what III
: just, wretcnedly wronglng thoughts Ell