The sun., 1903-09-27
ERED SIRZ0H :.

Patten Line. running out of New York to
New Jersey points When he married his
deceased wife's sister he oought COM
Portable little place OF Peter A. Hallenbeck,
his brother-in-law by marriage, for Mrs.
Hallenbeck was a sister Of both the first and
the second Mrs. Van Wormer
CRUEL TO CHILDREN AND ANIMALS.
With their father constantly away, what
ever home influences for good were brought
to bear upon the boys were evidently
not enforced with enough authority to rem
der them effective. They went to school
when they liked and stayed away when they
| liked. and when they stayed away the life
| of the schoolmaster was more agreeable
than when they attended.
Utterly without discipline at home, they
we're little amenable to discipline in school.
They early became notorious for their
cruelty to animals. They tortured cats to
death by ingenious devices. They abused
their own domestic animals until the neigh
bors were reused to indignation.
They carried their cruel tendencies to
children weaker than themselves. The
school house they attended is facetiously
called the Swamp College" because 1t is a
very humble little building down in hollow
With stagnant pool of water near by. Into
| tbs pool it was fayorite diversion of the
Van Wormer boys to throw one little fellow
in particular, who was something OF weak
ling and was generally picked upon by the
other pupils,
There always was something OF the
sneak in the maliciousness Of the Van
Wormer boys" said the teacher to-day, who
had charge Of the Swamp College" when
thew attended it, They were treacherous
and not courageous in their mischief. Bur-
ton was the only one Of them who was not
afraid He was absolutely fearless and the
| best looking one OF the three
Thus the Van Wormers began their
careers simply az the bad boys Of country
village. Yet they were not ostracized
| They had their full share Of the social life
OF the village.
ALL WE'RE MUSICIANS.
When they grew be yond mere boyhooc
they grew not in grace, but the rever SO
They had an inherent adherence OF work
and there was no authority over them tc
preyent their indulgence in dleness.
There was always plenty to eat at homt
and they were not lacking in pocket money
| Their father earned good pay and he sen,
| literally Of his wages to his wife. The
stepmother gave the boys money. They
became young gentlemen OF leisure. They
were good looking and fond OF good clothes.
Burt and Fred had an aptitude for music
and they picked up violin, banjo and piano
n,aving. They were quite brilliant figures
in some OF the country dances. They were
sent for frequently to play at these fes
tivities and indeed, earned little money
| in that way
The field of their activities in the deviltry
! line expanded with their growing years
and accomplishments. They did fai
amount OF marauding about the country
not so much for profit as for diversion
n a farmer some morning FOUND his car
! rage hors. and a wagon missing and sub
seullentIy discovered the horse turned loos'
an the highway, showing evidences OF hare
| driving he knew he had had call from
! the Van WoTmer boys
We, even then they were NOT ost rd"Iz"d
Their bearing and address were rathe
viuninu They spoke respectfully anc
oourteously TO their elders when they me
,hs,u. There was a tendency among man,
10 regard hem with regre'fnl haI' SNmP'
tby rather than with abhorr"ro"
f. yns not believed ma Ivy ""r'
rrecsimaby bad was 'ro" hP' b'
sohoolmsster had said that they ~er" rnr'
10 com. 20 the gsllows, but schooInaH'"n
have ,sid that ere nov Of boys who after
ward becanle eminent ~ preachers VI states