Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-05-23

monotonouS routine OF annual labor,
week In aud week ont was not con-
ducive TO the development Of invent-
i've talent and the training of
mathe matical bent He studied lit
tie In his spare moments. but too
often fell asleep over his book. utter
" exhausted with his days work. A
machine-saw which he thought out
while ut work proved TO be. when he
had put his design on paper. only an
inferior reproduction of saw that
had already been long In use.
One day Conrad came upon bundle
of old letters that had belonged to his
father One of them bore an Amer
lean post-mark. After this he was
silent for days at time, contrary to
his custom. Then one evening he be-
gan suddenly. with flow of words he
had inherited from his father, to
talk about America and the splendid
facilities there for man of enterprise.
At breakfast the next morning he be-
gan where he had left off the night
before, and his mother and brother
saw that this time he had an idea in
his head that he would not sleep off in
a night or two. A week passed and
Joseph WIS growing thoroughly tired
Of the endless talk about America;
the mother, however, listened with
fond interest to the glowing schemes
of her favorite.
At length II CHANGED that Conrad
went one evening with q companion to
the theater. He was scarcely out of
the house when his employer knocked
and entered.
Il have come to speak with you
about your son." he began.
The mother looked up in alarm and
Joseph turned quickly with premo-
milton that all was not right.
But do not be startled" resumed
the merchant. reassuringly. There
is no bad news, but ! feared something
unpleasant might happen, and so l
have come to you this evening. Con-
rad has we'll nigh turned some of his
younger companions crazy over
America, and to-day / found him
standing before the open safe with all
expression on his face that made me
give the lad a couple Of theater tickets
for this evening, in order that might
have an opportunity to speak with you
alone. Now, although your son has
not proved an exemplary clerk, yet l
like the boy, and rather than that he
should be guilty Of foolish stroke, I
would give him the money to pay his
way to America. Perhaps he'll be
able some day TO reimburse me, but
even II I lose the money, why man
in my circumstances ought not to feel
couple Of hundred thalers."
This struck the nail on the head.
The delighted mother would see only
the hand Of Pr evidence in the whole
affair. The unlucky spirit of enter
prise in the father was now to bring
forth fruit in the son.
Two weeks later Conrad said good
bye to mother and brother. and started
for New York. His employer had
given him letter of recommendation
to cousin in business in that city,
and from there came his first letters,
full Of praise of his new place, and de-
scribing in glowing terms the life in
the American metropolis. Then the
letters came less often, and at last
came one announcing his intention of
going West to seek his fortune in the
gold region. 1t was all so like the
time when the father was seeking his
fortune in Norway, and oven the fond
mother put away the letters with the
same patient smile and sigh.
Meanwhile Joseph was plodding
along as poor machinest where he
had first begun. He had thought out
and committed to paper several inven-
tions, but no one had confidence
enough in the young man TO give him
the necessary. help. II was dreary
time for both mother and son. For
three long months nothing had been
heard from Conrad.
At length letter came in which the
wanderer wrote that he had been ex-
traordinarily successful; he had made
large fortune In an incredibly short
time, and had now returned to the
East, and bought large estate not
twenty miles from New York. He
had delayed writing before, wishing
to get his affairs we'll settled. But
now his mother and Joseph must make
all haste to Join him in his new home.
The name of his place, Russell
House." was printed in the corner of
the letter. To be sure he had omitted
to inolose draft for defraying the
expenses of the Journey, and neither
mother nor son could understand this.
But then it was one of the trifles that
a rich man, engrossed in the manage
ment Of a large fortune, might we'll
enough forget. 1t was, after all, just
like careless Conrad. The letter, with
Russell House" in imposing type in
the corner, they held in their hands;
there could be no doubt as to the es-
sential facts of the case.
All the household belongings had
to be sold in order to raise money for
the trip. They sailed from Hamburg
and had written Conrad to meet them
at the steamboat landing in New
York. But on their arrival no Conrad
was TO be seen. They inquired of the
landlord ut the little hotel where they
stopped, how they should reach Rus
sell House; he told them and looked
at them the while with a curious ex-
preston that greatly puzzled Joseph.
Not far from the station where the
train stopped stood handsome brick
building with large grounds; this,
they were told. was Russell House.
THAT is Conrad's housev' ex-
claimed the mother. embracing her
son with tears of pride and joy in her