The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-10-22
Point. The father dreaded that tn
WayWard, reckless follow. intnlnrnnt &

wayward, reckless follow, intolcrant of
restraint or discipline, would merit
punishment and, being punished,
would resent. Roylc stood the ordeal
only fairly we'll at first Dement'S in
profusion and eight prison" twice had
cloudcd his record before the furlough
year, but the mothers eyes rcjoiccd in
the sight Of the handsome, stalwart
young soldier after his two years Of
rigorous training, even tho Ugh the
mother heart gricvcd over the evidences
of dissipation and vice which speedily
mulrcd the long looked for days Of his
vacation. Between him and his father
had been more than ono stormy sccr
before ROylo returned to the academy .
interviews from which the senior isS d
pale, stern, Forrowful, tho young III
gloomy, sullen and more than half def
ant
Lii his second class year cnmo tidings
OF M.&;!2,nHanOr that almost broke the
mothers heart Farrar haStCncd from
the distant frontier to the banks of the
Hudson, expecting nothing short of dis.
missal for the boy, and promising tho
mother to fetch him ut once to her, but
|
! q plea for mercy for the cadet who bore
so hOnnrcd name, 4 plea that his class
mates would never havo indorscd, and
the president RENTED the punishment
to 4 term of confinement to barracks and
camp. The father wasted no words III
rcprCach. He pointed out to the son that
this was his last chance. Royln, Jr.,
had sullenly responded that his dis grace
WAS due entirely to spies and talcbcar-
crS and showed neither cOntrition nor
promise Of amend. A year later came tho
last straw. Reported for Il violation of
regulations in having liquor in his pos
session, Cadet E"rrGr wrote Il lying cN-
! nl"natlOn to tho cllcct that it was placed
| III his room by parties unknown to him
ami Tor the purpose of bringing him
into trouble, but he had been seen 'off
limits" ut questionable resort in tho
ncighhoring village the previous night,
had been drinking and card playing
there, had lost money and refused to
pay, had been seen returning by two
| lower clasSmcn, to whom ho offered
liquor, then staggered to his quarters
only an hour or SO before rcvclllc roll
call. lie was placed in close arrest after
being confronted with the array of cvi-
dcnce, and that night deserted and was
seen no more Again the colonel mado
his mournful pilgrimage to tho Point.
and old comrades pityingly, solrowfully
told him the whole story. He went back
to his regiment looking ten years older,
took his wife and two younger children,
Will and Ellis, to his heart, and from
that day never spoke again his first
born S name. 1t had been for years his
custom to sign all official papers in full
-ROJlc Farrar-but tho very sound Of
the Christian name seemed from that
time OH to give him distress, and r.
Earrar became his signature personal or
Official.
The young man was heard Of occa.
sionally, however, borrowing money
from officers and friends and relatives
Oh his fathers account. Then he went
to sea, then returned to New York and
wrote long letter to his mother tell
ing how he mourmcd tho old days and
was going to lead a now life, and she
too gladly sent him all the money she
had. Then there was another interval,
and after a year no again appeared as a
suppliant for aid Ho had been dcspcr-
ately i'll, ho said, and kind but poor,
humble people had cared for him, and
they ought to be rewarded. Tho mother
would have sent again her last cent C.
him direct, but Farrar intcrposcd His
check went to a trusted friend, with in-
structions to toinvcstigatc, and that friend
was his old comrado, Major Fcnton,
and lis ho expected, it proved only an
other lie.
Then there came an era Of apparent
prosperity, and now the poor mother in
Joy bCsought her husband to recognize
the son, for he reported himself in good
employ with fair salary and brilliant
prospects. He even sent draft to repay
small portion OF what he termed his
fathers loan, but this was soon follow
cd by draft on his father for double
Nthc amount, and later another, and then
',lNtcrs of inquiry camo from his employ
I. %Qnd then 1ucful complaint Of how
th.NNustinB person had been swindlcd.
In ~ agony Of grief and disappoint-
mcnt " mothers health was giving
Wy, aISEamar concealed from hcl
y tchcd sNhad won tho love of his
employers 90. " ed that sho had
followed hI.ss IH,1 . f1thcr's house.
There had h@"( %rct marriage. There
was moNrr' lc.\ This ncws had
como to Inc co)ohol ~ day or two
before. Il was ihs that had unsealcd
his lips and turned him to Captain
Lcalo for counsel and suppoT
, "My daughter" wrote the borcavcd
! father, "was the idol Of my he, 1T, the
, image Of tho mother who was AIKEN
from her lol.g years ago. Yet she t,rn.
ed from nc in the passion of her lo'c
. for him, and they have gone God alon
= knows whcrn. If you can find him, Sa.
that Though he has robbed mo poor
can frraivc him all if he Will hut b
good and kind to her. She was delicate
ly mrturcd, as carefully educated "
your own daughter could he, Slr fn'
She was more TO me, fcr Hhowas L,yall
= l own that, having married him, he
q duty was with her husband, but wh