Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1879 — THE FOSTER BROTHER. [ARTICLE]

THE FOSTER BROTHER.

“Asa lx>y I lived in a small town in West Virginia. When I wan about 14 I met one day at the gate of the front yard, a ragged, red-headed latl of my own age. • “ ‘lk it a h’y to'carry coal, or dig, or drolve the carnage,ye’d be wantin' the day sur?" he asked with a laugh and a Isiw. “My father wanted a l*>y,aud I urged him to lake tills on *. “ ‘ Wiiat is your name* he asked. “ ‘Michael, sur.’ • “1 took Michael out to show him the coalbinH, [HIi up, ami his room over the stable. A.s I turned to leave him,' I said ‘Have you only one name?’ “His fai-e grew nil an hie hair. ‘l'm the O’More, sur.’ “ ‘l’m poor, sur, and I worked my way acrast from the old country. But my grandfather was the head of the family; he’s dead, an’ ho's my father. I’m the O’More. I’m the first of the name as ever went out to ad-vice.” “ ‘Ami what brought you to it*? Why did you leave Ireland?’ • "I followed my foster brother, sur.’ “I soon forgot* Mike in the anxiety qf preparing for a Christmas party my mother was to give me. That evening she said to me, *1 have been to call on the family who have bought the Bcro*»pe property; Their name is I>everidge. There Is but one son, a Ixiy of fifteen, and I invited him for Christmas eve.’ “Master Leveridge was the first to arrive oh the momentous evening. His step-mother came with him. •‘ ‘A children’s party is a new thing to Arthur,’ she said. We keep our l»oys and girls in the nursery longer than you do; but it will do him good. ' When I married Mr. Leveridge I found the boy had no companions but the children of his foster-mother, a low creature, living in a hovel on the estate. I was glad for his sake when we came to this country and the connection was broken oft*.’ “Arthur Leveridge in the meantime was talking with my sister, when a wild whoop rung through the room, and Mike rushed into it, a scuttle of c<ial in his hand. “‘Faith, Mast-r Arty, is it yourself? I followed ye to Baltimore, and they towld me it was here I’d find ye!” -holding Arthur’s gloved hands, kissing and sobbing over them, while the coals were seatteied over the fl<s>r. “Arthur pulled his hand back in a rage of shame, and pushed the boy savagely away. “How dare you come ■*here!” he cried. “His mother swept a irons the room to his side. Mike cowed humbly when he saw her. -. “ ‘Gently, gently,’ said my father.'Mike, leave the room, sir; take your coals and your affection where they- are wanted!’ “After a month I found that Mike was out every night scouring the streets with Arthur. Young leveridge was ready for all sorts of mischief, from ringing door-bells to breaking windows, but he was terribly afraid of being found. > “One night, * as 1 was coming home from a school concert, I saw a heap of wood at the foot of the statue of Calhoun on the square. Coming closer, I saw the figures of two boys, one on top of the heap of wood busily tying a rope /round -Calhoun's waist, the other below, begging him apparently to desist. “‘Ah, Master Arty, it’s hung ye’ll be, an’ no less?’ I heard, in a frightened whisper, from Mike. “Arthur leaped down and gave the rope a vigorous pull. Down came the figure. “There was a sound of approaching footsteps. “Ruq - ! Run!’ Mike cried, dragging. Arthur down the square. ‘lt’s stable!’' - ‘1 I “But they were too late. Shoek' started affor the retreating boys, and,

after a tough chase, caught Arthur; and Mike at ouce surrendered also. Michael turned on him furiously: “Let Master Art)' golt was I did IL He wor persuadin’ qie to stop; weren’t you. Master Arty?’ “I did try to stop him,” he said in a feeble voice. “I hurried up. Mike’s keen Irish witread my purpose in my face. He shook oft Bhoek’s hold, leaped at me, took me by the shoulder, and said, in a fierce whisper: “If you tell, I’ll kill you. I allays tuk his batin’s fur him.” “I’m not afraid of you. But you can .take your ‘batin’ if you ehoee. “Bfioek hauled them both away. The next morning the> were brought up before the magistrates. Mike told his story, and Arthur sustained him in it. Arthur was discharged, with compliments on his kindness to the poor wretch. “That afternoon, as soon as I was clear of school, I hunted up the chaingang. There was Mike at the end, breaking stone, the chain rattling at every turn. He had taken off his jacket and covered the ball with it. His eyes were swollen with crying, but when he saw me, he buret into a miserable chuckle. “That is what the O’More has come .toJ” he said. • •••••• “ Eight yean after that the war broke

out; Mike enlisted in the Southern army. Aithur became paymaster-in a Northern regiment When the army was in th* Shenandoah Valley, Leveridge it appears, received a secret offer of a high position on the Confederate side, provided be woyjd betray our corns to the enemy. The scoundrel consented. ’ By some chance Mike discovered the transaction. ■ Leveridge left the camp and rode down to the river side to meet the messenger from the Confederate army, to whom be was to give the •maps, statement* of the condition, numbers, etc., of the Union troops. He had the papers on his person. It was late In the afternoon when the Confederate messenger appeared and gave the signal agreed upon. Leveridge handed him the packet, when, to his astonishment, the man tore it in half and flung it in the river. •“It’s thriie, thin? It’s an informer ye’d be! I heard talk of it in the Colonel's tint while 1 waekapin’ guard, an’ I’d not belave it! You shall not do it! The man that sucked the breast of my mother shall never turn informer! I’ve saved you many a time, but I never saved you from anything loike thia.” “He turned him to want the Union picke.t-line, then hurled him from him. “ ‘There, go! and. fur God’s sake, be a man, Master Arty.’ “Leveridge panted out an oath. ‘lt was your own side I was going to help, you hound.K ‘“What’s sides to? An informer? O, Holy Virgin!’ “'rhe man stalked away~clown the river bank, the boat lay hidden in which he had crossed. He got into it and paddled over. The I picket-guard saw him as he reached the open space where the moon shone clearly. There was a sharp ring of a bullet; The poor fellow sprang convulsively forward, reeled and fell, and the water closed over him forever.” “And Leveredge is living by his wits in California —a mean, and c<>nseqqe,ntly, a miserable man.”