Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-03-18
CHAPTER 7.

u'ner, hugo Livingston, of Mount
noroa ss1on' Philadelphia, may be COM
gd'eu 10 superb annual which towor-
sns s SaNyward' blooms bravely for sea-
yhn p"' oies rootless, leaving to those
VIZ ' nave loved and adplired it tender
noth, o'leS OF beauty and fragrance
nothing more.
, iie inherited early in life a GOOD un-
ss'as".anding, ~ ~" fine estate, a famous cellar
40, uue'ra and tie handsomest legs in
nia%as, ,Va' These, in combination, fur
a,,nsu , himself and his friends with an
ta;a" 'auce OF. meat, drink and enter
nn;p pen'' 'de spent his money like a
80 Ivy, un d, wherever he went, scat
NJ, ~ y" adcast both dollars and tests.
t,eeu ,,'a add that his purse grew lighter
~ e.san ais laughter THAT he died full
VI y @rs and honors-a pauper?
:. brilliant man of the world, he never
'"empted to make money, because, as
nc OFTEN observed, the catchpenny cares
oi merchant o. banker wore away, by
constant attrition, the bloom of high
oreedng-tbGt exquisite veneer which
distinguishes from the common herd
'he gentleman of lineage, leisure and
culture.
MY mother-sweet soul! can scarce
recall her face-was a Schermerhorn;
her full-length portrait (by the younger
West) hangs to-day in the gallery of
Barabbas Boulde. The curious will
please note that it is flanked on the left
by remarkable picture of a sapphire
and diamond necklace, masterpiece
OF Meissonier (the great Frenchman
has paid but scant attention to the
coarse, putty-colored features of Mar
tha Boulde, rightly considering that
the gems, not the woman, deserved i'm
mortality, and on the right by Mn-
donna of Andrea del Sarto. Between
these two presentments of things
material and things spiritual stands my
dear mother, who settled with the ME
est adjustment in her own lovely per-
son the conflicting claims of body and
soul. My father has said q thousand
times that she loved him tenderly to the
day of her death-I was barely ten
years old when this great misfortune
befell me-and he swore fondly that of
all the women he had met she alone
had enshrined herself in his heart as
the kindest, the truest and the purest
Of her sex.
So much for my elders and betters.
Before my father died, he gave me
some advice. lie had little else to be-
stow.
Hugo" said he Il was named after
him). "what are your plans for the fu-
ture?"
'The future?" ! replied, vaguely;
upon my soul, I've been so occupied
with the PRESENT. had just been
graduated from Yale-"that the future
has not had my consideration"
"Hugo," said my father, gravely
.you are young and ardent; and to
snch the choice of a profession is nc
ha'penny matter
''There is the law
"You would make sorry lawyer"
~ might go west
~rhe farmer. Hugo, is the historicaI
fool Go east, If you wish to travel
tho picrian spring is not to be found in
Colorado or California. If you were
nm Englishman, ] should advise the
army or navy; but you are too old, ano
our officers play but paltry role. AS
money.grubber you would have to sac
,ifce On the altar of Mammon yom
youth, your breeding, your conscience
- quote my father verbatim, neither
Endorsing nor condemning his words
"npd that precious thing, your leisure
"What am to do" =,
oMake haste slowly, any dear LAD
Tho small sum you inherit under YOU
motber's will is sufficient to carry you
afoot all over Europe. Your race
80 " and wits should prove passports
=, decent society. Leave this question
:, profession sub judice; but don
;dle and. wherever you may Dc' Sc
onort so many hours each day TO ser'
GUS study
Corceding that my father was maj
% nreiudice, submit that his advice
- ,os sound as a Newton pippin' ah'
we" n'ne NOT amiss. / believe in the con
e"rrotion oa'r of energy, and his word
ehimed harmoniously with my owl
,ohulous ambitions. Accordingly
ome two months after his funeral
sol sonidad to set forth upon my travels
u 49, reasonably certain that he knew
,a bstter than l knew myself ah'
doubting nothing of his affectlon AM
tude for my welfare.
D,rhe Lord help you'll" said my moth
-, nousin. 30 a famous banker, who hat
e. ~ me n stool in his counting
viiei ,,se "You are bigger fool thal
your father" r,+hor 70 hi
,,ce that you considered him a 1901
l'Ie ,ooled him fercely in the eye' an
atan,mered out: "N-n-no."
- .I thought not. have his whlp u
my possession, sir and know now !
use IT," ,.a vain ont olrif
~ m ~ Influential kinsman who ma
aood-naturedly flung me a tow-Ilng, ia =, :, !
sooe aLe might have steered my par
his waM ,,,ne lollng at ease in the ster
10 tSasts. nJ.. but was 40 parasite ara m
shee's, s,,tber's good name was r'y mos
prec,otu . t,yo years logged eheerily alon
f1i n,ah W roads Of life, avoiding as lnnc
the n.s assihle the by-paths, the Was tent
ps d. 1sa. ard following the o,roryei,,c rmger
rsv p.o' surely tie mcst coIne.F'sa1