Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-04-23
A FATHERS SIN.

JUL 1tutOu III NeW 1OEA S0N.
A FATHERS SIN.
Among all who knew him Silas Marston
bore the character Of a stern, hard man.
But stranger might have read his nature
In his faoe-in the cold gray eyes, thin,
closely compressed lips and severe aspect.
His neighbors in Bardsley said he never
smiled. Certainly he smiled very seldom
and laughed even less frequently. No
frivoiity of any kind had he ever allowed
to creep into his life. His nature did not
require relaxation. Music, dancing, play
going, cricket, football, golf, skittles-he
scornod them ALL Life was too serious for
such follies-
In one characteristic he took the great
est pride. Never in his recollection had
be willingly broken his word, Perfectly
straightforward In all his dealings scru-
pulously honest, he had marked out for
himself line of conduct from which he
never diverged, aud he expected his family
to walk along the same rigid chalk mark
with steps as unfaltering as his own.
The severe home discipline CALLED his
only son terribly. When lad is forbid
den any amusement more exciting than
an occasional lecture at the assembly
rooms, it would be strange If he did not
rebel. Tom Marston revolted, and the
consequences were serious.
uo ,,icita1 tho fhootar Goroo hy1cuho1u
saw him and told his father. Silas Mars
ton did not storm, desperately angry
though he was. That was not his way.
"Theaters are catchpits +" he said. "If
you go again, will turn you out Of
doors"
Tom knew-none better--that his father
would most assuredly do as he said, and
for nearly 10 months he avoided the ban
ned building on Bardsley Green. But one
morning comratle jeered at him and
dared him to 60. That night he broke
Silas Marston's law for the second time,
and again he was found out. On his re-
turn his father met him at the door.
"You have been to tho theater," he said
In the calm, cold, equable voice which he
habitually used, whether angry or pleased
"What money have your
In fear and trembling Tom produced
his purse and counted its contents with
nervous fingers.
''Sev-sevon and ninepence, father, !" he
faltered
Silas Marston placed two soyereigns In
the boys shaking hand.
Take these and CO." he said ~ dis
own you"
He. opened the door. Next moment the
motherless boy was in the street--without
q home.
II Silas Marston were in any way dis
turbcd by his sons absence, he gave no
outward sign Of 1t. He went to his bust
ness just as regularly as before and was as
constant In his attendance at church. To
all Inquiries which were many, his an
swer was the same:
He disobeyed me, and sent him
away
What had become Of the lad he did not
know. He had kept his word, and the
satisfaction thus derived was strong
enough to silence his consoienoe-at least
50 It appeared.
Seven months had passed. It was the
last day OF the Leeds winter assizes. Silas
Marston had been summoned on the jury.
The last case on tho calendar was one OF
forgery. The clerk called out the name of
"Joseph Taylor" and the jailer brought
up his prisoner. lad of II, poorly clad
and apparently half starved. He trembled
as he stepped to the front Of the dock, and
his face, as he glanced furtively about,
was deathly pule. s
Suddenly as his gaze rested on tho jury
box he staggered, clutched at the dock
ratings and chung convulsively, while his
face alternately paled and crimsoned. So
he remained. with eyes cast down.
Had curious spectator boen watching
Silas Marston closely he might have seen
that iuryman's cold eyes dila,a and his
lips part slightly, while an astion pallor
Ovcrspread his features. But those signs
Of agitation were only momentary Re.
covering himself III an instant, Siias folded
his arms, and, leaning back, stared at the
boy with stony eyes that revealed no In.
terest whatever. Doubtless 1t Wcs great
victory.
Counsel for the prosecution opened the
case against the wretched lad. The 40
cused, he sold, had been In the employ
ment Of Messrs. Clifford e. Rice as err
rand boy. 1t was also his duty to sweep
up the counting house, A forged check
for R75, In favor Of Mr.. barley, with whom
the firm had dealings, had been presented
at Clifford & Rioe's bankers and cashed.
When it was discovered that several forms
were missing from q checkbook, suspi-
cion foil upon the prisoner who had access
to the drawer where the book was kept
and had been seen in the company Of a no
torious criminal--nD t In custody. He was
accused and searched, when three blank
forms, next In sequence to that which had
been Dashed, were found upon him. The
body Of the check had not been filed up
BY the accused, nor did he present 1t, but
he was charged with forging Messrs. Cliff.
ford b Rice's signature and the ind0rse-
ment, both Of which wero excellent imita-
tions and must have been copied from
genuine signatures.
The boy was asked to plead. He stam.
mered something nnintelligible and burst
into tears. The gentleman who had been
requested BY the court to defend him rose
hastily and pleaded mot guilty" on hia
behalf. s s
Eilas Marston frowned.
"It's waste Of time, /" be muttered 70 hia
! neighbor on the left the foreman Of the
Jury.
s'Ithink II is, Z rejoined that gentleman,
'sbut let the boy have chance"
Counsel f,r tho prosecution called Wit.
ness after witness, whose evidence made II
abundantly clear that the accused wal
snilty. but that be had bsen the dups q