CHAPTER XXXIII.
FROM ALBANY TO NIAGARA.
Carl took the afternoon train on the following day for Buffalo. Histhoughts were busy with the startling discovery he had made in regardto his stepmother. Though he had never liked her, he had been far fromimagining that she was under the ban of the law. It made him angryto think that his father had been drawn into a marriage with such awoman--that the place of his idolized mother had been taken by one whohad served a term at Sing Sing.
Did Peter know of his mother's past disgrace? he asked himself. Probablynot, for it had come before his birth. He only wondered that the secrethad never got out before. There must be many persons who had knownher as a prisoner, and could identify her now. She had certainly beenfortunate with the fear of discovery always haunting her. Carl couldnot understand how she could carry her head so high, and attempt totyrannize over his father and himself.
What the result would be when Dr. Crawford learned the antecedentsof the woman whom he called wife Carl did not for a moment doubt. Hisfather was a man of very strict ideas on the subject of honor, and goodrepute, and the discovery would lead him to turn from Mrs. Crawford inabhorrence. Moreover, he was strongly opposed to divorce, and Carlhad heard him argue that a divorced person should not be permitted toremarry. Yet in ignorance he had married a divorced woman, who had beenconvicted of theft, and served a term of imprisonment. The discoverywould be a great shock to him, and it would lead to a separation andrestore the cordial relations between himself and his son.
Not long after his settlement in Milford; Carl had written as follows tohis father:
"Dear Father:--Though I felt obliged to leave home for reasons which weboth understand, I am sure that you will feel interested to know how Iam getting along. I did not realize till I had started out how difficultit is for a boy, brought up like myself, to support himself when thrownupon his own exertions. A newsboy can generally earn enough money tomaintain himself in the style to which he is accustomed, but I have hada comfortable and even luxurious home, and could hardly bring myself tolive in a tenement house, or a very cheap boarding place. Yet I wouldrather do either than stay in a home made unpleasant by the persistenthostility of one member.
"I will not take up your time by relating the incidents of the first twodays after I left home. I came near getting into serious trouble throughno fault of my own, but happily escaped. When I was nearly pennilessI fell in with a prosperous manufacturer of furniture who has taken meinto his employment. He gives me a home in his own house, and pays metwo dollars a week besides. This is enough to support me economically,and I shall after a while receive better pay.
"I am not in the office, but in the factory, and am learning thebusiness practically, starting in at the bottom. I think I have a tastefor it, and the superintendent tells me I am making remarkable progress.The time was when I would have hesitated to become a working boy, but Ihave quite got over such foolishness. Mr. Jennings, my employer, who isconsidered a rich man, began as I did, and I hope some day to occupy aposition similar to his.
"I trust you are quite well and happy, dear father. My only regret is,that I cannot see you occasionally. While my stepmother and Peter formpart of your family, I feel that I can never live at home. They bothdislike me, and I am afraid I return the feeling. If you are sick orneed me, do not fail to send for me, for I can never forget that you aremy father, as I am your affectionate son,
"Carl."
This letter was handed to Dr. Crawford at the breakfast table. Hecolored and looked agitated when he opened the envelope, and Mrs.Crawford, who had a large share of curiosity, did not fail to noticethis.
"From whom is your letter, my dear?" she asked, in the soft tone whichwas habitual with her when she addressed her husband.
"The handwriting is Carl's," answered Dr. Crawford, already devouringthe letter eagerly.
"Oh!" she answered, in a chilly tone. "I have been expecting you wouldhear from him. How much money does he send for?"
"I have not finished the letter." Dr. Crawford continued reading. Whenhe had finished he laid it down beside his plate.
"Well?" said his wife, interrogatively. "What does he have to say? Doeshe ask leave to come home?"
"No; he is quite content where he is."
"And where is that?"
"At Milford."
"That is not far away?"
"No; not more than sixty miles."
"Does he ask for money?"
"No; he is employed."
"Where?"
"In a furniture factory."
"Oh, a factory boy."
"Yes; he is learning the business."
"He doesn't seem to be very ambitious," sneered Mrs. Crawford.
"On the contrary, he is looking forward to being in business for himselfsome day."
"On your money--I understand."
"Really, Mrs. Crawford, you do the boy injustice. He hints nothing ofthe kind. He evidently means to raise himself gradually as his employerdid before him. By the way, he has a home in his employer's family. Ithink Mr. Jennings must have taken a fancy to Carl."
"I hope he will find him more agreeable than I did," said Mrs. Crawford,sharply.
"Are you quite sure that you always treated Carl considerately, mydear?"
"I didn't flatter or fondle him, if that is what you mean. I treated himas well as he could expect."
"Did you treat him as well as Peter, for example?"
"No. There is a great difference between the two boys. Peter is alwaysrespectful and obliging, and doesn't set up his will against mine. Henever gives me a moment's uneasiness."
"I hope you will continue to find him a comfort, my dear," said Dr.Crawford, meekly.
He looked across the table at the fat, expressionless face of hisstepson, and he blamed himself because he could not entertain a warmerregard for Peter. Somehow he had a slight feeling of antipathy, which hetried to overcome.
