The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-05-27

CHAPTER I.
"Father, | swear to you that | never
took it. | have been wild, l know, and
needed money to pay some debts, which
YOU refused to give me, but steal what l
could not get honestly here the
brown eyes flashed proudly-''you forget
that am a Tracy"
"'Tis you who have forgotten, sir. To
think that my son should have stolen a
paltry hundred-dollar note, thundered the
old Judge, whose intense pride was only
equalled by his strict honor.
The library door opened at this moment
and handsome woman of forty-fve en-
tered.
"What is the matter, Judge? | heard
your voice and Carroll's raised to a very
excited pitch across in my boudoir."
"The matter is-is''-so hoarse with
passion was the old gentleman that he
could scarcely articulate-"your son has
stolen. stolen; do you hear, madam? ?"
"What do you mean, Judge Tracy?'
exclaimed the excited lady.
Mother" said Carroll, who had become
more quiet, though very pale, zone Of my
fellow-students has lost hundred-dollar
bill and it was this morning found in my
trunk. But, mother, here the boyish lips
trembled, II swear | know no more than
the dead how it got there, Do you doubt
me?"
What, think that my son, your fathers S
son" here she looked at her husband re-
proachfully, "would steal? No, my boy,
know you did not do it,
With wild sob Carroll threw his arms
around his mother and cried like child.
Oh that blessed mother love. so different
from all other earthly affection.
Madam" sternly said Judge Tracy, sit
is impossible not 10 believe when one has
absolute proof Listen: night before last
Carroll came to me asking for that identi-
cal snm-S100. He plead with me, saying
he vas compelled to pay debt. | told
him he had no business with debts. No
boy in New York has more liberal allow
ance than he. In short, refused him and
he stole it" finished the Judge, his voice
rising at the thought.
my son" said his mother, seeing that
Carroll was about to make an angry reply.
"have you any idea how the money came
to be in your trunk ?"
81 have not indeed, mother, but ] have
an enemy who has sworn to be reyenged
on me for a supposed injury. You remem-
ber when Charlie Morton and myself were
trying for the medal last session? Well,
when it was awarded me he was almost be-
side himself with rage, and he is also in
love with Professor Arnoid's daughter,
and, here he paused
and all the town says that Julia Ar
mold prefers my boy" finishes his mother,
looking fondly at him.
"Do you believe this tale, Madam p
said the Judge.
Il do; for Carroll has never told me a
lie
How could Morton have gotten into
your trunk; was it not locked ?"
"Nt was, father"
Did you tell him you needed the one
tNndrea dollars ?''
%Of course not; but suppose he found
it out +"
.qf n e be true, " sascastically asked the
Judge, awlv were you 50 opposed to your
trunk being $, Nrched2"
The boys face flashed as he answered :;
Al did not think al 'oot Il at the t'me. 1t
only seemed to me to be a disgrace and |
opposed ii"
al should think you woul y sseefs' Vas
father.
"Who proposed having the rool rs seaRe"-
ed ?" asked his mother.
at was he, Charles Morton, and, mo. uer'
he rooms with the fellow from whom tie
money was stolen and | feel confident that
1t was has hand who struck me this blow,
excitedly exclaims Carroll.
"These heroics are all very fine" sneered
the Judge, "but it is useless to prolong
this scene. | repeat, you are no son OF
mine. I disown you from this moment.
Had you not been so wild / believe you
would not have fallen into this temptation;
You were tempted, but you .feH. Aye, |
would take my very name from you it |
could" proudly finished the excited old
man.
Father" exclaimed his wife, falling on
her knees at his feet, .take that back;
don't drive our only child from his home,
nameless, an outcast. Even had he COM
mitted the fault, remember he is so young
aud must have been so sorely tempted.