St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-01-21
HIS BROTHERS KEEPER
sSSSSsSS1SS3SSSSS3S13

CINCE his earliest childhood Arthur
~ Ellington had adored his beauti-
full and statuesque mother, and, in re-
turn, his mother worshiped-his broth.
er John.
Like fi1ial and super-youthful Sir
Galahad, his pure and fervent devo-
ton had never wavered. There had
been no interval in all his short life in
which he was not her faithful knight,
nor any age at which he was not ready
to do her service Ito challenge creation
on her behalf. But circumstances had
been against the expression of his
loyalty. No opportunity had been CIV
en- hir-nor, being reticent by nature,
did he desire it-of clothing his en-
thusiasm in the adequate language of
his well-bred class and world
To most people the fact that the
with but two sons on whom to lavish
her affection made her palpable favor
itism the more inexcusable. In the first
place, there had been. from Mrs. Ril-
ington's point Of view, two children
where one would have suf1ced-for her
sons were twins. John-the elder by
a short half-hour-was the heir, there
fore needed and welcomed. But for
Arthur there was no such ready-made
role, nor, az far as his mother could
see, any reason or necessity for his ex-
istence. Poor little chap!" his father
had dubbed him at sight, with an in
stinct Of prophetic commiseration. A
year later Major Ellington was killed
in railway accident, and Arthur was
left practically parentless. His moth
er's heart had not holding capacity for
the two beside herself.
In addition to the privileges con-
ferred by primogeniture, all the deco
ratiye graoes of body and mind
that the beautiful worldly woman most
prized had been conferred on John; Ar
thur, who was small and plain and 81
lent. came in nowhere. From his nur-
sery days John was what is called
there a taking child; healthy, good
looking, tempered; Of such I'M
portance in the household that he was
always John-never Johnny or JACK,
even to his mother. Consequently his
bearing was assured, his manner fear
less and expansive. The lesson that
took Arthur the morning to learn John
mastered in an hour. Gagged by the
same formal standard the brothers
.panned out" differently. Whether the
ore they yielded was of the same value
neither mother nor tutors paused to
inquire.
Between themselves the boys, though
.rtithetical. were not antagonistic.
John looked down to Arthur and was
kind. and Arthur accepted the position
and looked up to John. His sole IN
her;tance from his mother was an IN
clination to think that all was 1or tne
host in this best Of possible worlds.
That the treatment he received IN II
was different from that awarded 70 ms
brother did not affect his findlng.
n spite of the great gulf fixed be-
<ueen them by their mothers 1nJudi-
c,ous hand, the twins had taken eaeh
,,rogressive step in their existence side
~ side. They had gone to Harrow
together, and had entered and haa lei.
csrdhurst at the same time. mat
Inhn,s name appeared near the top
= the list and his brothers not lar
e-on the other end surprised no one.
nnly one person among all Mrs.
,,;Hno+on,s friends had the temerity to
s~1~{ vNo
remark that It was astomsnng, . m,s.
Rilington's reply was self-reveia1,on:
sspoor little Arthur. he hasn't done
badly for him. He must have WORKED kn
49, i have got through at all. we
.a;dn,t expect he would. fancy johns
u una,on,e influenced him more than any
S = know. Oh, no! There is not
tha least fear that he mas ovcrNofAeu
Y = i