Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-03-07

RI
-" -
ats my most earnest hope thdt qoe're I'M
mortal after DEATH"
As boys Gerald Ravelow and Louis
Bond used to play together. They
would perhaps never have sought one
another's company had not circumstances
caused them to spend many boyish
summers ON their parents neighboring
estates, not far from the picturesque
shores of New Rochelle, for Gerald was
o robust, merry, pink checked lad, and
Louis, with his sallow face and great,
mystic black eyes, differed from him as
an ivy leaf differs from the dandelion.
Having once met and become friends,
however, genuine fondness grew and
throve between their two widely oppo-
site natures Gerald Ravelow's mother
was meek faced widow, who adored
her only child, and lived in a perpetual
state of weak chested and neuralgia re-
gret that his late father had not left him
. millionaire. But Gerald's cheerful
mind could see nothing really calamitous
In the snug little fortune that had sur
vived his fathers commercial collapse.
They spent four or five months in New
York each year, and their Westminster
home was pleasant if not palatial
after ALL" said Gerald one day, 81
begin to think, mamma, that money
can't always buy us happiness" He
looked SO jocundly ignorant Of his own
platitude that his mother forgot how
threadbare one it was "There are the
Bonds" he went on; 'Louis is nice lit
tie chap when you know him, but then
he gets fits of the blues, as he calls em,
and he doesn't begin to have half as good
. time Of it as do. And just look at
their great, big house, and their stables,
and their servants, and everything like
that And then, Louis fatherl l al
ways think of crow when | see Mr..
Bond; he's SO awfully dark and glum."
HE never recovered from his wifes
loss" said Mrs. Ravelow, little reprov-
ingly. II never saw her; they bought
Hhadyshore after her death. But I've
heard that little Brenda looks good
deal like her dead mother, and If that is
the case Mrs. Bond must have been very
beautiful"
do you think Brenda Bond prettyg'
asked Gerald. The idea Of her being SO
had never occurred to him before.
"She's like little angel" declared his
mother. "Such hair as hers will always
stay golden; it isn't the kind that changes
to nut brown, as that Of SO many chill
dren do. And then her pure little wild
rose of facet Oh, Gerald, should think
you'd be ever so fond of her alreadyp
That ALREADY" piqued Gerald by its
ambiguity. He did not know exactly
whether it referred to his own youth or
that Of Brenda, who was two good years
younger than himself. But pride kept
him from inquiries as to his mothers
actual meaning, while at the same time
he reflected that he was privately very
fond indeed of little Brenda, and that in
more than one gallant way he had con-
trived to tell her so.
The thought of her son marrying
Brenda Bond at some future day filed
Mrs. Ravelow with ambitious thrills.
The Bond fortune was well known to be
q, 900, 900 if dime, and though Louis
would perhaps receive the great bulk of
the property on his fathers death still
his sisters share would doubtless prove
. handsome one. But Mrs. Ravelow
was Of too hypochondriac turn to al
low hope the least altitude of fight.
Her semi-invalid eyes forever gazed ON
tho dark sides of things, and she saw
slight prospect of a mere boy and girl
preference ever resulting seriously in
after life.
At 16 Gerald went to Harvard, while
Louis, owing to the enfeebled health of
biz melancholy father. remained at home
under the care of tutors. During Ger
Ald's vacations he saw great deal of
both Louis and his sister. This had
proved one of the few childish friend
hips not fated to be shattered or dis
pslled by time Gerald took no high
ltand In his class, and Louis, studying
md reading amid comparative solitude,
would sometimes assail him with gentle
ronies.
n dare say you'd beat us all out of
,ur boots il you were at Cambridge"
aughed Gerald one day in his Junior
'ear.
"Oh, how do wish he had gone!"
aid Brenda, who CHANGED to be present,
nd who had now become damsel with
air hike threaded sunshine, figure of ar
owy straightness and cheeks to rival
DO petals.
Her brother looked at her with little
art They scarcely seemed as if blood
ally allied them; he was so dark and
rave beside this blonde buoyant sister. |
Why do you say that, Brenda% he
uerieG "Do you mean that you could
,are me SO easily if l were off in Massa-
,usetts with GeraldY'
"Ah, no, indeedr' cried Brenda. "But
think you grow gloomy, Louis, from
ring in such complete seclusion."
I'm gloomy by nature" said Louis,
It'd one of his sad little smiles.
Heaven only knows why you should
I" exclaimed Gerald. with a glance at