The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-11-25
THE PASSING OF ARTHUR.
BY John HyseouGh.
hXHELL, my boy, l must say l

4
wv do hope there will be no tan
ure this time" remarked Col. Tudor.
10 say the truth, rather gloomily, as
though failure were by no means to be
regarded as out of the question. They
had driven about a mile already on the
way to Harmsworth station. and TINS
was the old gentleman first observa-
ton. lie held the reins With aggres-
Give firmness. and frowned savagely at
the cob, as though he rather thought OF
shooting him; and the end of his cigar
was Greadfully mangled by his teeth.
When Arthur had last been driven by
his father to catch the up-eXpress az
Harmsworth, there had been cigar
for him also; but none was offered to-
dav, and after he had taken out his
own, the case was shut with hard
click and put stornly away by the
eagle-visaged old warrior.
The colonel was really distinguished
nan. but he mad always been hard one,
and such people are apt to be hardest
of Gil to their own flesh and blood. A
great deal had been expected of young
Arthur Tudor, and, alas! had been so
far expected IL vain.
Its thousand pities," said the col
onel, that you have not as many brains
SO your sister"
Poor Arthur yentured no reply to this
dismal criticism. he had heard il about
ten times week during the last five
months. The wind whstled coldly in
the naked hcGgerows. and made the
gaunt poplars by the wayside swish
their STOPPING branches against the
sullen wintry SKY. He felt an inward
chill and sullenness creeping about his
own heart. I'm awfulIy grateful for
all YOUR encouragement he nearly
said. For my part, l think it was a
pity he did no: say it out loud. The
colonel was a neutrality-suspicious. bit
of a bully-and that sort of man re
spects you only if you stand up to him
But Arthur Nas sweet-tempereo
youth and trained to old-fashioned hab
its of Difference; 50 he felt sore, but hclc
his tongue.
Its an extraordinary thing con
tinued Col Tudor, that you should be
so like her in rything else. Height
looks. face, voice. build-ev erythins
but brains. And she so clever.'
Arthur and his twin sister were
quite as fond of each other as twins
are proverbially supposed to be; bu
he would have had to be an archange
not to resent the manner in which he
praises were sung by their father t.
his own disparagement.
Still. he had so far been failure
and failure has to take what is give
him of praise or blame.
So poor Arthur smothered a sigh, an
thought with relief that while he wa
up for his examination he should a
least be out of earshot of his father
criticisms. 1t certainly did not occu
to the colonel that he himself was j
any way to blame for his sons secon
failure-for fail We shall see that h
did--but it is a fact that the lads ute
discoura cement ard consequent tluste
and nervousness had much to do with j
The T9dors were a family of soldier
and there led never been any questio
in the mind of Ccl Tudor that his thre
sons should all enter the service. II
two elder had already done so, and or
was a rather rising artilleryman, viii
the second was a clever 'sapper." The
were both naturally suited to the
scientific corps. But the third son, OF
luckless friend Arthur, was not stror
in literary directions a nice
Etraighter handsucner, better-heart,
lad you would not find, or one mo
universally liked. But the truth is
was not clever. and he was, thouf