Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-08-27
Billy's Sacrifice
BY JOHN H. RAFTERY.

IL is name was William Lowther
Hereford, but the Gales all call
ed him Billy except Mr.. Gale. the
head of the family. who didn't like
the young fellow. Mr.. Gales dislike
Tor Billy may have been prejudice
or 1T may have been foresight, but
1T began while his son Bruce was at
college and was founded upon and
strengthened by Bruce's stories of
his friends lawlessness. Bruce call
ed it Spirits" but his father, who
suspected that lis boys extrava-
gance was due to, bad company made
shrewd guess that Billy was at the
bottom of all the devilment which
kept Bruce in debt to tradesmen and
in disfavor with his professors.
But Bruce was loyal to his friend,
brought him home for the vacation at
the end of their junior year and-made
him acquainted with Marjory, his
only sister, an impulsive, beautiful,
athletic and self-willed girl of 20.
The Gales expected to find Billy a
restless, laughing, harum-scarum
ssboy'' of "a, and, as Mr.. Gale ex-
pressed it, nobody expected much
of him." but they were surprised, to
say the least, at his appearance. Of
good height, paler than the athlete
Bruce, with very black, wavy hair,
calm, wistful, gray eyes, a mouth
like a woman's, gentle-mannered,
low-voiced, sure of himself. but mod
est, cheerful without levity, hand
some when he smiled, but seldom
laughing; in word, quite a contra
diction to their anticipations of a
young man famous among his friends
as the most reckless, insubordinate,
fun-loving roysterer that ever tam
talized a worthy dominic or upset
the decorum of morning chapel
ST like him. said Mrs. Gale.
"On his good behavior for a pur-
pose" growled Papa Gale, who evil
IDENTIFY didn't like him.
"He seems quite civilized said
Miss Marjory, rather spiritedly, but
as nobody gain said her opinion, she
left the room and joined Bruce and
Billy in the tennis court.
His visit lasted but a fortnight
then, but when he said good-by and
drove away in the pony cart with
Marjory, "who was going to town
anyway" everybody, including Mr..
Gale, felt a trif1e lonesome.
He's poor, isn't hep the rich man
asked his son.
'sYes, but he doesn't know it and
wouldn't care if he did, replied the
son.
..How does he manage to hold up
his end as you call it, at college?"
Mr.. Gale looked very foxy now.
"Oh, he doesn't spend money!"
smirked Bruce, The doesn't have
to-
"Not while there are spendthrifts
like you to spend it for him, sup
pose!" grunted the old man. whose
ideas of economy were forever get
ting him into i'll humor. He march
ed off with warning about the ne
cessity for economy during the COM
ing year, but Bruce lighted cigar
cite and went whistling to- the
stables. Marjory came back in an
hour looking quite forlorn.
ssYou like him, don't you, Martyr
her brother said, tossing crab APP
pie at peacock.
Indeed do" she answered frank
ly. "He isn't a bit like you-like
what I expected. IF 1 were you,
though, I'd quit telling papa about
those pranks at college. He's so
prejudiced already that he just can't
see any good in Bil-in Mr.. Hereford.
AS for me. I don't mind telling you.
don't believe he could do mean
thing if he tried"
And Bruce was grateful to his sis
ter for these praises of Billy, for,
selfish as he was and necessary as
Hereford's superior talents were to
his success at college, he came near
er to loving Marjory than anyone ex-
cept, perhaps, himself.
The winter after Bruce graduated,
after many objections from the
pleasure loving youth, he went in
to business with his father on con-
dition that Billy Hereford also be
given place in the Office. Mr.. Gale
didn't like the idea, but as he hap
Dened to need cashier, and as