The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1894-01-10

| observer No animal has finer manners
IA more awful composure-than this
cobra of mine. Human monarchs have
the same power of life and death, and
that after all, is the basis of their gran.
leur and serenity. There is something
royal in the aspect of outlaws and des-
peradoes who do not hesitate to kill men,
There is only one thing nobler than to
destroy life, and that is to create it.
J My own calling. so far as can be said
10 have one, possesses neither of these
advantages, for although no doubt a
physician may often be fatal to his pa
tent that is not his ostensible business,
and, as for creating life, my science is
there at one with my orthodoxy. Nor
tai man will never accomplish the feat.
This patching and mending of wornout
bodies can hardly be called II respectable
employment and in the widest sense
perhaps not u philanthropic one. Patched
people do not make good ancestors. Med
ical skill is the foe OF posterity. If had
my choice of a future incarnation,
should choose to be central African
despot-or cobral What change from
relieving the aches and pains of Mrs.
Hodge in the village and bringing Sophie
Stubs little baby through an attack of
croupl
There must be an essential discord at
the bottom of my nature. My tempera-
ment seems to be quiet, methodical, I'M
demonstrative, retiring. People find me
sympathetic. appreciative, benevolent.
nm made the confidant of all manner of
troubles and secrets. 1t is my fate to be
an adviser and mediator. Though
was born four years later than John and
two years after Henry, yet am older in
my ways and external feeling than either
of them. In this my twentyeighth year
my character appears already fixed.
And yet am never without misgiving
that this is not my real self-that the
genuine Frank Mainwaring has never
yet been revealed. | am asleep. The
hour of my awakening has never struck.
Of course it never will strike. This
perception of latent possibilities is no
doubt common, and the practical reali-
ties of life gradually obliterate it. lam
an observer and student. but have
never attempted to control circum-
stances. My acts have been obedient, not
aggressive. have taken relief in imag-
nation, but that will cool in time. ]
only wish the whole thing did not seem
80 like playacting. | fancy | should
have been better-being what am
without that $4,000 that my fathers
will gave me. | ought to have had the
whole estate or nothing. Henry did very
well with his $4,000. At least his desire
always was to roam about the world,
and his bequest has enabled him to do
it all these four years since father died
But Henry is as different from me from
both my actual and my possible self-as
a brother could be- He is u restless, law.
less Bohemian, unconventional in thought
and act, mysterious, unaccountable. low
able and IL genius. lie can be happy
anywhere, for he enjoys even his miser-
les. No one can help serving him, for
no one can help liking him. For my
part, though not of gushing DISPOSE
ton, am his willing slave whenever he
is within reach of me. and | have actu-
ally pinned for him during this long alb
sence.
AS regards John. il was another mat
ter. He is the eldest, and rs father saw
fit to maintain the English prejudice Of
primogeniture-in fact. father always
remained English to the core, though
the last 81 years of his life were passed
IN America. and though he spoke of
himself and thought Of himself as an
out and out Yankee-we were always
trained to regard John as the future
head of the family and in some sort
of another flesh and blood than we.
Though generous and very affectionate
fellow, John was naturally overbearing
and peremptory. and his position would
tend TO develop these traits. ! respect
him and something more. but care most
for Henry. And AM inclined TO suspect
that Henry is mothers favorite, too,
though she never confessed as much and
is too aristocratic in her instincts to ad-
init it even to herself.
Perhaps would better have taken a
leaf from Henry's book and have cut
loose from the family homestead and set
up for myself when father died. think
should have done so had been left TO
myself. But mother was accustomed to
my ministrations, and John could hardly
have dealt alone with the matters conse-
quent upon his accession. And, TO confess
the truth. am indolent. lack ambition.
lack motive If the opportunity or
the stimulus came, like to fancy might |
do or be something IN the world--if, for
instance, instead of John had inherited |
Cedarcliffe and 500 O00a year. But since
In order 10 do that both John and Henry |
must die before me, and unmarried. my !