The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-08-20

This banter seemed to stab me-.
Tell me, sir" 1 said, ought 1 to thank
you for what o have done for me?"
PERSONALLY, l hate expressions Of
gratitude; but if it gives you any salts
faction, thank me by all means"
mo; I do not thank you. Had you
placed me in some humble position
suited to my birth, and let me make
my way in the world, | could have
thanked you. But for years to let me
be called your son; why did you do it.,
sir?"
Il had some reason at the time. l
almost forget it."
"Mr. Lorraine, I have thought it all
S yOn told me, Julian. Go on"
"You 1lay laugh at me, but I con-
slider TIT l have a great claim upon
you"
He simply raised his eyebrows, but
did not deny my assertion.
You have kept me in ignorance for
years. I continued, speaking quickly.
You have brought me up, and let me
go out in the world under false colors.
Now just as l enter upon manhood you
tell me who I am, or rather who l am
not. Why you did this, you alone
know. You had some reason for it.
In return, I have a right to demand
something"
Demand! All right! Never mind.
Go on"
had expected an outburt of rage.
His calm encouraged me. .
eyes, sir; 1 ask that l may be al
lowed to finish my course at Oxford.
Then, when I have taken my degree, l
will go and earn my own living as best
I car. 1 shall, of course, now call my
self by some other name. Can you sug-
gest one?"
Mr.. Lorraine laughed & curious laugh.
Il like fellows who demand, better
than those who beg" he said. go
back to college by all means. AS to
a name, is not Julian Lorraine good
enough for you? You are perfectly
welcome to use it,"
But it is not mine"
"Never mind; use it. I choose that
you shall use it so long as you are de-
pendent on me. I also choose you to
be thought my son No'-he saw me
about to speak-"I will give no rea-
sons; perhaps I have M You may
be sure that it will be no hinderance to
your future, being thought a rich mans
CON Poci1oc T hate ohor~oo No.,
don't talk any more. You have de-
handed; I have %acceded. Go away"
Puzzled and dissatisfied, I left him.
1 had fully persuaded myself that I had
a right to claim what I had claimed
from him. 1t was also not hard for
me to learn to think that if it was Mr..
Loraine's wish that 1 should still pass
as his son and bear his name, it was
my duty to do so. Besides-remember,
| was but a boy, and so need not be
ashamed of the truth-with all my as
sumed independence, the thought of
proclaiming my humble and unknown
~parentage to my friends was gall and
NORWOOD to me. To sink from the
position which I held as Mr.. Loraine's
son to that of no one at all was a
change greater than I could picture to
myself with equanimity. So 1 objected
no more; and as Mr.. Lorraine sternly
forbade the subjects being r%eopened,
my life, in spite of it's clouded future,
went on in it's accustomed groove.
Here, to avoid any misleading, I may
say that all l ever learned about my
true parentage was what Mr.. Lorraine
told me. Who and what was my ILL
fated mother, I know no more than I
know for what reason my reputed
father allowed me to be brought up as
his son.
The terms and the vacations went by.
| did not, during the latter, see a great
deal of Mr.. Lorraine; MOI did he press
me to spend the time at Herstal Abbey.
But a certain feeling, if not of graft
tude, Of what seemed right and proper,
induced me to stay there on several oc-
caslons. There was really little ap-
parent change in the relations between
MI. Lorraine and myself. What change
there might be was perhaps for the bet
ter. I was accepting his benefits, but
accepting them because I considered I
had a right to them. Moreover, I was
determined that, when the time came,
l would be quite independent of his
favor. I endeavored now and again to
show him my feelings on this point;
and, in spite of the hooking smile with