The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-04
A FATHERS SIN.

Among all who know him Silas Mnrstop
boro tho character of stern, hard man.
But stranger might have read his nature
i'll his face-in tho cold gray eyes, thin,
closely compressed lips and severe aspect.
His neighbors in Bardsloy said he mover
smiled. Certainly no smiled very seldom
and laughed even less frequently. Nc
frivolity of any kind had no ever allowed
to creep into his life. His nnturo did not
require relaxation. Music, dancing, play
going, cricket, football, golf, skittlos-he
scornod them all. Lilo was too serious for
such follies.
In one characteristic he took tho great
est pride. Never in his recollection had
he willingly broken his word. Perfectly
straightforward in oil his dealings, scru-
pulously honest, no had marked out for
himself limo of conduct from which ho
never diverged, and ho expected his family
to walk along the samo rigid chalk mark
with steps rs unfaltering as his own.
Tho severe homo discipline CALLED his
only son terribly. When lad is forbid
den any amusement moro exciting than
an occasional lecture at the assembly
rooms, it would be strange if ho did not
rebcl. Tom Marston revol<ed, and tho
consequences were serious.
He visited the theater. Some busybody
saw him and told his father. Silas Mars.
ton did not storm, desperately angry
though he was. That was not his way.
"Thcatcrs arc catohpits," no said. eff
you go again, 1 will turn you out of
doors.'
Tom knew-none better-that his father
would most assuredly do as hc said, and
for nearly IL months he avoided tho ban
ned building on Bardsey Green But ono
morning comrado jcercd Mt him and
dared him to go. That night no broke
Silas Marston's law for the second time,
and again ho was found out. On his re-
turn his father met him ut tho door.
You have been to tho theater," no said
In tho calm, cold, equablo voice which he
hnbitunlly 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-scvcn and ninepcnco, father" he
faltcred.
Silas Marston placed two sovereigns in
tho boys shaking hand.
Take these and CO." no said 81 dis
own you"
He opened the door. Next moment the
motherlcss boy was in tho strect-without
u home.
If Silas Marston were In any way dis
turbcd by his sons absence, he gave no
outward sign of it, He went to his bust
ness just rs regularly us before and wns rs
constant i'll his attendance mt church. To
oil inquiries, which were many, his mn
swer was tho same:
"He disobeycd me, and I sent him
away"
What had become of the lad he did not
know. He had kept his word, and tho
satisfaction thus derived was strong
enough to silence his conscicnce-at least
SO it appeared.
Seven months had passed. 1t was tho
last day of the Leeds winter assizcs. Silas
Marston had been summoned Oh the Jury.
The last case on tho calendar was one of
forgery. Tho clerk called out the name of
Joseph Taylor" and tho jailcr brought
up his prisoner, lad of II, poorly clad
and apparently half starved. He trcmbled
rs he stepped to the front of tho dock, and
his face, as he glanced furtively about,
was deathly palo.
Suddenly rs his gaze rested on tho Jury
box he staggered, clutched ut tho dock
ratings and chung convulsively, while his
face alternately palcd and crimsoned. So
he remained, with eyes cast down.
Had n curious spectator been watching
Silas Marston closely he might have seen
that jurymans cold eyes dilato and his
lips part slightly, while an ashcn pallor
ovcrsprend his features. But those signs
of agitation were only momentary. Re-
covering himself In an instant, Silas folded
his arms, and, leaning back, stared at the
boy with stony eyes that revealed no in
terest whatever. Doubtless it was great
victory.
Counsel for tho prosecution opened the
case against tho wretched lad The ac-
cuscd, he said, had been in tho employ
ment of Mcssrs. Clifford & Rico MS err
rand boy. 1t was also his duty to sweep
up tho counting house. a forged check
for e75, i'll favor of Mr.. barley, with whom
the firm had dealings, had been presented
ut Clifford & Ricc's bankers and cashed
Whom it was discovered that several forms
wero missing from q checkbook, suspi-
cion fell upon tho prisoner, who had access
to the drawer whore the book was kept
and had been seen in the company of no
torious criminal-not in custody. He was
accused and searched, when three blank
forms, next in sequence to that which had
been cashcd, wero found upon him. The
body of tho check had not been filled up
by tho accused, nor did he present it, but
ho was charged with forging Mcssrs. Cliff
ford g. Rico's signature and tho indorsc-
ment both of which wero cXccllcnt imita-
tions and must have been copied from
genuine signatures.
Tho boy was asked to plead. Hc stam-
mcred something unintolligiblo and burst
into tears. Tho gentleman who had been
4
hastily and pleaded mot guilty" on his
behalf