"At last Richard was expelled from college, and Uncle was so angry with
him that he told him he would do nothing more for him. He must go to work.
Richard's father and mother had not much money, and there were other
children to support. Richard threatened me with all sorts of awful things
if I did not coax Uncle to take him back into his good graces again. I
told him I would not say a word to Uncle. He was very angry and swore at
me. When I tried to leave the room he locked the door and would not let me
go until I screamed for help. Then he almost choked me, but when he heard
Uncle coming he jumped out of the window. The next day he forged a check
in my uncle's name, and tried to throw suspicion on me, but he was
discovered, and my uncle disinherited him. Uncle had intended to educate
Richard and start him well in life, but now he would have nothing further
to do with him. It seemed to work upon my uncle's health, all the disgrace
to the family name, although no one ever thought of my uncle in connection
with blame. As he paid Richard's debts, it was not known what the boy had
done, except by the banker, who was a personal friend.
"We went abroad then, and everywhere Uncle amused himself by putting me
under the best music masters, and giving me all possible advantages in
languages, literature, and art. Three years ago he died at Carlsbad, and
after his death I went back to my music studies, following his wishes in
the matter, and staying with a dear old lady in Vienna, who had been kind
to us when we were there before.
"As soon as my uncle's death was known at home, Richard wrote the most
pathetic letter to me, professing deep contrition, and saying he could
never forgive himself for having quarrelled with his dear uncle. He had a
sad tale of how the business that he had started had failed and left him
with debts. If he had only a few hundred dollars, he could go on with it
and pay off everything. He said I had inherited all that would have been
his if he had done right, and he recognized the justice of it, but begged
that I would lend him a small sum until he could get on his feet, when he
would repay me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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