The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-08-10
CHAPTER TX.
THE OLD SORROW


ITO Mrs. Lawrence?' / repeated.
Here was coincidence, indeed Could
II be, / asked myself again, that this
thing could have been deliberately ar
ranged? But / dismissed the thought
as ridiculous.
II will tell you the story so far as /
know It," said the clergyman. 1T is
no breach Of trust to do SO, for 1t was
public property at the time. though
long since forgotten. I should not re-
call 1t now but for the fact that IL
may shed some light upon today's oc-
currence."
Perhaps 1t will" ] agreed.
Mrs. Lawrence" began my compan-
ion, was born at Scotch Plains about
90 years ago. Her fathers name was
Hiram Jarvis. He had made a COM
Portable fortune in the dry goods bus
mess In New York. and had built him
self a country house at Scotch Plains.
going In to New York every morning
and returning In the evening. Scotch
Plains Is a very small place-a. mere
village-but has number Of handsome
country homes. 1t is not on the rail-
road, but lies about mile back of
Fanwood, which 1t its station. It has
. little Presbyterian church, and when
I graduated in '65 from Princeton SEM
mary. i received call to 1t, which I
accepted. Mr.. Jarvis and his daughter
were members Of my congregation-the
former. indeed, being the president of
the board Of trustees"
! nodded my interest Plainly I had
done well in coming to DIR. Schuyler.
Jarvis was tall, straight, austere
Scotchman Of the old school," continued
the clergyman, with a belief in pre-
destination and eternal punishment.
which was-well-rather fanatical. even
for those days. His daughter was a
beautiful girl Of II or IS. Her mother
had died some years before and she
was left solely in her fathers care.
without brothers or sisters. There was
an aunt in New York city, younger
sister Of her father, and married to a
banker named Heminway. but she
seemingly took little interest in the
girl Her character--or so 1 Judged
the few times / saw her-was much
like her brothers. tempered. perhaps,
with little more worldliness. 1 think
she's still living; at least. I've never
heard Of her death. She has been a
widow for many years.
so the girl grew up in the lonely
house, with only her father to care for
sometimes thought his treatment of
her a little severe-he would rarely
permit her to take part in even the
most innocent merry making-and 7
often found myself plying her. But
concluded 1t was none Of my business
"a conclusion which was cowardIv
perhaps; but that was my first charge
and Jarvis was quite terrifying man. I"
/ could well believe II. and said SO
There was another member of NV
congregation" went on DR.. SCHUYLER
concerning whom 1 had doubts OF
quite an opposite Characteristic was
young Boyd Endicott The Endicott
place lay just beyond the Jarvis house
which 1t quite overshadowed, for the
Endicotts were very wealthy. The
father did not belong to my church.
nor, indeed, to any church-and I sell
dom met him. He had been associa ted
with Jim Fisk in some operations
which seemed to me Of questionable
honesty-though Fisk's reputation NAV
have prejudiced me unduly. But his
wife was a lovely christian woman.
and devoted to her children
Her children" repeated. The
story interested me so immensely that
wanted every detail.
There were two, girl of II or IS.
named Ruth: and Boyd, who was about
10, and a junior at Princeton. I had
heard something Of his college esca-
psdes while l was at the seminary, but
the first time I saw him was when he
same home for the holidays. He was
I handsome boy, dark, with face
MAT showed his breeding: but he was
the widest most untamable I ever
rnew. When he came walking into
:hurch with his mother, 1t used to
lmuse me to see how Mr.. Jarvis would
glare at him; he considered him
arebrand Of hell, and didn't scruple to
Say SO. And young Endicott would
stare back--at Jarvis, as ! thought,
but saw my mistake afterwards.