The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1899-04-28
CHAPTER l.

My father, Hugo Livingstone OF MOUNT
Livingston, Philadelphia, may be com,
pared to superb annual which, tower
ing skyward, blooms hravely for sea
son, but dies rootless, leaving to thos.
who have loved and admired it tender
memories of beauty and fragrance
nothing more.
He inherited early in life good un-
| derstanding. fine estate. famous cellar
of Madeira, and the handsomest legs in
America. These, in combination, fur
nished himself and his friends with an
abundance of meat. drink and enter
tainment. He spent his money like a
prince. and. wherever he went, scat
tered broadcast both dollars and jests.
Need add that his purse grew lighter
than his laughter ?-that he died full
| of years and honors-a pauper?
A brilliant man of the world, he never
attempted to make money, because, as
he often observed. the catchpenny cares
! of merchant or banker wore away. by
constant attrition. the bloom of high
breeding-that exquisite veneer which
| distinguishes from the common herd
the gentleman of lineage, leisure and
culture.
NV mother-sweet soul! l can scarce
recall her face-was Schermerhorn;
her full-length portrait (by the younger
| West) hangs to-day in the gallery OF
Barabbas Boulde. The curious will
please note that 1t is fanked on the left
by a remarkable picture of IL sapphire
and diamond necklace, a masterpiece
of Messonier (the great Frenchman
| has paid but scant attention to the
coarse, putty -colored features of Mar
tina Boulde, rightly considering that
the gems, not the woman. deserved i'm
mortality. and on the right by Ma
| 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 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. He had little else to be-
stow.
Hugo" said he Il was named after
him), what are your plans for the flu
ture?'
"The future?" replied. vaguely;
upon my soul, I've been so occupied
with the PRESENT. had just beer
graduated from Yale-'that the future
has not had my consideration"
Hugo" said my father, gravely
you are young and ardent; and to
such the choice of profession is nc
ha'penny matter"
"There is the law"
'You would make sorry lawyer"
II might go west"
THE farmer, Hugo. is the historical
fool. Go east, If you wish to travel
the Pierian spring is not to be found In
Colorado or California If you were
an Englishman. should advise the
army or navy; but you are too old. ant
our officers play but paltry role. AS {
money-grubber you would have to sac
rifice on the altar of Mammon youl
youth, your breeding, your conscience
Il quote my father verbatim, neither
indorsing nor condemning his words
land that precious thing. your leisure
"What am to do?"
Make haste slowly, my dear lad
The small sum you inherit under YOU
mothers will is sufficient to carry you
afoot, all over Europe. Your face
name and wits should prove passport:
TO decent society. Leave this question
of profession sub judice; but don
; idle, and. wherever you may be, Sc
apart so many hours each day to seri
GUS study"
Conceding that my father was maj
of prejudice, ! submit that his advice
; was sound as Newton pippin, anc
came not amiss. / believe in the con
servation of energy.eand his word
, chimed harmoniousiy with my owl
nebulous ambitions. Accordingly
some two months after his funeral
decided to set forth upon my travels
being reasonably certain that he knew
me better than l knew myself. nno
doubling nothing of his affection an'
solicitude for my welfare.
1.-THE Lord help you'll" said my moth
er's cousin, famous banker, who hat
offered me a stool in his counting
house. You are q bigger fool thai
your father"
Ibid you ever tell my father to hi
face that you considered him fool?
looked him fiercely in the eye, ant
he stammered out: 'N-n-no."
II thought not. have his whip II
my possession. sir. and know how t
use it,"
In this Cambyses vein cut adrif
from an influential kinsman who ha'
good-naturedly flung me tow-line. L
his wake might have steered my bar
to fortune. lolling at ease in the sterl
sheets; but was no parasite, and m
dear fathers good name was my mos
precious possession.
For two years logged cheerily alon
the high roads of LIE. avoiding as muc
as possible the by-paths, the Was tene
brosa, and following the finger O
Fancy, surely +hS recSt colnpiaisiLn