The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-03-23
CHAPTER I.

Laurence Jen was a retired major,
bachelor, and the proprietor OF q small
estate. He had been all over the
world, a soldier In African campaigns
as in South American insurrections. on
leaving the service he decided that It
was better to be q Triton in the coun-
try than a minnow In town; and acting
upon this theory. he purchased "Ashah-
tee" from a ruined stock broker. For
merly the place had been called Sarpy-
lands, after its original owners; put
Jen had changed the name. In honor OF
q campaign In which he had partici-
pated.
He had been present at the downraii
Of King Koffee in Africa; he had con-
tracted during the expedition an ague
which tormented him greatly during
his later life, and he had received
wound and medal. In gratitude for
these gifts Of fortune the Major. with
some irony, had converted the name
6arbylands into the barbaric appelia-
tion of West African kingdom; and
here, for many years. he lived with MS
two boys.
These lads, named respectively Maui
rice Alymer and David Sarby, were In
no way related to the Major. but they
had entered into his life In rather an
odd fashion Alymer was the son OF Q
beautiful girl with whom Jen had beer
passionately in love. but she did no.
return his affection. and married one
of his brother officers. who was after
wards killed In the Ashantee War. Jer
cherished a hope that she would re-
ward his love by second marriage
but the shock of her husbands deatf
proved too much for the fragile widow
She died within a week after receiving
the terrible news, and left behind he
q waiiing infant. which was consigned
20 the cold charity of Indifferent rela
tives.
II was then that the Major displayed
the goodness Of his heart and the no
bility of his character. Forgetting MI
own sorrows, he obtained permission
from the relatives to adopt the child
and to take charge Of the trihe
property coming to the lad. Then n
bought Sarbylands. set estate an
house in order under the name o
"Ashantee," and devoted his life I
cherishlng and training the lad Il
whose blue eyes he saw look OF hi
dead love. This Piatonio affection. be
gotten by the deathless memory of tn
one passion Of his life. Allied his exist
snce completely, and rendered him en-
tirely happy.
with regard to David Sarby. he ha
passed with the estate to Jen. TIL
boys father, drunkard. and a con
Armed gambler. had been forced
through his vices. TO sell his ancestra
home: and within a year OF the sal
ne had dissipated the purchase none
IN debauchery. Afterwards, like tn
sordid and pitiful coward he had al
ways proved himself to be. he commit
ted suicide. leaving his only son-
whose mother had long since bee
worried into her grave-a pauper. an
an orphan.
The collateral branches OF the oil
sarby family had died out: the rela
tives on the mothers side refused I
have anything to do with child. VIII
--if heredity went for anything--migh
prove TO be n chip of tina old block. an
little David might have found himsel
thrown on the parish. but that MaJo
Jen, plying the forlorn condition {
the child. saved him from 30 ignomin
ious a fate. His heart and his hous
were large enough to receive anothe
pensioner. so he took David back to tn
old deserted mansion. and presente
him to Maurice az q new playfeiloy
Henceforth the two boys grew to man
hood under the devoted care of tn
cheerful old bachelor. who had pro
tected their helpless infancy,
The Major was fairly well-to- d.
having considerable private propert,
and he determined. in the goodness
his heart. that ''the boys" as he fondl
called them. should have every advan
tage In starting life. He sent thei
both to school. and later called upo
them to choose their professions. Mar
rice. more OF an athlete than schola
selected the army, and the deiighte
Major highly approved OF his choic
OF more reflective nature and stu
dious mind. David wished to become
lawyer.
Both lads proved themselves worth
Of Jen's goodness. and were soon
active exercise of the profession
which they had chosen. Mauri,
Joined q regiment. and David was az
nittsA to the bar. Then the Maj,