Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-05-24
CHAPTER XVII.
TO THE WEST,

o the weary days and sleepless
nights that succeeded the departure
Of uncle Sam from Holdenhurst!
Never In my life before had been so
utterly depressed and wretched. Ev-
cry day some incident helped to con.
firm the overthrow of my aspirations
and increased my restlessness In COM
pliancp with the earnest pleading of
my father, ! had written brief note
to Constance Marsh assuring her of
my unalterable regard-that was the
word he suggested as exactly suited
to the occasion-but regretting the i'm
possibility, owing to an unfortunate
Incident, either Of calling upon her In
London, or inviting her to Holden
hurst. TO that note came no reply; nor
could ! il reason expect any. though
each morning scanned the mail with
hopeless curiosity. About week
afterwards my father received a letter
from the Rev. Mr.. Price. announcing
his preferment to the living of All
Saints, North BriXtOn, and consequent
resignation of the vicariate of Holden
hurst Minor. Mr.. Price also stated
that as he was not to take up his new
duties for three months, he had ac-
cepted an invitation to visit America.
as he had long desired to study the
methods and manners of American
hyines, and that, being much pressed
for time. he regretted his inability o
return to Holdenhurst to preach fare
well sermon to his parishioners, SO had
requested friend to forward his eff
fects to London-which l afterwards
learned was accordingly done. the said
effects consisting of two cricket bats,
fowling piece, fishing rod and
tackle, tobacco jar and several pipes,
shelf-load of French novels With the
margins annotated in the reverend gen.
ileman's own hand, and some dozens of
SLIPPERS. Yet few days later. and
while l was still smarting under this
Intelligence. noticed, quite accident
ally. an announcement at the bottom of
column in the Times that Mr.. Sam
uel Trueman, the American financier,
accompanied by Mrs. Trueman and
Miss Marsh. had sailed for New York
from Liverpool the day before on
board the Cunard steamship Etruria.
Though his discomfort was by no
means equal to mine, my father was
not without grave anxiety. The reno
vation of Holdenhurst Hall, and the
numerous and extensive improvements
In progress on the estate were now
fast approaching completion. The work
was admirably done, and both house
and grounds assumed an aspect in
comparably superior to what they had
presented at any former period of
their history. My father acquainted
me with the fact that lie had very
little money at his bankers beyond the
five thousand pounds which his brother
had given him, a sum quite inadequate
to pay for the work done, and he
feared that he would be obliged to
renew the mortgage which had so re-
Gently been extinguished. With some
temerity he formally inquired of
Messrs. Knight and Faulkner what
would be the amount of their demand
Oh the completion of their contract,
and was informed by that firm that
Mr.. Samuel Trueman had satisfied
their claim in full Oh u certain date
which we found was the very day
my uncle was last at Holdenhurst.
This circumstance was a victory for
me, who had held, contrary to the Opin-
lon of my father, that uncle Sam
would keep his word, and honorably
pay for the work he had ordered to be
done. Notwithstanding his denuncia-
ton of his brother.
The only thing which could have de-
liyered me out Of the ptiable condition
into which / had fallen at this period
Except, of course, the removal of its
cause) was rigorous employment of
MY faculties. Though 1 did not lack
discrimination to perceive this truth.
l could not benefit myself thereby,
hay ing no power 10 exert my will. My
tim, was spent in aimlessly wander
Ing about the house and grounds, or
saunterIng In the library and taking a
book at random from shelf there,
opening II, reading few lines, closing