The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-08-05

tention of going to oxford. DR..
Eldsdale highly approved the plan,
but would nave been better
Ipleased had the proposal come from
Lady Carew herself. He did not like
the way in which young Sir Carlos had
taken the matter into his W hands.
However, it was a relief to him to
know that the boy. who would so soon
be a young man. would be under proper
authority for the next two or three
years. So Sir Carlos went to Oxford,
and. for the first time in her life, Lady
Carew was parted from her son
Many times during the next three
years she went from Firholme to OK
ford. There was one thing she could
not help admitting to herself when she
reflected, and 1t was that she had never
really thwarted him. They had not
once come into collision; and she was
compelled to own that the reason was
she had never opposed him. She had
always foreseen where they would dis
agree, and had avoided the cause. The
most tender love existed between
mother and son. and as yet it had not
been Swallowed by disagreement.
The three years that Sir Carlos spent
at oxford were passed by Lady Carew
III pI''ptA lie l0i iibo a. AN1N1h
had Firholme been more prosperous
than under her gentle rule. A large
sum of money was saved during the
young heirs minority. and the promise
of no young mans life could have been
fairer.
When he left Oxford, he Travelled for
a year and a half. his mother going
with him, and then he came Of age.
The countrv folk round Firholme still
talk OF the glories of thai day. IT was
of all DAYS in the year the one best
suited for a birthday. the twenty-frst
of June. The roses were in bloom: the
golden laburnum and the purple lilac
had given place to the warmer hues Of
summer flowers.
Sir Carlos stood. soon after sunrise,
looking round the beautiful home that
was his Inheritance On the nioht he
. fore. his mother had taken him into
I the room where his father died. She
. told him of the curse of the Carews,
, Of the obstinate self-wi11 that had
brought so manv of them 70 a sudden
and violent death. He had listened,
and seemed deeply IMPRESSED.
Tn the silence Of that ROM. whore
her own solemn nronise had heen given
to her diving husband. she smoke TO her
son with the utmost tenderness and
eloquence: and he was moro touched
than he had ever been In his life be-
for. ON the morrow. she told him. he
would take his life into his own hands.
with all its grave responsibilities ana
imnortant duties. She did not ask him
now for a promise of obedience to her.
That which she had not exacted from
him as a child she could not ask now
A1-A L. "a - T..
plored him to take counsel and advice
, when he was in any difficulty, and not
to be headstrong. He vas deeply
, touched.
Mother md son knelt together in the
great tapestried chamber; and he
promised that he would do the best to
check the self-will that had brought so
many of his race to an untimely end
II will be a blessing to you mother"
he said, mot a trouble; and I will do
what I can to remove the curse of the
Carews.'"
No mother in England was happier
that night than gentle Lady Carew.
Sir Carlos rose with the sun, ard went
out to look at the magnificent home
that on this day became his by inheri-
tance. He stood on a grassy knoll in
the park which overlooked all the lower
ground. His eyes glistened as they
roamed over the noble park with it's
superb trees, the winding stream where
the cattle stood knee-deep. tho pictur-
esque pile of buildings standing in the
midst of luxuriant foliage, and the
sheet of water called the Holme Mere.
All his-to do with as he would, to
keep with honor or to lose with shame!
A wild sense of freedom seemed sud-
denly to possess him. All his! He had
no master; no one had any authority
over him! He could do in every way as
he pleased! Not for one moment that
he meant to do any wrong, or to defy
any authority; but to him the sense OF
perfect liberty was sweet.
Good resolutions filled his mind. He
would never do anything of Importance
without asking either his mothers ad-
vice or the rector's counsel. So he
would do away with the Course of the
Carews." He could see the windows Of
the room where his father died. He
could see the spot, marked by a white
marble cross, where his father had been
thrown by the horse which lie had rid
den, because everyone had advised him
not to do so; and he said to himself
that the same fate should never over
take him. He would listen to reason,
follow the advice of those who coun-
seled him, and AXE himself to task
when he felt his own will mastering
him.
Reverently enough the handsome
young heir barred his head as he said
aloud:
"Heaven keep me from the curse of
the Carsws."
It was a day to be remembered. Rich
and poor thronged to Firholme; the
great mansion was crowded with
guests; the park, the grounds. and the
gardens were thronged with people; all
the servants and the tenants and la
borers on the estate were feted to their
hearts content. If good wishes and
ringing cheers could have secured Sir
Carlos's happiness, 1t would never have
failed him. 1t was perhaps he hap
piest day of his life. The festivities
were prolonged until a late hour. A
grand ball was given in the evening by
Lady Carew to the aristocracy of the
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