The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-12


Point. The father dreaded that the
maynard, reckless fellow, intolerant OF
restraint or discipline, would merit
punishment, and. being punished.
would resent Royle stood the ordeal
only fairly we'll at first. Dement'S in
profusion and Eight prison" twice had
clouded his record before the furlough
year, but the mothers eyes rejoiced in
the sight of the handsome, stalwart
young soldier after his two years Of
rigorous training, even though the
mother heart grieved over the evidences
of dissipation and vice which speedily
married the long looked for days Of his
vacation. Between him and his father
had been more than one stormy scene
before Royle returned to the academy
interviews from which the senior issued
gloomy, sullen and more than half def
ant.
In his second class year came tidings
of misdemeanor that almost broke the
mothers heart. Farrar hastened from
the distant frontier to the banks Of the
Hudson, expecting nothing short Of dis.
missal for the boy, and promising the
mother to fetch him ut once to her, but
the court, even in sentencing, had signed
plea for mercy for the cadet who bore
so honored a name, a plea that his class
mates would never have Endorsed, and
the president RENTED the punishment
to q term of confinement to barracks and
camp. The father wasted no words in
reproach. He pointed out to the son that
this was his last chance. ROyle, Jr.,
had sullenly responded that his disgrace
was due entirely to spies and talebear-
ers and showed neither contrition nor
promise of amend. A year later came the
last straw Reported for violation of
regulations in having liquor in his pos
session, Cadet Farrar wrote a lying ex-
PLANTATION to the effect that it was placed
in his room by parties unknown to him
and for the purpose of bringing him
into trouble, but he had been seen "off
| limits" at questionable resort in the
neighboring 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 classmen, TO whom no offered
liquor, then staggered to his quarters
only an hour or so before reveille roll
call. He was placed in close arrest after
being confronted with the array of evil
dence, and that night deserted and was
seen no more. Again the colonel made
his mournful pilgrimage to the Point.
and old comrades pityingly, sorrowfully
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
-Roylo Farrar-but the very sound of
! the Christian name seemed from that
time on to give him distress, and r.
| Farrar became his signature personal or
| official.
The young man was heard Of coca.
sionally, however, borrowing money
| from officers and friends and relatives
ON his fathers account Then he went
| 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 year he again appeared as a
suppliant for aid. He had been desper-
ately i'll, he said, and kind but poor,
humble people had cared for him, and
they ought to be rewarded. The mother
would have sent again her last cent to
MIN direct, but Farrar interposed. His
check went to a trusted friend, with in
structions to investigate, and that friend
was his old comrade, Major Fenton,
and, as he expected, it proved only an
other lie.
Then there came an era of apparent
prosperity, and now tho poor mother in
joy besought 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
a small portion Of what he termed his
fathers loan, but this was soon follow
ed by draft on his father for double
the amount, and later another, and then
letters Of inquiry came from his employ
er, and then rueful complaint Of how
that trusting person had been swindled.
In her agony of grief and disappoint-
ment the mothers health was giving
way, and Farrar concealed from her
particulars even worse - that their
wretched son had won the love of his
employers daughter and that she had
followed him from her fathers house.
There had been a secret marriage. There
was another Royle. This news had
come to the colonel but day or two
before. 1t was this that had unsealed
his lips and turned him to Captain
Leale for counsel and support.
my daughter" wrote the bereaved
father, twas the idol Of my heart, the
image Of tho mother who was taken
from her long years ago. Yet she turn
ed from me in the passion of her love
for him, and they have gone God alone
knows where. If you can find him. say
that though he has robbed me poor
can forgive him all if he will but be
/