Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-12-15
The Inheritance Of His Fathers.
NNVNN%NNNNNHNNNN

tanned while out with his nurse, but
which the woman managed to conceal
from the father, until time had re-
vealed it to him, and at fourteen, In
consequence, barely able to walk with
out the aid of a crutch.
The Inheritance of his fathers!
Farmer Blatherley often remem-
bered the words as he looked on the
invalid son of his richer neighbor and
landlord, and compared him with his
own motferless, strong, healthy, hand
some lad. Jack Blatherley was all that
the fondest parent could desire-hap-
py, healthy, honest and open as the
day; laughter-loying, painstaking, a
its best. He had a mind for book
learning, which had been his fathers
before him, and knew almost as much,
from private lessons taken with the old
vicar as Gilbert Dayle himself up at
the great big house on the hilltop,
where the best of tutors tried to inn
part wisdom and the love of books to
the crippled lad
Curiously enough, the two boys, so
different in station, character and
health, were the greatest of friends.
The squire, playing cards, and drink
ing heavily day in and day out, hardly
knew it, or if he did, he took no no.
tice; and the friendship between the
two lads was cemented and added to
daily, as the strong, healthy, young
embryo farmer helped the delicate
scion Of blue-blooded aristocracy over
the heather-clad moors, where the
golden gorge waved its yellow blooms
seward and scented the soft air with
its strong perfume.
Both the boys were fond Of the
sea; in Storm or in calm they loved
to gaze at its ever-changing surface,
ripping in the sunshine or foaming
under a leaden sky.
One hot afternoon in June the two
boys climbed the steep ascent which
led to their favorite seat on the heather
overlooking the bright blue bay, Gil
bert, half-carried by his strong young
friend, expostulating to no purpose.
1t was holiday time for them, the
tutors had gone away; Gilbert was
thrown on his own beam-ends, his
father having no use and no desire for
the company Of his crippled son.
Its funny" Jack cried, as he flung
himself face downwardS on the soft
purple heather. You can do as you
like-you are rich, Gilbert, but L
father says 1 must be a farmer-and
1 want to write, to be an author 20
Gilbert opened his large, sad eyes.
BE an author and write bOoks?" he
echoed in an awe-struck voice; "how
clever you are, Jack :"
tits no good to be-" returned the
lad little bitterly. The dads made
up. his mind that 1 must carry on the
farm-we have no money to waste,
you see, and so it's no use for me to
think Of being anything else!"
The two boys were silent for a mo-
ment; from a distant cliff a seagull
flew out, with It's melancholy cry.
Gould give you the money, do
you think?" asked the cripple at last
II have some saved saved up in my
money box, and 1 shall never be good
for anything, you know. Let me give
you enough to help you write
books"
But then there'd be the farmp
Jacks straight brows were puckered
Couldn't your father get some one
else to help him2" Gilberts face
frightened as the idea came to him.
Jack shook his bright head.
dad says it is the-inheritance Of
my fathers-that, and my health and
stronghold"
He bit his lips suddenly, as he real
lied that he was speaking to one with
very different inheritance.
"It's no use, It'll come in time-the
liking for the life, 1 suppose" he went
on philosophlcally. "Hulloal The
squire"
He broke OF hurriedly, for across
the glorious heather, In Gods glorious
sunshine, came a creature that was At
for neither man nor beast-SQuire
Dayle, his eyes dazed, his lips twitch-
ing nervously, his gait faulty-drunk
at twelve In the morning!
He came uncertainty towards the
two boys-Gilbert, his face, white with
fear; young Jack Blatherley, upright
as a rock, with his open countenance
turned fearlessly toward him, and his
broad shoulders squared towards the
sea.
"Hulloa!" muttered the man with
an oath, looking at his son. what!
Are you frightened of your own father?
What have 1 done that 1 should call
such a coward-son? Stand up, stand
up, and don't look scared into the mid
die Of next week. Do you hear?"
In a moment it had happened. The
father, Infatuated at the sight of his