The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-02-28

Sitting erect in his chair, Sergeant
Stronge felt for once in his life irresolute.
Should he see his son or should he not
What would he say or do if he did see
him? And if he did not see him, what
would happen then?
A struggle was going on in Sergeant
Stronge's mind-a struggle, though he
might not have admitted it, between anger
and love, between resentment and pity. In
spite of all his hard thought and harder
language about his boy, just then it was an
even chance whether he should forgive him
or not.
Unfortunately-as often happens in the
most serious of human affairs-the event
was decided by an accideat. Charlie
Stronge only knocked once at his father $
door-he waited but minute. Then,
hopeless apparently of an answer, he turned
and, with broken heart, went slowly down
the long stairs If he had but knocked
twice, if he had waited only IL moment
more-who can say what way the terrible
struggle in his fathers breast might have
gone? As it was, the event was decided
before that struggle had come to an end.
Eagerly, breathlessly, the old lawyer
listened to the young mans heavy foot
steps as they resounded on the boarded
steps. Tramp, tramp, slowly and sadly
the sounds came up to him; faint and more
faint they gradually became; now they
came from the second landing; now from
the first; now they ceased.
As the echo of the last footstep died
away the great old clock in the corner
chimed out the hour loud and clear. 1t
struck 10.
Recalled to himself by the sound, the
old lawyer, with gasp, threw himself back
in his chair, and realized that an issue per-
haps of life and death had been decided
forever.
'Let him go" he said to himself, after a
pause. "Let him go; he'll do himself, nc
i'll. I dare say he'll be back again to-
morrow"
Though he said this for his own comfort
he felt no assurance that it would prove
true. He knew that his son was in des
perate straits-he knew that he had at
tanned the very limits of human misery
and though he believed he was Of a weak
and irresolute nature, still he felt that Il
was just such weak and irresolute natures
that were the most ready to resort to fear
full measures when in dire distress. The
strong man hopes against hope and strug
giles against fate itself the weak one give
up the contest soon and abandons himsel
to hopeless and reckless despair.
The reflections now pressed on the ole
lawyers mind with fearful weight. Wha
if Charlie did as he had threatened, an,
took away his life? That dreadful ques
ton stuck in his mind 1t would not g
away; it would give him no peace, no rest
Do what he would there it remained at the
door of his conscience, knocking, knockin
continually, and imperiously demanding al
answer.
Now that the supreme trial OF his detel
minatidn had come, it broke completed
down. All the old, deep love of his hand
some, dashing boy came rushing back upo
him. Visions of what he had been aT
peared before his aching memory. II
remembered him as a pretty, prattlin
child by his dead mothers knee-tha
loved and lost whom the old lawyer ha
cherished and mourned for with all tn
energy of his fierce, strong soul; as tn
little laughing school-boy who used
brighten everything around him by tn
sunshine of his presence; as the lad settin
out for Oxford full of anticipatiOns {
pleasure and success, full of the exultan
Intoxicating spirit of youth. And to thin
that perhaps at that very moment Oh
black waters of the Thames rolled owe
that youthful face, over those glancin
eyes, now closed and dull in death-tl
thought was agonizing, maddening!
Torn by sorrow, remOrse AMI shame, III
, unhappy old man spent the night wande
, ing aimlessly about the room and sittin
in his easy chair gazing into the du
a.. embers on the hearth. For him there W;
. no rest or sleep that night; and when ii
wintry morning broke it showed his face
+, that but the previous day had been full
: a high, indomitable spirit-weak an
nervous as frightened child's.
Dawn was slowly Frightening into da
: when the old lawyers excited car caugI
4 the sound of footsteps slowly ascendin
4 At length they reached the Sergeant
. floor. A knock 1t is at his door. w
4 it Charlie or was it
n Almost fainting, with fearful appr
d hension, the old lawyer staggered along Il
corridor to the door. He opened it.
a policeman was there.
Sergeant Stronge, sir?' he said, toue
/ ing his helmet
,e ''Yes," answered the Sergeant, hoarse
Is Begging your pardon, sir" said
policeman, ''for disturbing you, sir
,e "What is it?" asked the old lawy
er now almost unable to stand with fai
We ness.
at "Well, sir, we found this on the bo
oi- of young man found in the river, a
lis We thought you might know something
ed him.