Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-01-23
A CRUEL CONSPIRACY.
Old Mr. Brown and His Sons Love
Affair.

Old Mr.. Brown, the wealthy tallow
merchant, was haunted by morbid
dread that his only son Jack would
make an imprUdent marriage. The re-
lations between the two were a little
strained, owing TO the young mans OBJ
lection to engage IN mercantile pursuits.
He had wished to enter the army, which
old Mr.. Brown regarded as hot-bed of
vice and dissipation, and having been
thwarted in this, the lad would conde-
scend to do nothing but to read languidly
for the bar. obviously without the least
intention Of adopting the law as pro-
fession. This naturally irritated his
father, who speedily became convinced,
from the-.stories which reached his ears
of Master Jack S proceedings, that ex-
travagance and dissipation can be prac-
ticed by plain civilian without any
military training whatever. But though
Jack Brown had quilted the parental
roof, and his father rigidly restricted
his allowance to e3OO a year, which led
TO a great many unpleasant discussions
between them, they were not completely
estranged. for each secretly entertained
more respect and affection for the other
than he cared to show.
But perhaps the real origin of the
GOODNESS and of old Mr.. Browns per-
petual uneasineSs was to be traced to an
early love affair of the young man who,
when scarcely one-and-twenty, had en-
gagged himself to pretty but penniless
girl-a governeSs in the family OF
neighbor. Miss Mary Marshlands was
highly educated and accomplished, and
lady by birth and training; but the
old tallow merchant would not hear of
the engagement, and vetoed it in very
peremptory way. Rut, though he sue
ceeded by a vigorous exercise Of parental
authority in reducing his son to su6mis-
sion, and sent him off on a voyage round
the world in charge of a tutor, the lad
displayed a startling spirit of headStrong
independence, and solemnly warned his
father that, if he should contemplate
matrimony again, he would take care
not to risk his happiness by disclosing
his intentions.
Old Mr.. Brown was more impressed
by this announcements than he realized
at the moment, and as time went on and
Master Jack seemed to have completely
recovered from his early cisappoint-
ment, his father sometimes doubted
whether he had done wisely to inter
fere. He feared that his son was Just
the sort of misguided, susceptible young
man to be inveigled into matrimony by
some designing adventures, and If such
a catastrophe occurred it was not pleas
ant to reflect that the lad, warned by
his previous experience, would, in all
probability. keep his own counsel, and
not afford his anxious parent the oppOr'
tunity of rescuing him from his OWL
imprudence.
Old Brown got this idea so firmly into
his head that it rendered him perfectly
miserable, and, unluckily, his son al
ways maintained an attitude Of marked
reserve concerning his private affairs
which increased the old mans uneaSi
ness. 1t must be owned that Mr.. Brown
ST., was not the sort of father whose
manner invites confidence, for he wa:
habitually gruff and unsympathetic
But It is certain that the young man die
not appear to relish his parents fire.
ouent reference to the topic of secret
that on such occasions his son Away:
FASTENED to change the conversation
This was so conspicuously the case OF
one particular evening that the old gen
tleman, who fancied that he had re
Gently noticed a sort of yelled defiance
in Jacks manner, resolved to satisfy hi:
suspicious by making some inquire:
among the young fellows friends.
1t so happened that on the very mex
day after he arrived at this determine
ton, he came across in the city young
man who was a member of Jacks club
The opportunity seemed too good to bt
lost, and Mr.. Stephen Carlow had OF
previous occasions shown himself to b.
of communicative disposition. In fact
old Mr.. Brown had already picked NJ
several hints of his sons proceeding
from this source, and when he invites
the young fellow to lunch with him, tn
latter seemed, by his manner, to be IL
no wise averse to undergo the catechis
ing which he evidently anticipated wa
the object of his host.
The old gentleman did not venture t
breach the subject he had at heart until
after substantial and recherche repasi
he was seated with his guest in snul
corner of the smoking-rOom; and eve
then he was acutely sensible that b
was acting in an un6erhand way. Blu
he endeavore6 to console himself wit
the reflection that tne end justified tn