Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-07
CUTHBERT AND DIR. SHAW.

Cuthbert raised his eyes, but they fell in- stantly. Still he answered quickly:
 "I don't grow weary of it. Why do you challenge me? Has single murmur ever escaped mel"
 "What! Is discontent to be expressed by nothing but groanss Give me leave to tell you that man can murmur with his face, sir, without opening his mouth. Pray. under stand that-murmur with his face, sir"
 "Well,n said Cuthbert, with a little droop- ing of the head and reluctant manner, "I will say that if did not know how near your wishes concerning me lay to your heart, L. I@"
 Here he shrugged his shoulders, snaiied faintly and fell silent, beating the ground softly with his foot.
 "Pray finish your sentence. You would correct a pupil, I hope, for stammering," !" broke in the irritable doctor. -.-.-E
 With an expression in his eyes which made 1t very difficult to tell whether he was quite as much in earnest as his speech represented him, Cuthbert exclaimed, with certain fas- tidious emphasis:
 q think no young Englishman who reads the papers but must sometimes feel gener- ous ambition to share in the glories and perils of the deeds which British soldiers and sailors are enacting in all parts of the world. !"
 The doctor stared; his face hung between a scowl and a grin; then he burst out sharp ly: .s.-.......
 "The world is before you! It is only your own legs hinder your generous ambition. What else stays you"
 "Your wishes"
 The doctor sneered.
 "Or I had better say my duty" said the young fellow, in a soft voice, looking for a moment at his father, and then turning his eyes aside and bitinp his lin
 "Duty!" cried the doctor, sarcastically. "Are you stopped by the duty you owe me. or the duty you owe yourself? If you want to illustrate fine thoughts, give me something better than brave words for proof If your fathers calling is too low a pursuit" "Low, sir" q said low"
 "Indeed, then" .s "Hold your pratei How dare you inter- rupt me, sir! say that if your fathers calling is too low pursuit to satisfy your vaulting mind, why, shake off the mean burden, loosen your wings, and leave your duty behind you. Tut! tut" he cried, mo tioning with his hand; Eff those are your fancies, I'll not balk your qualification ot them, trust me! It is nothing, of course, he continued with bitterness he could not con- ceal, though he would imagine his satirical smile a good mask, "that for twenty years l should have been sturdily plodding on in l hope of leaving you an established man o1 l sound report and name, narrowly holding l my earnings, with the blessed help of your | dead and sacred mother, that might give you an Oxford training; nothing my vigor ous toil my slow and painful reaches to com. potency, of which what should you know beyond what you have gleaned from youl poor mothers tales of our early struggles Pshawl get you gone, my dear! There i, l glory abroad, indeed!-murder, lust and fire Now go and add your mite to the genera destruction, by the demolition of yom fathers hopes!"
 This was high tragedy rant. Something te make modern laugh. But old gentlemen used to spout somewhat in this way in thost days; and sons who called papas "sir" listened respectfully to stronger stuff than this, a. you may see in the comedies of the age anG learn from the tales of your grandfather,
 Father" cried Cuthbert-and there sho into his face a sudden expression of deep ap peal that made its beauty as touching and a. soft as woman's-"you are not just to me l do not wish to leave you. l glanced very lightly at my fancies. Fancies they are most trifiing; without influence, indeed. Il there is anything in my manner that cause, you uneasiness, I will reform It."
 But once more his keen glance went down ! ward, and the keen gaze of his fathers blacl eyes assuredly belied their owners sagacit, If he did not detect that something stood be tween him and his sons honesty.
 F Yet. divining no other reason that his sos