The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-11-18

to Roberts petition for forgiveness
and goodwill. II have no time for
such foolerles. II you are sorry come
back to your desk again If you can't
do that | must understand my good
! Pr to mean share of my few thous-
4 and dollars when I die"
Father, | cannot do business in the
way yon propose. | should lose my
self-respect. and l cannot sell myself,
sir if your thousands were millions"
Nobody wants TO buy you, sir,
believe, at any price l am sorry |
have no more time at your disposal"
So saying, he dropped his eyes upon
an interest table, and Robert, after
watching him a few moments, went
out with a swelling heart and veil
of tears over his eyes,
Westward the young couple started
next day, their whole possessions in
one not very large trunk. Just for half
an hour, they stopped on their way
to the depot, to kiss the sad little face
Of Lucy, and arrange for some method
of communication with her.
Robert Hammond pushed forward
until he reached a little city of shan
ties standing on the low, swamp
shores Of Lake Michigan-the embryo
of the future Chicago There he rest
ed, not so much from choice as from
necessity, his funds gradually disap-
pearing, and his wife sick with slow
fever
ord ind
years to the adventurer. Poverty, suf-
fering, and a pitiful sense of the in
congruous elements among which they
had fallen, had made up their life
But natures like Robert Hammonds
though they may be stunned for a
time, have in them such an element of
life and strength that complete pros
tration is impossible.
From the first blank despair hope
arose with strength and intensity ex-
actly suited to the circumstances.
Work, manual work, was first obta
ed and it's results carefully used n
two more years he had saved capital
sufficient in those days of small pre-
tensions to buy a few thousand feet of
lumber. | don't know quite how such
things happen-I suppose they are a
natural sequence Of events-but grad
ually. almost imperceptibly, the thou
sand became tens of thousands OF feet,
and the small lumber yard gradually
extended itself along the low, sluggish
Illinois river; while a small fleet Of
lake schooners waited on the yard,
and their every arrival and departure
left balance on the right side of Rob-
ert Hammond's books.
For the first seven years desultory
correspondence was kept up with
Lucy, but the last news had all been
unfavorable Lucy spoke of losses
and reverses, and intimated that she
was afraid they would have to relin-
quish their old home.
Nor were these all her troubles; it
was evident she suffered much from
her fathers growing irritability and
unreasonabieness, and that this was
especially so at any mention of Rob-
ert or his whereabouts.
The unpleasantness of the news
from New York was in such direct
contrast with the surroundings of his
home, that Robert might well be ex-
cused from not seeking more of it. Be
side, his business was constantly in
creasing, and required all his thoughts
during those hours in which men may
work; so that when he reached his
home the affectionate care of his pref
ty wife and the encircling arms of
irrepressible children very exclusive
ly claimed his first attention.
1t was about twelve years after Rob-
ert Hammond and his wife had turned
their backs on New York They were
sitting together one evening in that
quiet hour which supplements the one
given to children, and precedes those
given to rest.
The fire burned brightly, and the
lamps from under rose-colored shades
threw soft, warm tints on the beauty
and comforts of a thoroughly hand
some room. Sitting in her low chair
with closed eyes, and idle hands fold
ed over the dropped sewing, Mrs
Hammond was holding pleasant COM
munion with her own thoughts The
face had yet the tender look left on
it by the children's kisses, and though
her lips moved not, | am sure any one
would have said she was praying
Perhaps she was. God knows that if
any human souls ought to pray, it is
those women who share with angels
the charge of immortal souls.
V,,u 20. oh fn IYo n 1nx1y
murmur, the children were saying
their prayers. and outside the luxuri-
ant home the snow fell silently and