The Princeton union., 1891-06-04

arbitrary nnlS IDEAS OF right; the son
obstinate, and inclined to wayward-
ness.
Jared's relation to the family was
almost that OF son. He was to
have married Sallie, the daughter FIVE
years before, but she had been taken
i'll three weeks before the appointed
day, and died ten days later. Her
last request to Jared had been to
watch over Joe as an older brother,
and to help to keep him from evil
ways.
"Father is growing DID," she had
said, "and if ever you have q chance
to bring him and Joe to a good un-
derstanding, do your best. I know
you will do your best, Jared-even to
sacrificing yourself a little, for my
sake"
The final estrangement came when
Joe declared that he intended to leave
home. He had invented a machine
for COMPRISING sawdust into orna-
ments, and was wild over his pros
poets OF wealth.
Through the mothers influence,
aided by Jared, who hoped that grati-
tude would touch the boys heart, the
farm was mortgaged.
"Here are q thousand dollars" the
father had said on the morning Joe
went away. "You want to leave us,
so 60! This is all the help you can ex-
pect from me. II you lose it, you
must shift for yourself. Ifyou sue
ceed, l shall look for you to pay it
back. I wish you success, but 1 don't t
expect it." -.
No sympathy was in the words or
tone, and Joe went away, feeling that
there was no love for him in his ia
theirs heart.
Jared knew that Joe had been lack
ing in his duty to his parents. He had
written enthusiastically OF his pros
perity, but had not offered to pay
a dollar; so there was at least a little
reason for the fathers refusal of help.
But something must be done. This
trouble and his fathers refusal would
be likely to drive Joe into recklessness
and ruin. AS he sat upon his little
porch, he almost fancied he heard
Sallie telling him that here was the
opportunity she had hoped for.
But he did not know what to do.
He had little knowledge of business.
His early life had been spent in farm
toll, and subsequently lucky rise in
land values had brought him resour-
ces sufficient for quiet, humble life.
He saw that help from the father
would certainly touch the boys heart
now; but without it, he felt that a
hard task was before him. Sallie's
request, however, was strong upon
him, and he decided to go to. Phila-
delphia next morning.
He arrived in the evening, and
sought Joe's room. AS he tapped, he
heard Joe's voice:
"Come In, fellows!'
Jared entered, and Joe, who had
come halfway to the door, stopped in
surprise, and then turned, confused
toward table.
1t was too late to hide what lay up
on it-cards, a box of cigars, and two
or three unopened bottles.
~ wasn't expectingyou, jared" Joe
stammered. II thought it was the fel-
lows knocking"
Jared walked forward; and clasping
his hand warmly, said, I see you
weren't expecting me, Joe. But I'm
welcome, amt II"
eyes, certainly, Sit down
Here, take this rocking chair, and give
me your hat.''
Joe was handsome, and in STATURE
attire and bearing a. striking contrast
to plain little Jared Harpwick.
II see that I've come at a. wrong
time" he said, pleasantly. "Just
when you're expecting company"
eyes, you did-but don't worry
about that, Jared"
"Joe, my boy, what kind Of com
pany were you expecting?"
"It wasn't good company" saic
Joe, rec]zlessly, "Pve just fifty dol
lars left of what was a prosperous
business, and I don't know where
more is to come from. In sheer des
peration, I invited two dissipatei
young men here in the hope of win
ming more from them at cards.
"And suppose you had lost tn,
money-what them"
II don't know, and I don't CARE
"Why didn't you wait till yo1
| heard from me, Joe?"
"Well, I didn't expect any help.
knew just how father would act whel
you went to him-hardly listen tt
you, and maybe go on saving. H
never has treated me right; but Jared
I haven't done right either. I kno7
that now better than I ever did.
was never good son at home, am
I've been worse away"
His voice had sunk from harshnes
to softer tones, and as Jared, lookin
his sympathy, let him go on, he pre-
ceeded in words that showed tina
now was the time to touch his heart
'1have thought, Jared, that if fathe
would help me little, now when
don't deserve it. could feel better tc
ward him, and we could be as fathe
and son should be. I should kno,
| that he thought something of me. Blu
| can't expect it, and Pm not going t
ask you what he said, for fear he ha
| been hard on me, and to save you th
pain Of telling me-"
"I've come with help, Joe," sal
Jared, "and L"
| A loud, confident knock interrupted