The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-13
CHAPTER TX.

Alexander Otis, one Of the leading Nom
bers Of the New York bar, had but two oh
jects in life, his profession and his son
His wife had been dead many years and
the affection of his later manhood lad
ceutered in his only child His great
hope WAS that Harlan would become a
lawyer worthy Of the nesae he bore.
Mr. Otis was tall, spare, dignified man
whose most intimate friend would never
have dared to call him Yleck." To tho
general public he was almost wholly I'M.
known. He had never engaged in politics
Ind had nanfally resisted TIE tempta sc,.
tobecome an after-dinner speaker. Never-
theless, his practice was large and profit
able and he was recognized by his col
leagues as one OF the most scholarly and
beet-read members Of his profession.
He led very lonely life. Since the de-
partuTe of his son for college bis horac On
Madison Avenue had been fal from attrac-
tive and he had spent most o. his leisure
time at his club His cold raher forbid
ding manner did not draw men to him and
his sef-absorption increased as the years
went by.
He was always pleased when the rolling
months brought vacation to his son.
Then he would revise his mode of life de-
btII HIS tIuD lOI d bllllc anu u1ue a. nome.
He seemed to grow younger in spirit in
Harlan's company, and even deigled to
go to the theatre now and then.
Thus it was that smile played acrss
his strong, rather handsome face one aftty-
noon as he read telegram that ran as fol
lows:
will be home at six.
HARLlyMS
CHANGING at his watch he saw that it = -
ten minutes after five. Hastily laying
aside the papers before him, he locked his
desk, gave certain orders to his clerks and
left the office. The law had monopolized
his time for months; he could afford to
give few hours to his son.
The love of father for son is, perhaps.
as strong passion as the complex nature
of man begets The greatest sacrifice that
the mind of the Omnipotent could conceive,
the only atonement that could wire out
the sins of a lost world consisted in the
conservation of Gods only hegotten son to
an ignominious death. Thus for twenty
centuries has the relationship of father and
son been made sacred by the great tragedy
of the redemption, and for ages the weary
sons of earth have cried out in prayer to-
Our Father which art in Heaven i
There were in the eyes of Alexander Otis
ing, as he greeted Harlan at the depot
But, as always, his manner was cold, I'M
demonstrative, distant. He shook hands
with his son, whom he had not seen for
months, with the same ceremonious polite
ness that he would have shown to chance.
acquaintance.
You look tired and worn, my boy" re-
marked the father as they drove toward
home. " | fear you are not we'll"
Harlan smiled sadly. =" It is nothing"
he said. az am always obliged TO cram
hard at examination time-and the weather,
has been very hot for the last two weeks
"And how did you come out?"
"Oh fairly we'll Honors in English
and History; slight condition in Greek"
You resemble your mother mentally"
remarked the elder man, musingly. Your
mind is brilliant in spots"
Thanks" returned Harlan, smiling
again.
But did not intend to fiatter you In
fact | regret that you do not possess a.
more commonplace mental makeup It
would be safer in the end"
Harlan felt hurt. Though he did not
stand high in his class, owing to his habit
of neglecting teamwork, he had won more
prizes than any of his colleagues and was,
considered justly, the best-read man of
his year. That his father did not seem to
appreciate his achievements had long been
a source of annoyance to the young col
legian. Perhaps in the years to come ne
would better understand his fathers far
sightedness.
"And what are your plans for the sum-
mer, Harlan?" asked Mr.. Otis at dinner.
Though he spoke in his usual sympa-
thetic way, there was q nervous tremor in
his glance that might have told Harlan
how much his fathers happiness was in
volved in the answer he should make.
But the sons eyes We're fixed upon his
plate. AS had always been the case, he
failed to penetrate beneath the mask Of
his fathers manner and find there a
warm, loving heart thirsty for his conf
dence.
For this unfortunate lack of mutual ap-
PROBATION they were both in part RESPONSE
BILE. Neither of them had ever made a de-
termined effort to understand the other.
The father did not realize that his manner,
the outcome of years Of saf-reDression,
repealed his son; the son failed - appre-
ciate the fact that where MS father was
concerned he was inconsiderate AMI selfish.
Thus there had grown up between them a
wall of constraint, a barrier it had taken
fidence and sympathy that each vaguely
recognized though neither OF them felt
that he was in any way responsible for it.
Harlan did not answer his fathers ques-
ton at once. He knew that the crave,
dignified man who was gazing at him so
intently from the other side of the board
had one strong desire in his heart at that
moment-to have his son begin his law
reading at once. What the young man did
not realize was that the lonely, seemingly
self-sufficient lawyer craved companion
ship, that his soul cried out for love, that
he longed to spend the next few months
with his son in a closer communion than
they had yet enjoyed.
Perhaps this knowledge would not have
altered the young mans purpose. 1t is not
often, alas, that youth is willing to sacrifice
its plans in orderto satisfy the hunger OF
paternal love. Oh would that some
clairvoyant power could be granted US
when young that we might forse5 for