THE GUARDIAN AND HIS WARD.
TO go back a few weeks in our narrative. Mr. McKinstry succeeded, by
what means he never explained, in obtaining from Monson P. Tracy the
amount of Sarah Barrows' bill, with interest from the time it was due.
This, with the sum already subscribed, made a little more than the
three hundred dollars needed for a year's expenses at an academy near
by.
The poor orphan, crushed with the weight of her grief, dreading to look
into the future which seemed so dark and cold, could only falter out
her prayers and try to calm her bleeding heart by repeating to herself
the promises of God to the fatherless ones.
When Helen Edmond, with a face like a sunbeam, burst into her darkened
room with a paper in one hand and a roll of bills in the other, and
announced to the desolate girl the success of her plan, and the
necessity of immediate exertion in order to reach the school at
the commencement of the term, Sarah pressed her hands to her head,
bewildered with her good fortune.
At last, when her kind friend had related in detail the manner in which
the happy result had been brought about; she said:
"I do not deserve such generous kindness. I have been praying God to
open a way for me to support myself honestly, but I was faithless and
unresigned."
"But you will never be so again, Sarah. I am so glad for you. It is
necessary to go at once; and you must write me how you succeed in your
studies."
This was only a few days before Helen's return to Maytown. And in
consequence of her change of residence, she did not receive any
intelligence from her protégé until she was settled at Woodbine Cottage.
In the letter Sarah announced that she had been admitted at once to the
senior class, and that by teaching a few hours daily in the primary
department, she could earn enough to pay for lessons in vocal and
instrumental music of which she was passionately fond.
By the terms of Mr. Edmond's will, a part of the property would revert
to Frank on his twenty-first birthday. But the full division would not
be made until his sister had attained her majority.
Under many circumstances this would have been a judicious arrangement.
Frank's time was now occupied in completing his professional studies,
he having chosen the law, and Helen being still too young to need more
than the limited allowance given her by her guardian.
Just before they left the city, Frank had sought an interview with
Mr. Tracy, in consequence of a note received from him in reference
to certain new investments. The young man only knew in general that
aside from the grounds around Woodbine Cottage, a considerable sum was
invested in real estate, being let out to mortgagees who paid interest
on the same. The great bulk of the property, however, lay in City
stocks.
It was in regard to a part of these stocks, and the interest
accumulating from them, that Mr. Tracy wished to talk with his ward,
who since his father's decease had endeavored to fit himself for the
care of his property.
Exactly at this juncture, a company of speculators were in the city,
getting subscribers to the purchase of a lead mine in one of the
Western States. They had handsome drawings of the locality, with minute
details of the wonderful facilities afforded for getting the metal into
market. Day after day these gentlemen had been closeted for hours with
Monson P. Tracy and had so effectually convinced him of the immense
value of the mine, that he had resolved to invest in it every dollar he
could raise. He also resolved to advise Frank to buy shares with the
capital now lying at interest.
But young and inexperienced as he was, the law student hesitated.
He had often heard his father warn others against being drawn into
the vortex of speculation. He felt that he had no right to risk the
patrimony which had descended to him.
Mr. Tracy, however, opposed such fair arguments to his objections,
representing the advantages which would be sure to accrue, in such
glowing colors, that, though not entirely convinced, Frank consented
that a small sum should be risked, as he insisted on calling the
investment.
Had the young man been aware with whom he had to deal, could he have
known that the shares in the lead mine were made an excuse for probing
him as to his own knowledge of the various investments made by his
father; more than all, had he imagined that instead of a friend bound
to his interests by personal regard, as well as by gratitude to his
father, his guardian was a mean, selfish man, thinking only how much
he could be benefited, he would never have laid himself open by his
perfect frankness, as the mark of a designing villain.
Frank Edmond, like his father before him, was totally deceived in the
character of Monson P. Tracy. Judging the man from himself, and from
what appeared on the surface, Mr. Roswell Edmond formed an opinion of
what his old protégé ought to be, rather than of what he was. Indeed,
having had reason to be fully satisfied with the business capacity of
his former clerk, he rested on the assurance that in the pecuniary
responsibilities of his wards, he would spare no pains in the care of
their fortune.
Unfortunately the example of Mr. Edmond was followed by a wealthy
widow—named Quincy, who made Mr. Tracy guardian to her son, a young man
of nineteen, with "phet roviso" that the child was not to have control
of his fortune until his twenty-fifth year.
There were some men, Mr. McKinstry among them, who shook their heads,
and prognosticated evil in the future for the wards. While others, not
so shrewd and discriminating, were willing to adopt Monson P. Tracy's
opinion of himself and believe him to be a man of unflinching integrity.
Three months after Frank's conversation with his guardian, he received
notice through a friend that he was reported as one of the largest
owners in the lead mines. The speculation by shrewd financiers was
considered wild in the extreme, the difficulty of access to the
locality being almost insurmountable.
In consequence of this intelligence, the collegian visited the city,
for the purpose of ascertaining its truth. He called at his guardian's
counting-room on three successive occasions, but found him absent, or
too much engaged to see him.
He then wrote, requesting the gentleman to appoint an hour for an
interview.
This meeting proved wholly unsatisfactory. Mr. Tracy assumed the high
ground of acting according to the instructions of the will. He said
he had only consulted his ward on a former occasion out of courtesy,
and not because he felt incompetent to decide what was best for their
interests. And he requested, in a lofty tone, that there might be no
further interference in his business.
The interview gave the student great uneasiness, especially as through
the kindness of the same friend who had before written him, he obtained
access to the list of names of the lead mine stock-holders, and was
startled to find that twenty thousand dollars worth of shares was
accredited to him.
This fact sent him in a hurry to a lawyer with whom he had already
entered his name as a student, to inquire whether the powers of a
guardian over the property of minors was not limited, and found, to his
keen regret, that it was so, to a more or less degree, according to the
terms of the will, and that in his case, Monson P. Tracy's control was
entire. Indeed, so perfect had been Mr. Edmond's confidence in his old
clerk, that when advised to add Mr. Knowles' name to the other, he had
answered his attorney:
"If Mr. Tracy will accept the trust, no other will be necessary. He
will handle my children's fortunes, and secure their welfare in every
respect as if they were his own."
There was no other help for the young man than patience. He returned to
Maytown far more of his sister's opinion in regard to their guardian
than he had left it. Helen, quick to discriminate character, had long
insisted that he was capable of any dishonesty which would not render
him amenable to law; and more, that by a subtle way of reasoning,
he would convince himself that any act which would advance his own
interests, was right.
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