The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-07-28
A BROTHERS. SACRIFICE.
STANLEY HOWARD.

ing the carriages as they passed. Ii
was the fashionable hour and this was
a favorite occupation of mine.
Had been younger, / might posi-
bly, have INDUCED in dream of the
time when riches and luxury should be
mine, when the inner circle of society
should be my world; but L was no
longer young. AT sixty one is content
ed with sufficient, and wealth loses
much of its destinations. l have found
it so, at least.
There was block for two or three
minutes, and the occupants of the car
riage which was standing just in front
of me, arrested my attention. There
were two ladies and a gentleman-hus-
band and wife and daughter, took
them to be.
The man, who was about my age,
was exceedingly good looking, and the
young lady was pretty, but it was the
elder lady who particularly interested
me. Her hair was quite white and her
face pale, but so handsome, and so ex-
quisitely sweet in expression, that in a
moment my old brain was weaving a
romance about her.
Many people looked at the carriage
and several bowed. Evidently the oc-
cupants were people well known.
"You seemed interested" f" said a man
touching my arm, as the carriage NOV
ed on.
YES" answered shortly. l have a
rooted aversion to entering into CONVEX
sation with strangers.
with a smile upon his face. He was
tall and thin, and only fairly well
dressed, but of gentlemanly bearing,
and there were deep lines under his
eyes and about his mouth.
81 have been looking for you for two
months past" he said.
''For me? You have made a mistake,
/ think"
"You have changed little, Mr.. Har-
graves, must have changed much, or
you would remember mel
Certainly have forgotten you,"
said politely, hearing him call me by
name.
"Robert Denmore."
For moment / was silent-Den-
more!
"Of cOurse-yes. We met in Vienna,
didn't we?"
He nodded and we shook hands.
"Vienna-twenty years ago." | said.
"How time fiiesi What have the years
brought TO you?"
"a living DEATH" was the strange
answer.
/ looked inquiringly at him.
True" he said. "Come to my rooms
aud renew our old friendship. | have
not friend left in the world except
you; aud / cannot let you go now l
have found you. l have been looking
for you for two months-two months
tomorrow. l can fix the time to an
hour."
Robert Denmore had always puzzled
me-he puzzled me now.
As / walked home with him, my
mind slipped back twenty years. He
and had met in Vienna, and finding
our tastes agreed, had travelled about
together for a few months We be-,
came very good friends, but he told
me little about himself.
He seemed to have done with the
past altogether, and thought very little
about the future. remember him say
ing once, 81 never think about what |
did yesterday; don't care what hap
pens tomorrow; to-day is all | trouble
myself about" and he carried this sys-
tenn of existence to such an extent that
arrangements were often upset.
No doubt there was a secret in his
past life, but l found him an interest
ing companion, and his secret did not
concern me.
After dinner that night we sat and
smoked.
1t does me good to see you again."
he said. "The fact of the matter is,
that want TO tell you story. Were
you never curious about me in the old
days?'
"Yes, often.n
Well, want to tell you my history.
/ was disappointed man then; l am
broken down one now, without friends,
almost without money. Oh! 1 am not
going to borrow. You remember when
l left you and returned to England?''
81 do, and you promised to look me
up in London, which promise you
never kept"
''No; but you received letter from
me telling you that | was going
abroad"
"Yes."
"That letter was lie. / have not
been out of the country since. / knew
was not going when L wrote that let
ter"
He spoke as il the statement was the
keynote to his whole history. His man.
ner quite startled me.
"You wonder why took the trouble
to tell you a lie? Well, / wanted to be
forgotten; did not want you to try to
find me-"
"And yet you have spent the last two
months looking for me-" | said.
''I don't want TO be forgotten any
more. / want to have friend i'm the
world TO talk to-"
He was silent for moment and re-
lighted his pipe.
"There were two of u.s." he said,
"twin boys. / was the elder by ten
minutes, and we were born three
months after our fathers death. We
grew up great friends, as twins often
are, and yet we were very different.
developed into quiet, studious, grave
faced youngster. was slow at learn
ing, slow of speech, and nobody's IA
vorite. My brother Richard, on the
contrary, was bright and clever; even
rs a boy his conversation was account
ed brilliant. He could do anything
and everything, was full of fun and
laughter, and generous and thought
less TO a fault Richard Denmore was
petted by everybody. When we were