Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-07-19

"Then l am sorry, Ernest, that you
have no clearer IDEAS Of right and
wrong" said my father.
ooh. as to that, different people view
a matter differently. Even If a man
were convicted Of particular offence
i should not regard that fact as proof
of his guilt of another and totally DIFF
ferent offence, but there are people
whose ideas of right and wrong permit
| them to reason So"
felt strongly for my uncle Sam, and
could not hear the man who had been
so extraordinarily kind to me abused
without feeling Of Indignation. AS
If to add force to my declaration had
scarcely articulated the last word
when a terrible flash of lightning bril-.
liantly Illuminated the almost dark
cned room, and was followed by tre'
mendous thunderclap which shook the
whole house.
The yelled reference to the Inference
my father had drawn from uncle Sans
affair with Annie Wolsey did not es.
! cape attention. But my father was
too firmly convinced that his brother
had stolen the sequins to vince at any
ratire was master Of. Looking at me
steadily he said in reproachful tone:
"You have been away from home
nearly a month, and are no sooner re.
turned than we almost quarrel, thing
we never did till my brother came
here. Has not that man caused mis-.
, chief enough-to me. to your grand,
rather, to your cousin, and l know
hot who else besides-but he must need
destroy all sympathy between you and
me?'
"Not your brother nor any man
fould do that" asserted stoutly. 81
! nm your son, and honor you as good
father to whom owe everything. but
none the less do 1 profoundly believe
that you are the victim Of disastrous
mistake, and 1 don't despair Of day
to come when you will be thankful
that my opinion in the matter Of the
sequins differed so widely from yours.
| What If I We're to establish beyond
question that your brother never had
anything to do with those sequins?"
II should be immensely relieved and
most devoutly thankful. But / have
no such hope: common sense forbids
me to entertain It,"
"And my common sense will not per-
init me to reject it," I replied.
"That being so, it Is useless for us
to talk any more of the matter until
you have something tangible to show
in support of your views" said my
father, turning away.
"Qulte So" I agreed; "let us speak
no more ON this wretched subject until
l have"
The gong in the hall was sounding
for luncheon, but could only be heard
imperfectly amid the din Of the storm,
which still ragged furiously. My father
led the way to the dining room, where
luncheon was laid for three. There
nervously fussing about the sideboard
and appearing older and more decrepit
than ever, was tho man who had occa-
stoned my hasty return from America.
John Adams regarded me with a puz-
zled look, and with that familiarity
which Is not unfrequently permitted
in old servants congratulated mo on
my safe return from abroad.
We were no sooner seated Mt table
than Mr.. Wolsey, with the laudablc
desire, as I thought, of preventing the
conversation from running upon disa-
greeable topics, inquired how I liked
New York, to which answered that l
thought 1t was very fine city gcncr-
ally, but that its harbor and chief
river were magnificent.
"Ncw York did not impress me so ia
vorably," remarked Mr. Wolsey; at is
evident that you have seen only the
better part of that city. l was there
for two months, and never want to
see the place again"
II was in New York for only five
days, and hope to see that city again
very soon. Indeed am not sure but
that l would like to live there entire
ly"
"The absence of q middle class cor
responding to what we in England un-
derstand by that term" pursued Mr..
Wolsey, ignoring my remark, STRIKES
me as very bad for the whole of So
ciety there. Perhaps you did not OBJ
serve that 1t is only rich persons who
can afford to keep a house entirely for
their own use, and that the smaller
traders, artisans and laborers are
herded together in tenement houses
huge, unsightly barracks Of great
height, each accommodating scores of
families. What can be said for such
a system in n climate where in summer
the thermometer commonly stands
ninety in the shade, and for weeks to-
gcther there is not so much breeze as
would fiutter leafT
IL noticed none of those things"
"They are to be seen by whoever
looks for them" continued Mr.. VOL
sey. "And then again, the conditions
of life are every bit as hard as in Lon
don or any other great city. Work in
New York is fully as difficult to obtain
and is no better paid for, prices consid-
cred, than in any city of the Old
World. No intelligent American who
has travelled denies this"
81 am afraid Ernest takes but little
interest in public questions" remarked
my father.
"They will force themselves upon
his attention as he grows older" Mr..
Wolsey went on. "With but little mod
ification my remarks apply with equal
truth to Melbourne and Sydney, or in,
deed any city of modern creation. In
all Of them the old-fashioned qualities
Of patient perseverance. abstinence