The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-10-19
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; A TERRIBLE Temptation {
BY
( CHARLES READE
In ~N~~H>NNN@
CHARLES READE

filled the loyal office OF baby in his
r1rn.
But my story does not follow him
Reginald was over ten years old. and
Compton nearly six. They were as differ
ent I'm character as complexion-both re-
markable boys.
Reginald. Sir Charles favorite. was a
wonderful boy for riding. running, talking
and had a downright genius for melody;
he whistled to the admiration OF the vii
lage. and latterly he practiced the nd
die in the woods and under hedges. be-
ing aided and abetted therein by gypsy
boy whom he loved. and who. indeed. pro-
vided the instrument
He rode with Sir Charles, and rather
liked him; his brother he never noticed.
except to tease him. Lady Bassett he
admired. and almost loved her while she
was In the act OF playing him undeniable
melodies But he liked his nurse Meyrick
better, on the whole; she fattered him
more. and was more uniformly subser-
Went.
With these two exceptions he despised
the whole race of women. and affected
male society only; especially OF grooms.
stable-boys. and gypsies: these last well
coined him to their tents. and almost pros
trated themselves before him. so dazzled
were they by his beauty and his color.
II Is believed they suspected him OF hav-
ing gypsy blood In his veins. They leo
him into their tents. and even into some
of their secrets. and he promised them
they should have II all their own way as
soon as he was Sir Reginald; he had out
grown his original theory that he was
to be Sir Charles on his fathers death.
He hated indoors. when fixed by COM
mand 10 a book. would beg hard to be
allowed to take IL into the sun: and at
night would open his window and poke
his black head out TO wash I'm the moon
shine, as he said
He despised ladies and gentlemen. said
they were all affected fools; and gave
limitations OF all his fathers guests 10
prove IL: and so keen was this child of
natures eve for affection that very Of
ten his disapprovlng parents were OBJ
lged 10 confess the imp had seen with his
fresh eye defects customs had made them
overlook, or the solid good qualities that
lay underneath had overbalanced.
Now all this may appear amusing and
eccentric, and so on. 10 strangers; but
after the first hundred laughs or so with
which paternal indulgence dismisses the
faults OF childhood, Sir Charles became
very grave.
The boy was his darling and his pride
He was ambitious for him. He earnestly
desired 20 solve for him a problem which
is as impossible as sauaring a circle. viz.
children The years and the health he
wasted before he knew Bella Bruce these
resolved his successor should not waste.
He looked higher for this beautiful boy
than for himself. He had fully resolved
to be member for the county one day;
but he did not care about Il for himself;
II was only to pave the way for his sue
cessor. that Sir Reginald. after a long
career in the Commons. might find his
int fhA nf
so obtain dignity in exchange for
antiquity; for, to tell the truth the an
cestors OF four-hfths of the British House
OF Peers had been hewers of wood and
drawers OF water at a time when these
Bassetts had already been gentlemen OF
distinction for centuries.
All this love and this vicarious ambi-
ton were now mortified daily Some
fathers could do wonders for a brilliant
boy. and with him: they expect him.
and dull boy appears; that is bitter
pill: but this was worse. Reginald was
n sharp boy: he could do anything: fasten
him TO a book for twenty minutes, he
would learn as much as most boys In an
hour; but there was no keeping him to
IL. unless you strapped him or nailed
him, for he had the will OF mule. and
the suppleness OF an ees 10 carry out his
will. And then his tastes--low. as his
features were refined; he was so@t of
moral dungfork; picked up all the slang
of the stable, and scattered II In the din
ingroom and the rawing room: and once
or twice he stole out of his comfortable
room at night. and slept in gypsys tent
with his arm around gyspy boy, unsul-
lied from his cradle by soap
At hast Sir Charles could ro longer reply
TO his wife at night as he had done for
this ten years past; he was obliged to con-
fess that there was one cloud upon his
happiness. Dear Reginald grieves me-
and makes me dread the future: for II
the child is father TO the man, there is a
bitter disappointment in store for US He
is like no other boy; he is like no human
creature | ever saw. At his age. and
long after. was a fool; I was a fool till
| knew you; but surely I was q gentle
man. cannot see myself again--in my
frst-born.
Go he Continued)