The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-31
CHAPTER XII.
Continued

What do you mean?" said Janet,
but her conscience was too much for
her. She could not maintain a bold
front. The recollection came burning
to her cheeks, and brought a hot flood
Of tears to her eyes. II only rode the
pony. I meant no harm. I didn't
know it was wrong. On, Tom! Tom!
don't tell mother" she cried.
You had better behave, then"
said Tom, land don't think you, can
crow over me. I've done nothing at
all. It's only those old saps that
cannot bear to see a young fellow.
having his fun"
1t was certainly a great contrast to
the Inundated condition in which he
came home to think of all the i'm
mense preparations that they were
making to do the young scapegrace
honor. Very far from pointing a
moral to young men of Toms tastes
was the triumphant coming of age
after the academical disgrace. No
disgrace, however, can hinder a young
man from attaining his twenty-1rst
birthday, nor change the universal
custom which makes that moment a
period Of congratulation and celebra-
ton, as If it were by any virtue OF
his that the boy became a man. 1t
occurred to some of the family coun-
sellers who had been summoned for
the great occasion that, considering
his past behavior, Toms majority
should be passed over with as little
merrymaking a. possible. But Beau
fort was once more the young fel-
lows champion. He was not the sort
of man to take lightly the stigma of
the university, and therefore he was
listened to with all the more 'atten-
ton. Il must repeat again." he said,
that there is nothing in all this to
prevent Tom from doing we'll enough
in his natural position. 1t might be
ruin to some boys, but not to him. I
never expected him to do anything at
Oxford, and I am not surprised at
what has happened. But everybody is
not thinking of this as we are. A
great many people will never have
heard of it, nor would they attach
any Importance to it if they did hear.
I have told you before, Garry, that
the best of women are unjust to boys.
1t is very natural it should be so.
Even now, however, there is nothing
to prevent Tom from doing very
we'll"
"The thing is that he seems to be
getting a reward for his f~oolishness,
instead of any punishment" said
Edith Erskine, who was, as she
thought, unfolding her sisters view.
AS for Carry herself, she had said
nothing. To discuss her boys follies
was more than she was capable of.
She could not silence the others who
spoke, but she only looked at them,
she could not speak.
He has been foolish at Oxford,
and the authorities there have pun
ished him; but we have no right to
put back the clock in his life, and
keep him out of his rights for any
thing he has done. I am sure that is
what his mother thinks"
His mother has always been too
indulgent, and this is what has come
of it." said old Lord Lindons, shaking
his head. He would have sent Tom
off to Africa or somewhere with an
unfortunate if highly paid bear-leader
from the University to keep him in
order, if Tom would have submitted
on the verge of his lawful freedom
to any such bondage; but this his
grandfather did not take into &C
count. He shook his head over
Carry's indulgence, and did not at all
understand the look which she turned
upon him and in which there were un-
speakable things. You may be
angry, if you please, my dear, but 1
must tell you my opinion. The boy
has been spoilt all along. He is not
of a nature to stand it; he wanted a
vigorous hand owe him. You should
have remembered the stock of which
he came"
Lady Car looked at her father with
a light in her mild eyes sue: as no
one could remember to have seer
there before. Why was my boy of
that stock?" she said, in a voice
which was very low, but full of pas
sion that could not be restrained.
Her mother and sister started with
one impulse to stop further utter
ance. "Carry!" they cried.
What? What did she say?" cried
Lord Lindons; but neither Carry nor
any of the others repeated what she
had said.
After this strange little scene there
was, however, no more said about
Toms coming of age, which they
could not have kept back if they
would. But all kinds of preparations
were made to make the celebration
worthy, if not of Tom, yet of the po-
sition which he ought to take in the
county so far as wealth went. His
long minority, and the scrupulous
care with which both his estate and
his money had been managed, made
Tom one of the richest
in Scotland, the very richest, perhaps,
when income came from property
alone, and not from trade; and
though the county did not recollect
his father with very particular re-
gard, nor anticipate very much from
himself-for everybody knew those
unsatisfactory points in Toms his
tory which it vas hoped had attracted
no observation-yet Lady Car had
gained all respect, and for her sake,