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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1886)
121 Miss Roberta was iu the hotel parlor. She had some bright nottiug in her hands, and was quiotly absorbed in that Hull walked straight up to her. " I hare come for good-bye; I am called away on im portant and immediate business." A little circle gathered about him. There was much shaking ot hands and many exclamations of regret He touched Irene's hand the last of all, but he did not speak. There was a buzz aftor he had gone. "Who was the young man ?" some one axled. " Mrs. Hall's brothor," Miss Roberts answored, un concernedly.' " Is Dr. Hall married ?" in chorus. "Oh, yes;" with a quiet smile. The train slowed down at the Clairview station. Dr. Hall roused himself and gathered up his belongings. All through the ride he had sat spoeohlosa, leaning against the window with closed eyos. Braineid tried to talk at first, being one of those peoplo whose sieoch must babble on incessantly. He got the shortest an swore, or none at all, and gave it up finally. The dull, chilly twilight was settling down. The station lamps were lighted. As thoy stopiod down on the platform a woman soizotl Hall, and whispered his torically, with a semi-rogard for appoarauoos " She has gone." "Gone!" " Oh, not so loud. Come over hero aud lot me toll you." She drew him away into the obscurity ot the farther end of the platform. "She drovo away this afternoon, she and Stacy. She said she was going to visit Grace, in Upland, you know; but Frank says he mot hor on the Rushville road." "I understand," standing quiotly a minute. Then he turnod toward the train that had given iU warning whistle and was just then moving again. " Whore are you going ?" "After them." He stepped on the already moving car; there was no time for further word Mrs. Brainnrd turned slowly away, with tears, toward the doctor's deserted home. Seven years ago, the winter that George Hall was twenty years old, and a raw, green country boy, he was teaching school and boarding with a sistor of Mrs. Brainord. Alice Brainerd, three years younger, pretty, silly and vain, had been getting horself talked alxmt by accepting and reciprocating the attentions of a wild young agent ot a city firm. George Hall was the oldest son ot a rich farmer, who opposed the boy's fancy of studying medicine, aftor the good old pig-headed ooun try fashion; and, to furthor the chances ot renunciation of his purpose, had cut off supplies. But Mrs. Eddy, and Mrs. Brainerd with her, remembered Ui paternal riches, and it Goorgo did cling to his craxy fancy for medicine, he would bo tho it Hull who had departed from the traditions ot the fathers. George was easily caught by a pretty face; ho was too young to see through the wilos ot the two artful women; he saw Alice only under judicious circumstances, aud the end ot it was that the next news the Hull family received was that George had added to his enormities by marrying Alice. Brainord, nominally without the knowledge ot hor fain ily. It was rathor a dangerous experiment George worked and saved, and borrowed money and wont away to his studies. The Brainords acknowledged that they had made a mistake. A oountry doctor was not suon a ' brilliant prosit Ho was starving and pinching him self through a thorough oourso of training, instead of going back to the plentiful pork and oablmgo of the pa rental roof, for the same grain ot determination to carry his point existed in sou as well as father. Alice stayed at nomo; tho Halls would never rooog. nixo hor. Goorgo spent his short aud infrequent vaca tions with her, at every visit growing more and more " city-fled." At the end ot three years he came back for good -a resolute, keen-witted, widi'ly.dovolod man. Tho end of his first yoar of practice proved that ho hail entered the high road to suooos. Moautimo, Alioo had retrograded as much as ho hail advanced. She had grown peevish and ill-tempered; she had never been a brilliaut girl Intellectually; aha showod positive feebleness of judgment in some diroo tions. Dr. Hall fouud, aftor awhile, that there was something loader than whisors against her propriety ot conduit Hor mother caiuo to him and Iwggoil him to make a home, if it was ever so humble, whero ha could have her under his direct care aud Influence. With such a weight as that, George Hall began his ca reer. What tho last three years had been to him nobody but himself know. Blie was not only weak and silly, but she hail fits of rage that seemed little lew than In sanity. The last recollection ot her that he hail carrl.nl awav with him. as he wout away to the South, was that she lay screaming on the floor of her mother's house, because ha Insisted on leaving her there instead of tak ing her back to town. Ho simply dsred not do It, for her own sake. But alio had gono afterward, In spite of everything; and her mother, unable to amlrol her, had followed her, hoping to keep up at lat a show of the propriotii. And this was his home-coming. He had thought rapidly aftor Mrs. Brainsrd's story. A branch road oonneotod Rushvillo with the city, from whence several main lines ran to the grat towns of tho country. It they rally contemplated flight, they would bo slmistt oortain to start from this place, having thrown off suspicion by going to Rushville. The event proved him right Almost tho first faos he saw was Stacy's ovil, handsome oouutenauoo In ths a r-1 ,1