Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-12-14
pY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON,

The Celebrated Novelist,

"Ah, Jacob!r says tho master. "so here Ia
Esau back"
"James," says Mr.. Henry, "for Gods sake
call mo by my name will not pretend that
am glad TO SEQ you; but would fain make
you as welcome rs can ia the house OF our
fathers"
"Or In my housei or yoursr says the mas
ter (which was you about TO sayi But
this IL an old sore, and we need not rub IT, II
you would not share with me in Paris, hope
you will scarce dony your elder brother a
corner Of the fireat Durrisdccrr
'That 10 very Idle Speech" replied Mr.
Henry. "And You understand the power Of
your position excellently we'll"
"why, believe do" said the other, with
little laugh. And this, though they Ind
never touched hands, was tas we may say
the end of the brothers meeting, for at this
the master turned to me and bade me fetch
his baggage.
I, on my side turned TO Mr. Henry for
confirmation; perhaps with some defiance.
"As long as tho master Is here, Mr.. Mac
kellar, you will very much oblige me by re.
garding his wishes as you would my own,"
says Mr.. Henry. I'VE are constantly
troubling you; will YOU be 10 good ns send
one Of the scrvants" with an accent on the
word.
II this speech were anything at oil, It was
surely well deserved rcproof upon tho
stranger, and yet, so dcvilish was his impu
dcnce, he twisted it the other way
And shall we be common enough TO say
'Sneck upr" inquiries he, softly, looking upon
me sideways.
Had kingdom, depended on the act, |
could not have trusted myself In words; even
TO call u servant was beyond me; had
rather serve the man myself than speak, and
turned away In silence and weat into the
long shrubbery with heart full Of anger and
despair II was dark under the trees, and
walked before me and forgot wba. business
was come upon, till ! near broke my shin
on the portmauteaus. Then II was that re
marked strange particular; for whereas /
hail before carried both and scarce observed
1t, II Was now as much as | could do to mar
age one. And this, es it forced me to make
two journeys, kept me the longer from tho
Lal
When Irot there the business OF wclcolns
''as ofor Tong ago, the company was already
II supper, aud 10y an oversight that cut me
TO the quick, my place had been forgotten. l
had seen one side of the masters return; now
J was to the other. 1t was he who first
remarked my coming in and standing back
from his seat
And II | have not got the good Mackel-
lars placei" cries he. John, lay another for
Mr.. Bally, protest he will disturb no one,
and your table is big enough for all"
could scarce credit my ears, nor yet my
senses, when he took me by the shoulders and
thrust me laughing Into my own place; such
an affectionatc playfulness was In his voice
And while John laid the fresh place for him
IA thing on which he still insisted he went
and leaned on his fathers chair and looked
down upon him, and the old man turned about
and looked upward on his son with such a
mutual tenderness that could have carried
my hand to my head in mere amazement
Yet all was OF piece. Never u harsh word
fell from him, never a sneer showed upon his
lip He had laid aside even his cutting Eng.
lish accent, and spoke with tho kindly Scots
tongue that sets value on affectionato words;
and though his manners had a graceful cle-
gnnce mighty foreign to our ways IN Durris-
deer, 1t was still homely courtlness, that
did not shame out flattered us. All that no
did throughout tho meal, indeed. drinking
wine with me with notable respect, turning
about for pleasant word with John, fondling
bis fathers hand breaking into little merry
tales OF his adventures, calling up the past
with happy reference he did was so be-
coming, and himself so handsome, that could
scarcely wonder IL my lord and Mrs Henry
sat about the board with radiant faces, or III
John waited behind with dropping tears
As soon as supper was over Mrs. Henry roso
to withdraw.
"This was never your way. Alison,n said
be-
ut Is my way now," she replied; which
was notoriously false, "and will give you a
good night, James, and welcome--from the
dead" said she, and her voice dropped and
trembled
Poor Mr.. Henry, who had made rather a
heavy figure through the meal, was more con-
cerned than ever; pleased to SEQ his wife with
draw, aud yet half displeased as he thought
upon the cause of it., and the next moment al
together dashed by tho fervor of her speech.
Onmy part thought was now one too
many, and was stealing after Mrs Henry.
when the master saw me.
"Now, Mr.. Mackelar, )" says he, al take this
near on an unfriendness. cannot have YOU
go; this Is to make a stranger OF the prodigal
son-and let me remind you wherein his
own fathers housei Come, sit We down, and
drink another glass with Mr.. Bally"
SAY, ay, Mr.. Mackellar," says my lord
i've must not make stranger either of him
or you. have been telling my son, he add
ed, his voice frightening us usual on tho
word, show much we valued all your friendly
service"
So sat there silent till my usual hour; and
might have almost been deceived Ia the mans
nature, but for one passage i'll which his per-
fdy appeared too plain. Here was the pas
sage, of which, after what ho knows Of the
brothers meeting, the reader shall consider
for himself. Mr.. Henry sitting somewhat
duly, in spite of his best endeavors to carry
things before my lord, up jumps the master,
passes about the board, and claps his brother
on the shoulder.
Come, come, Hairy lad" says he, with a
broad accent such as they must have used to-
gether when they were boys, 'you must not
be downcast because your brother has come
home. AIS yours, that's sure enough, and
little i grudge it you. Neither must you
grudge mo my place beside my fathers fire."
"And that is too true, Henry says my old
lord, with little frown, thing rare with
him. You have been the elder brother of
the parable in the good sense; you must be
careful OF the other"
81 am easily put in the wrong,n said Mr..
Henry.
"Who puts you in tho wrongr cried my
lord, thought very tartly for so mild a man.
you have earned my gratitude and your
brothers many thousand times; you may
count on its endurance and let that suffice"
"Ay, Harry, that you may" said the
master; and thought Mr. Heary looked at
him with a kihd of wliCiness in his eye.
CHAPTER TX.
THE AARrELoUs AND AGGRESSIVE puPlIcIrY
n "a q