Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-18

'.E!y fairly well AT first. Dement'S in
r"ofasion and light prison" twice had
cluudcd bis record before the furlCugh
year, hut the mothers eyes rejoicCd in
the sight Of the handsome. stalwart
yourg soldier after his two years of
rigorous training. even Though TIE
mother heart grieved over the evidences
Of dissipation and vice which speedily
marred tie long looked for days cf his
vacation. Between him ard his father
had been more than one stormy scene
before Roylc returned TO the academy
interviews from which the senior issued
pale, stern. >crrowful. the young man
gloomy. sIlicn and more than half def
ant.
Ia his second class year came tidings
OF misdt meanor that almost broke the
mothers heart. Farrar FASTENED from
| the distant frontier to the banks Of the
Hudson, expo ctIrg nothing short of dis
missal for the hCr, and promising the
mother to fetch him at once TO her, but
the court, even III sentencing. lad signed
a plea Cor mercy for the cadet who lore
| so hoEorCd y namc, Il plea that his class
mates would never have Endorsed, and
the president rcIIi'tcd the punishment
10 term Of confinement tn barracks and
caEIp. Tie father wasted no words i'll
rCprCach. liz pointed cut TO the son that
this was his last chance. Royle. Jr.,
had sullcnly responded that his disgrace
was du" entirely To spies and, talcbcar
ers AMI showed neither contriticn nor
promise o! amend. Agar later came the
last straw Reported for a violation Of
regulations iii having liquor in his pos
scsSiCn, Cadet FarIar wrote lying Cx-
PLANTATION to Ike effect that it was placed
IN his room hy parties unknown to him
and fen the purpose Of bringing him
INTO trhubi". but he had been seen eft
limits NJ u Questionable resort in the
ncightcrirE village tEC previous night,
had icon drinking ard card playing
there, hal lest money and refused rC
pay. had been seen returning by two
lower C!assmcr, 10 whom lie offCICd
liquor, then staggered TO his quarters
oBlr an hour or so befCcc r"vcillc roll
call. He was placed in Close arrCs. after
being cOuiiCutod with the array OF ty:-
dcncc. and that nigh; deserted and was
socn 10 moro. Again TIE colonel made
his mcurnfal pilgrimage 20 the Point,
and old comrades rityirgly, sorrowtuily
told him tho whole story. He Went back
10 his regiment looking ten years older.
TOOK his wife and two Younger children.
viii and Ellis. 20 his heart. and from
that day never spoke again his first
horns name 1t had been for years his
custom to sign AL official papers in full!
--Rcylc Fa.rar-hut the very sound of
the Christian name seemed from that
time on TO give him distress. and x.
FarTar became his signature personal OF
official.
|. The young man was heard Of coca.
sionally, however, borrowing money
from officers and friends and relatives
on his fathers account. Then he wen,
to sea- then returned to New York and
wrote long letter to his mother. tell
ing how he mOurned the old days and
was going to lead new life. and she
too gladly sent him all the money she
had. Then there was another interval
and after u year he again appeared as /:
suppliant for aid. He had been desper
ately ill, he said. ard kind but poor
humble people had cared for him. anG
they ought to be rewarded. The mother
would have sent again her last cent tC
him direct. but Farrar intcrposed. Hi:
check went 10 a trusted friend, with in
structions to investigate and that FRIEND
was his old comradc. Major Fenton
and. as he expected. it proved only an
other lie.
Then there came an era of apparent
prosperity. aud now the poor mother IL
joy bcsought her husband 10 rccCgniz,
the son, for he reported himself III gooC
employ with Il fair salary and brllllar
prospects. He even sent Il draft TO repa,
small portion Of what he termed hi
fathers loan. but this was soon follow
cd by draft on his father for doubl,
the amount, ana later another. and the,
, letters Of inquiry came from his cInnlov
or, ard then rucful complaint Of how
that trusting person had been swindlcd
; In her agony Of grief and disappoiut
, inent the mothers health was givin!
way. and Farrar concealed from he
, particulars even worse - that thei
: wrciched son had won the love of hi
{ employers daughter and that she haI
| followed him from her fathers house
, There had been secret marriage. Their,
was another Roylc. This news ha,
/ come TO the colonel but dav or tw,
i before. II was this that had unsea!e,
G his lips and turned him to Captain
h Lealc for counsel and support.
Y My daughter" wrote the bereave,
!. father. was the idol of nv heart. th
g image Of the mother who was take,
n from her long years ago Yet she turn
c cd from me IN the passion Of her Low
C for him, and they have gone God alor
n knows where. If you can find him. "a,
Y that though he mas robbed me moor
4 can forgive him all if he will bu, h
d good and kind TO her. She was delicate
). ly nurtured. as carefully educated a
o your own daughter could be. sir. an,
!. she was more TO me. for she was nv all
|. ! own that, having married him. he
:. duty was with her husband. but VIII
!, should she have hidden that marriag
Il from her father: My own fortune i
Q well nigh wrecked but she has he
q mothers little portion-enough II b
4 can resist his craving for drink an
e gambling 70 support them in comfort