The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-07-27
Robin the OutCaSt.

lnts lS S1u Story sDut one must ~
sad sometimes. The world Is not all
sunshine. and In the wOof OF life threads
OF gold are interviewer so closely with
threads of gray that IL is impossible to
separate the one from the other.
When first knew Robin Charteris he
was still at Eton: handsome. healthy,
high-spiruei boy. with the brightest
smile and the kindest heart in the
world. | always liked him, and ! Was
not singular in that respect, for every
body liked him. Everybody did ! sayy
WelBeveryb0dy, with one exception, ana
that exception, strange TO say, his own
father. Sir John Charters hated the
boy with a cold and systematic hatred
that was as answering as ii was un-
generous hatred founded upon the
fact that Robins birth had been the
price OF his mothers life. He was
stern hard. morose men, whose one
weakness was the passion with which
he had loved his wife and the tender
ness with which he cherished her mem
ory: and people dislked him as much
as they liked Robin.
About two years after | first got 10
know the family, Robin left Eton ana
went up 10 Trinity College. Cambridge.
He had not done much In the way or
learning at Eton, but he had made him
self a name in the cricket field and on
the river, and that name he kept up
werthily al Cambridge He also be-
gsn 10 make name for himself in
somewhat different lines. but j took no
notice of mat. a masu is bound 10
SOW his wild cats sooner or later ana
the SOONER the betterd ! yank. lest the
harvest b. too late and bitter.
Robins chief chum, Harold Mars
den left Eton when he did, and the Two
went up 10 Trinity together. In the
Long. Robin brought his friend home.
and | saw him for the first time that
summer when / ran down to Charters
|, Park for a weeks cricket. | had heard
a great deal OF him from Robin, ana
somehow l got an idea that he led ana
Robin followed. but l was mistaken.
1t was Robin who led and Harold fol,
lowed with an absolute devotion ana
fidelity that ! can only describe as
dog-likc Left 10 himself, Haioiu
would have been a steady. perseverlng,
ploddng boy, but Robin was as via
as they make EN-. ana Harold duti-
fully followed in his footsteps.
Well. at the end of the Long the TWO
went back TO Cambridge, and for two
years after that / saw them from time
TO time. Then the crash came. l SHAH
never forget the day when Robin
rushed unceremoniously into my
bachelor quarters i'm st. James. and
blurted out the story OF mes ira
gedy I'm five bald words.
I'm done" he said. I'm going
under"
/ was so petrified that I only stared
at him with blank amazement.
Il IN done" he said again. I'm
done. colonel; and I'm going under"
He sat down heavily in the nearest
chair an din the bright morning ligh;
/ saw that his face was lined and worn
and gray. like the face of an old man.
His sunny, brown eyes were dulled
with despair.
"Robin!" / said why, Robin, my
dear boy. what does IL all mean? What
are you talking about?'
He stared at me stonily.
I'm DONE" he said, for the third
time. I'm going under"
Going under?" repeated, helplessly.
"But why. Robin? What has hap
pened? What--what have YOU done?"
His right hand clenched itself on the
arm OF the chair.
Cards" he said briefly. They
spotted me cheating, you know. The
governors kicked me out. and-'and--
and-well as | said before, I'm going
under"
Robin looked at me. and / looked
back at him. | nave been confronted
with several tragic situations in my
life, but | think this one was the most
tragic of all. Sorrow parting. loss.
death, all these things are terrible and
hard enough to bear. goodness knows:
but when IL comes TO dishonor--well.
that is another matter altogether.
Robin was such a boy though. such a
boy. And his drawn, haggard face
looked so wistful and so piteous!
could not help feeling sorry for him.
even while | condemned him. And
have always been glad of that weak
ness-if, indeed. it was weakness.
felt so sorry that | even interviewed
Sir John. an action which was utterly
opposed to my principles. for have
made Vt a rule through life to mind my
own business and to leave other peo-
pie TO mind theirs. Needless to say, /
gained nothing.
"and bound To go to the devil so let
him go in his own way. / wash my
hands OF him. I'll never see him or
speak TO him again as long as / live,
and II | could leave the old place away
from him. | would. Unfortunately, I
can't, as II goes with the title. Don't
say any more. Maitland. / tell you
the boy Is bad He belongs TO the
devil. and the devil may have his own
for me-"
was convinced that Robin was not
bad. only wild and thoughtless. and
reckless to the last degree; but | said
no more. 1t is onyy waste OF time to
argue with an angry man-particularly
II II happens TO be a father with "A
certain amount of right on his side
and ! never waste time. THAT Is
against my principles. too.
So Robin went under. That Is 10 saw,
he sailed TO the other end OF the world.
and began life all over again i'm Aus
tralia He wrote 10 me regularly. and
I followed every detail of his career
with the keenest interest, rejoicing
heartily as he rose step by step, slowly
but surely.
Meanwhile. / saw a good deal OF Har-
old Marsden. who took hrs degree with
honors. and. having got himself called
TO the bar set TO work with a will az
the profession he hal chosen Much
as liked Robin. I could not help think
ing sometimes that il was a good thing
for Harold that he was removed from
his Influence.
We'll tho Nearg rolled hv apI IL, 1uo