Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-05-17
ruuRMONT FREDERICK COUNTY, MAY II, 1O6
should be wise, for you are certainly
the son of fool"

should be wise, Tor you are Certainly
the son of fool"
He turned to 60, but l clutched his
arm and prevented him, crying out
despairingly-
20 father, father, what have you
done? Unsay your words. and believe
with me that uncle Sam has done us
much kindness and no wrong"
My passionate plea received no an
swer. Uncle Sam gently dlsengaged
himself from my grasp and moved to-
wards the door, IF at any time you
should need friend" he said. address
Ing me, II hope you will think Of your
uncle. Stay; had almost forgotten
to give you this" and taking q letter
from his pocket he tossed 1t to me;
but l was too dazed to catch 1t, and 1t
fell on the carpet. Then, waving his
hand in token of farewell, he hastily
uuitted the room and was gone.
looked at my father. He was sit
ting on low seat, his elbows resting
on his knees, and his head buried
| in his hands. spoke to him
forget what It was that said-but he
| took no notice of me, when through
the open window l saw uncle Sam
passing out Of our gate. AS soon as
he was off our premises he stood still
and looked intently Mt Holdenhurst
Hall for n little while, then turned alb
ruptly and walked at a great rate
down the road which led towards
Bury st. Edmund's.
This spectacle, In itself pathetic, and
symbollzlng as 1t did. the collapse oil
nv fervent hope, enraged me. Being
weak from loss of blood and other
consequences of my recent accident,
| think my reason must have sue
cumbed beneath my accumulated load
Of disappointments and anxieties, for
In a sudden burst of artificial strength
| I rushed at my father, laid my hands
upon his shoulders. and forced him
into m upright position while :
| screamed out
ut is false! 1t is false! l will 90 to
my uncle and beg him to pardon you
MY father started to his feet, ana
| grasping me by the wrists, held me at
arms length II would to Heaven 1t
were false" he exclaimed, "but 1t Is
true-too true. Shall ! show you the
proofs?"
"You cannot" I shouted; "you have
no proofs"
Then for the first and last time In
his life did my father burst out in
anger against me. "Is everybody In
conspiracy to madden meT he asked
excltedly. II tell you, your uncle has
stolen those sequins, and that recent
ly. Still, l would not have told him
so, or complained to anyone, If he had
not sought to extOrt contrary deciar
alton from me. Do you think / would
| denounce my own brother on doubtful
| or slender evidence? If you can think
so badly of me, where then shall l
turn for sympathy in my trouble!
Must publish what l would fain
conceal in order to induce you TO be
| lieve your own father? Look at that
and he took from his pocket a large
thin gold coin and placed 1t in my
| hand; that Is one of the sequins you
| went into the crypt to fetch-one or
the two hundred and fifty thousand
| sequins you ought to have found there.
! Where the others are don't know;
| but what | do know is that your uncle
| found means to convey them ava!
| from here about Il week ago. l will
| tell you the details. If you want to
know them, when you come to your
senses and remember that ! am your
| father"
| | sat do wn on q couch and burst into
an agony of tears. In moment my
| father was at my side, holding my
hands in his, and earnestly cndeavor'
ing to comfort me. Presently l grew
calmer and got up-that unnatural and
| piteous product Of adverse circum'
stances. u youth without hope.
The kindness of my father was such
as none but the parent of an only child
can understand. In cndeavoring to al
leviate my distress he appeared to
forget his own. This Is a great mis-.
fortune" he said, "the greatest which
has befallen me since your dear mother
died; but we must try to forget 1t. l
| care nothing for the loss of the money
1 would it had been sunk in the sea
or that the Turks had had it-but ]
| deplorc my brothers. conduct, more
especially as he has won your good
will, and had hoped and believed that
| good would come of It,"
After a space my father resumed;
"When you feel disposed to hear the
story Will relate all the circum'
stances of your unclc's recent" he
| paused, as il unable to find the pre-
else word he wanted-"act, Or Adams
shall, If he RECEIVERS sufficiently to do
so; he was an eyewitness Of the--the
act But l have grave fears tn" Old
man will die, and even DIR Thurlow
| admits such an event Is not lmproba
| BILE; he Is an old man, and these tr0u
| bles are more than he cap bear Ii
| panied him keenly to show what he
| did against my brother. for he was
| much attached to Sum as n boy, and
often inquired of him after he had gon"
away to America"
II don't want 10 know any more
about 1t now. and perhaps L never
SHALL" replied, as | rose from the
couch, picked up my letter. and read
| 1t. 1t was from Constance Marsh and
ran as follows
No. -. De We're Gardens.
| Kensington, W., April %, 1S-
| Dear Mr. Trucman:-Many thanks
for your kind letter Pray accept my
apology for having allowed 1t to re