"No doubt he is a good boy, since his mother says so," reflected thedoctor, "but I don't appreciate him. I will take care, however, thatneither he nor his mother sees this."
When Peter heard his mother's encomium upon him, he laughed in hissleeve.
"I'll remind ma of that when she scolds me," he said to himself. "I'mglad Carl isn't coming back. He was always interferin' with me. Now,if ma and I play our cards right we'll get all his father's money. Mathinks he won't live long, I heard her say so the other day. Won't it bejolly for ma and me to come into a fortune, and live just as we please!I hope ma will go to New York. It's stupid here, but I s'pose we'll haveto stay for the present."
"Is Carl's letter private?" asked Mrs. Crawford, after a pause.
"I--I think he would rather I didn't show it," returned her husband,remembering the allusion made by Carl to his stepmother.
"Oh, well, I am not curious," said Mrs. Crawford, tossing her head.
None the less, however, she resolved to see and read the letter, if shecould get hold of it without her husband's knowledge. He was so carelessthat she did not doubt soon to find it laid down somewhere. In this sheproved correct. Before the day was over, she found Carl's letter in herhusband's desk. She opened and read it eagerly with a running fire ofcomment.
"'Reasons which we both understand,'" she repeated, scornfully. "That isa covert attack upon me. Of course, I ought to expect that. So he had ahard time. Well, it served him right for conducting himself as he did.Ah, here is another hit at me--'Yet I would rather do either than livein a home made unpleasant by the persistent hostility of one member.'He is trying to set his father against me. Well, he won't succeed. I cantwist Dr. Paul Crawford round my finger, luckily, and neither his sonnor anyone else can diminish my influence over him."
She read on for some time till she reached this passage: "While mystepmother and Peter form a part of your family I can never live athome. They both dislike me, and I am afraid I return the feeling.""Thanks for the information," she muttered. "I knew it before. Thisletter doesn't make me feel any more fri
endly to you, Carl Crawford.I see that you are trying to ingratiate yourself with your father, andprejudice him against me and my poor Peter, but I think I can defeatyour kind intentions."
She folded up the letter, and replaced it in her husband's desk.
"I wonder if my husband will answer Carl's artful epistle," she said toherself. "He can if he pleases. He is weak as water, and I will see thathe goes no farther than words."
Dr. Crawford did answer Carl's letter. This is his reply:
"Dear Carl:--I am glad to hear that you are comfortably situated. Iregret that you were so headstrong and unreasonable. It seems to me thatyou might, with a little effort, have got on with your stepmother. Youcould hardly expect her to treat you in the same way as her own son. Heseems to be a good boy, but I own that I have never been able to becomeattached to him."
Carl read this part of the letter with satisfaction. He knew how meanand contemptible Peter was, and it would have gone to his heart to thinkthat his father had transferred his affection to the boy he had so muchreason to dislike.
"I am glad you are pleased with your prospects. I think I could havedone better for you had your relations with your stepmother been such asto make it pleasant for you to remain at home. You are right in thinkingthat I am interested in your welfare. I hope, my dear Carl, you willbecome a happy and prosperous man. I do not forget that you are my son,and I am still your affectionate father,
"Paul Crawford."
Carl was glad to receive this letter. It showed him that his stepmotherhad not yet succeeded in alienating from him his father's affection.
But we must return to the point where we left Carl on his journey toBuffalo. He enjoyed his trip over the Central road during the hours ofdaylight. He determined on his return to make an all-day trip so that hemight enjoy the scenery through which he now rode in the darkness.
At Buffalo he had no other business except that of Mr. Jennings, andimmediately after breakfast he began to make a tour of the furnitureestablishments. He met with excellent success, and had the satisfactionof sending home some large orders. In the evening he took train forNiagara, wishing to see the falls in the early morning, and resume hisjourney in the afternoon.
He registered at the International Hotel on the American side. Itwas too late to do more than take an evening walk, and see the fallsgleaming like silver through the darkness.
"I will go to bed early," thought Carl, "and get up at six o'clock."
He did go to bed early, but he was more fatigued than he supposed, andslept longer than he anticipated. It was eight o'clock before he camedownstairs. Before going in to breakfast, he took a turn on the piazzas.Here he fell in with a sociable gentleman, much addicted to gossip.
"Good-morning!" he said. "Have you seen the falls yet?"
"I caught a glimpse of them last evening I am going to visit them afterbreakfast."
"There are a good many people staying here just now--some quite notedpersons, too."
"Indeed!"
"Yes, what do you say to an English lord?" and Carl's new friend noddedwith am important air, as if it reflected great credit on the hotel tohave so important a guest.
"Does he look different from anyone else?" asked Carl, smiling.
"Well, to tell the truth, he isn't much to look at," said the other."The gentleman who is with him looks more stylish. I thought he was thelord at first, but I afterwards learned that he was an American namedStuyvesant."
Carl started at the familiar name.
"Is he tall and slender, with side whiskers, and does he weareyeglasses?" he asked, eagerly.
"Yes; you know him then?" said the other, in surprise.
"Yes," answered Carl, with a smile, "I am slightly acquainted with him.I am very anxious to meet him again."