Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-02-18


absolutely no stint. | was 10 spend as
much and as long rs should think proper,
or in other words a. long as there should
be the faintest hope of trucking Donald.
"My bankers shall have full instructions
in the natter" said Sir Thomas. "and In
the meantime we must not forget prelimi-
nary expenses" Whereupon he insisted on
my taking in ready money and bankers
drafts a sum that seemed to me fortune.
Finally, as / was in great glee with my
prospects and protested against delay, IL
was arranged that in exactly three weeks
from the date Of my homecoming was to
sail from London In the steamship the
Pearl OF the Orient, commanded by Cap
tain Rogers, who, being u friend OF Sir
Thomas, was charged TO provide for my
comfort on shipboard.
And so the ultimate decision was made.
was TO lift anchor and set sail for the UNI
known, as 80 many did before and so many
will do after me. How | Jared there, how
the reality belied all dreams aud antcipa-
tions, how fate Knocked at wisdom, made
naught OF forethought and plaything OF
me il will be the business OF succeeding
pages to tell Coming events cast no shad-
ow before, and in the meantime was eager
and happy.
How the three weeks passed l cannot
very well say. | was u frequent guest at
The Elms aud saw a good deal OF Isabel,
whose presence learned to bear without
shrinking or shaking. She talked TO me OF
her life in India, and also OF her brother,
for whom she had the warmest affection
and admiration,
"They may tell you stories about Don
aid, she once said. "They may say he was
u scnmp and all that, for it is easy talking.
But don't believe them. He was high spir-
tied, that was his fault, and my father
crossed him. His worst sin was to become
u soldier when his friends wanted him to
be something else, and the records Of the
war Office show he was no coward. lie
saved the British colors when the enemy
broke n British square, and he has done
many brave thing since. II he had re-
manned in the army, he'd have got almost
any rank, but he hadn't peace 10 do that,
and it's since he left 1t we have lost trace OF
him"
about him He seemed to I'LL her whole
soul, to be her only thought, a circumstance
that secretly piqued me not n little.
"Oh " she would often break ont in the
most irroleynntway, "lf you could only find
my brother, II you could only find Donald,
/ should DO so grateful to you. But in
decd, indeed" and here she would look in
my face ill | thought 1 saw visions Of
heaven, II will be just as grateful to you
IL you never find him. Words cannot eH-
press your goodness In trying"
Then would reply that If Donald were
in India would find him, a speech which
always brought me rapturous smile OF
thanks and further visions OF paradise
will pass swiftly over the preparation
made at Kilburnio for my departure. My
dear mother took care that my outfit lacked
nothing 1t was possible for her to procure,
and even my father soltened toward me,
busying himself with my g,yairs aud seem
ing conscience stricken fcT having been so
stern with me.
lyon do we'll, Andrew, hesald one even
ing when we CHANGED to be by ourselves,
and his voice was husky. you do well,
| Andrew, have no doubt, in following your
/ own instincts When you 20 so far away
/ for to "A housekeeping man like me it Is SO
far away. though it is still in Gods uni.
! verse-when You so away, do not forget
I that we are left behind, and you'll let us
| hear from you. And rs 20 the other thing
/ we may find way out Of our troubles
God bless you, my boy We are all iii his
hands, And he could say no more,
At dinner on the last evening, Duncan
the coachmHu, who was also gamekecper
factor, forester and general iactotum anc
had served the kilgours man and boy fol
30 years, got out his pipes and serenaded vi
in his most stirring manner.
ut Ia Tor Mr. Andrew he said. III,
will be going away, God bless him, and b,
big man with black servants, and maybt
Duncan will never set eyes on him again
And God bless him, he will have the pipe,
to his denner whatever Just as loud as ault
Duncan's lungs can blaw. Aye. will b,
toon And so Justify did Duncan blow tina
not word OF conversation could we hay,
during the whole meal. When his chante
was silent, however, and the dusk had fall
en-, and we three, my father, my mothe
and myself, sat together, there was tall,
but no syllable OF it will be set down here
for IL was for ourselves alone
Next morning Duncan drove me to tn
village to meet the stage-niy father ant
mother accompanying Early as was tn
hour, Sir Thomas and Isabel were wnltinl
for us, and greeted us with a fervor tina
was almost silent Isabel held In her han,
two little punches of white heather o.
which she looked down from time to tim
rs 1 lAuNANA WIN folAle OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES a
last she came close to me, and with sol
emotion sutlusing her cheek and shining 4
her eye, shn said; This is for luck. One
for Donald-yOu see | expect YOU TO fin
him. The other" and her voice fell to
mere whisper, lis for yourself. 1t wi
keep you IN mind Of the old home and peI
haps | may see them both again"
As she ceased speaking, the shrill note
of u huge broke upon the morning still
y ness, and minute or two later the stag,
coach came up at a handsome pace, tn
horses fresh and mettlesome and shakip
their heads as If eager for the road. NJ
baggage was quickly bundled up, farewell
were hastily taken, and | mounted to m
+ place, feeling as II were in an unfnmilis
: region Of mists. Suddenly old Dupci
scrambled up beside me, parcel rolled
I blue cloth in his hand. Take IL, he sal
! huskily, pushing it into my arms Go
= bless ye, take it, 1t will be the siller min,
| learned ye to blaw on. Ayont the 81,
7 yen can gle u skirl nc times to mind We
. old friends, and when ye Gene back We
Y march TO your own quickstep. and ma,
y be Donald will be there TO fling his bonn,
"a in the air. Hoooh ayel God bless ye-Go
a bless yel" and a tremulous hand patted N
. like n baby on the back Then Dunoa
4 leapei down and stalkedback to his horse
q daring any one to say tears were on h
E, checks or that his hands were shaking az
= with palsy, His was M odl pift INT
u took 1t, knowing how refusal would I'M
him.