The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-03-26
JACOBS FAULTS.

JAOCD = I - ~ l. =.
1t was early Jane, in one ofthose charm
ing places on the Hudson river that lie
between New York and Albany. The
satisfying greenness Of the landscape left
one no chance 10 regret the past glory Of
the blossoms 1t seemed as if should
one speak at all. it ought to be in blank
verse about the hills clapping their hands
about green pastures, about all the secret
things that have ceased to mean so much
themselves as 10 express in the abstract
belief in love and life and beauty and
peace.
Jacob Raus was an iaattraciive OBJ
server Of this charming phase Of nature.
He was preoecupied with his own trou-
bled soul, and here was but a wintry
prospect. The world points Quito man
the necessity Of doing something; there
was no corresponding need to his soul.
He had lately came into an excellent
property, and had invested q good pro-
portion of it in ranch in the West. The
West Was no place of his choice, but what
! else was he 10 do? He was thirty-two,
and was without even a commercial train
/ ing. lie had been bred TO no profession,
and he was not rich enough to live with
rich men as pleasure-seeker, even had
such a life attracted him. He had per-
feet health, was good shot. q good read
er, good walker, a good companion.
I He wore blonde beard upon bis sun
burnt face, with its handsome, clean-cut
profile and hazel eyes.
This bsldsissemento Of his case present
ed itself over and over 10 his mind, quite
as if he were weighing an abstract ques-
ton that bored him excessively. Then
/ he grew irritated that his father should
I have given him such an old -fashined,
I half humorous name, and exerted always
an unspoken and only halfrecognized
negative tyranny on his whole life that
/ his father should have had that irrespon-
sibiIiiy in the paternal relation that is
scarcely to be found outside the Anglo
1 Saxon race-as if the Anglo-Saxon was
born armed at all points, and with an
Intuitive knowledge of fighting his way
through the world. The more Jacob ac-
cused himself Of impiety in accu. ing the
dead, the more obstinately the convic-
ton forced itself upon him that his
thought was, nevertheless, just; and the
implied weakness on his own part was
in nowise eonsoling.
Now he was free at thirty two-a free
dom that meant bondage TO his own linn
itations and while ne bitterly regretted
that be had No profession, he bitterly
recognized the fact that the desire for q
larger life in no sense proved talent
I His desire was as we have said, not one
fcr action. 1t was vague desire for a
larger happiness, such as women have
oftener than men. They should wake
like children ofa Christmas morning, and
find ii in their stockings
All these reasons for gloom were ever
present to Jacob but ne had lately wax
ed to a more definite purpose and more
definite grief His decision to 90 on a
ranch had made him recognize that he
could not leave Milllcent Fuller, whom
he bad known from her childhood, and
who had been for some years past, his
chief occupation. lie offered himself to
her. She refused him. She WAS the
youngest and the only unmarried one
of five sisters. She was twenty-five and
handsome, travelled and accomplished.
jacob, a. ne walked through shady
road, cut a fine bouquet Of sweeibriar
roses, and trimmed their thorny, strag-
Cling stems with an ill-hurmored energy.
lie had rot pride enough to 20 away
without asking TO see her once more, just
TO say goodbye, and she had accorded
him an interview that evening at half
past seven.
lie walked all around the F1iler's large
,nse, past the broad piazzas, and found
her alone in little side-porch that was
oyergrown with honeysuckle vines, and
amid their pinkish yellow blossoms Mil
Iicent, in a pink muslin, looked ike rosy
June personifed. Her father and moth
er had Just gone to drive, she explained
precisely, as she took Jacobs silently
proffered flowers with a fine bush for
thanks
Il am afraid" she said, nervously, as
she carefully picked few thorns from
thestem Of her bouquet before she grasp
ei it, "that | didn't succeed the other
night in-that isl mean that am
afraid that didn't say what meant.
81 should Be glad" said Jacob, ~to
hear that you didn't mean what you
said
~Oh oh, didn't mean that -
~Well, it doesn't matter great deal
what you meant if you didn't mean that
II DO wish that you would be reasona-
ble. jacob
Il wish you wouldn't call me Jacob
when you have told me that you didn't
like the name
"0h. did / say that2 l do think that
+ like it, since you have no other. In,
deed, Jacob, If it we're not for some faults
that you have, think should like you
better than any one.
The young man sat down on a step
lower than the one the girl occupied.
Perhaps he said, gloosaily, ''you
will discuss these faults OF mine; ] may