The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-04-07
CharIton's Treasure.

Charlton's Treasure.
The only secret i'll the househould of
Mr. aud Mrs. John Armory did not be-
long to them, but had been intrusted to
their keeping by Charles Charlton, an old
friend Of both, who was generally
accounted a ne'er-do-weli This young
man appeared to have been born under
an uulucky star, despite certain advan-
tages Of birth and education
His father was vet a rich man, and
Charley" was his only child, yet the
stern, taciturn and gloomy father never
sought to win his boys love and seemed
not to demand his confidence.
Until l was sixteen years old" the
young man used to say, Il don't believe
my father ever knew whether l went to
school or not. He used to see me at
breakfast and dinner, but never ex-
changed dozen words with lie at either
meal. lit hadn't been for poor old
Margaret, who had charge of the house
since my mothers death, he wouldn't
have known if needed clothes. But did
go to school-a public school-because
all the other children in our block went,
and if had remained at home | should
have died of loneliness. SO Inever missed
| a day"
The elder Carlton was attorney for a
few sober and safe corporations, and
nearly every night closed himself in his
library with a mass of papers. As the
railways and other institutions whose
interests ne safeguarded had their Gen.
tres in the West, he was troubled with
very little company, and until a taste
for the theatre developed in his son, that
youth used to dawdle about the kitchen,
fall asleep in the dining-room and find
| the hours between dinner and bedtime
di5trcssingly long. During the period of
his callow time Charlie began to try to
copy pictures from the Illustrated papers,
and it was not long before he fancied
himself an artist.
Shortly after Charley turned his
eighteenth birthday, his father sent for
him to come to the library. Mr.. Charlton
proposed to take his son into the law
Office
q suppose you can read and write, y
Mr.. Carlton said grimly, land if you
have any brains at all, III teach you to
reason"
"Ycs, sir. can read and write" said
Charley, sullenly (he was always at his
worst in his fathers presence,) but I
don't want TO learn the other thing"
What, TO rcason?"
"No sir, to be lawyer"
"Probably you would like to go to
college: Well you can't. don't believe
in it. What do you want to make Of
YOURSELF"
I'd like to be an artist" said Charlie.
"An artistic draw pictures like the
one Margaret showed me? Nonsense.
Put that out of your head-it will never
buy your salt If you don't want to &C,
cept my offer, I'll not force you. Stay
on at the High School for a year longer
and then decide on what you'll work at
for promise you you'll have to work
l did"
This ended the interview, an unsatis
factory one to both parties, for it con
vinced Charlie that his father hated him
and it confirmed the father in the i'm
preston that his son was a Ounce.
Six months afterwards Charlie Charl
ton opened a little studio, and began tc
paint in earnest. Mr.. Charlton hat
agreed to allow his son small income
and il was paid to him promptly.
A couple of years of studio life, SOM
debts, of course, some complications, an'
then young Charlton made another mis-
take-the browning one-he married hi
model The elder Charlton, when h
heard of this step, promptly stopped tn
allowance and cuts his sons name out Q
his viii.
That might have been endured, bu
the marriage itself was most unhappy
Nobody ever said kind word about til
Young wife, but she may have been drive
to it by poverty At all events she wen
on in the chorus Of musical comedy. An
il all that was reported was true, tn
temptation to lead free and easy lii
. was too great to overcome. Young Char
ton was asked to leave his studio, wher
he had difficulty to meet the rent, and al
Oh account Of the visits paid him by
boisterous wife.
!, After this sort Of thing had been goin
on for a couple Of years, Charlton, VIII
had been best man at the wedding of IL
Amorys, went out to their modest lit
Il cottage at Scarboro, and seemed to be
a a most depressed and sombIc mood.
Z "rm going to cut the whole thing an
t try Paris for year." he said to h
IS friends. Il have 4 chance to get aero:
5; on 4 cattle ship, and perhaps over thel
I'll learn how to draw. Everybod
r criticses my drawing"
Are you goine?' quericd Rose Armor.
TREMENDOUSLY, for she hoped he was Gu
ting his disgraceful wife as well.
"Oh, yes said Charlton.
, He spent the afternoon with the pa
and remained to dinner. At its close,
handed John Amory a small packag
like jewelers. box, and said,--
D' This is my only treasure, and, as yc
two are my only friends, I'm going