Outward Bound | Page 4

of an hereditary disease, which gave no indication
of its presence till she had passed her thirtieth year. Two years later, his
daughter, just blooming into maturity, followed her mother down to the
silent tomb, stricken in her freshness and beauty by the same insidious
malady.
The husband and father was left desolate. His purest and fondest hopes
were blighted; but, while he was submissive to the will of the Father,
who doeth all things well, he became gloomy and sad. He was not seen
to smile for a year after the death of his daughter, and it was three years
before he had recovered even the outward semblance of his former
cheerfulness. He was rich, but alone in the world. He continued to
reside in the home which was endeared to him by the memories of his
loved and lost ones.
When his wife's sister died in poverty, leaving two children, he had
taken them to his home, and had become a father to them. Harry
Martyn was a good boy, and Josephine Martyn was a good girl; but
they were not his own children. There was something wanting--an
aching void which they could not fill, though Mr. Lowington was to
them all that could be asked or expected of a parent.
Mr. Lowington busied himself in various studies and experiments; but
life had ceased to be what it was before the death of his wife and
daughter. He wanted more mental occupation; he felt the need of
greater activity, and he was tempted to return to the navy, even after his
absence of ten years from the service; but this step, for many reasons,
was not practicable. At the time when his garden was invaded by the
vandal students from the Brockway Academy, he was still thinking
what he could do to save himself from the inglorious life of ease he was
leading, and, at the same time, serve his country and his race.

Shuffles had robbed his garden of some of his choicest fruit; had struck
his nephew a severe blow on the head, and threatened to inflict still
greater chastisement upon him in the future. Mr. Lowington was justly
indignant; and his own peace and the peace of the neighborhood
demanded that the author of the mischief should be punished,
especially as he was an old transgressor. It was absolutely necessary
that something should be done, and the retired naval officer was in the
right frame of mind to do it. Just then, when he was wrought up to the
highest pitch of indignation, his anger vanished. Shuffles at sixteen was
the counterpart of himself at fifteen.
This was certainly no reason why the hand of justice should be stayed.
Mr. Lowington did not intend to stay it, though the thought of his own
juvenile depravity modified his view, and appeased his wrath. He put
on his hat and left the house. He walked over to the Academy, and
being shown to the office of the principal, he informed him of the
depredations committed in his garden.
"Who did it, Mr. Lowington?" demanded the principal, with proper
indignation in his tones and his looks.
"Shuffles."
"I need not have asked. That boy gives me more trouble than all the
others put together," added Mr. Baird, with an anxious expression.
"And yet what can I do with him?"
"Expel him," replied Mr. Lowington, laconically.
"I don't like to do that."
"Why not?"
"It would be an injury to me."
"Why so?"
"It would offend his father, who is a person of wealth and influence.

When Shuffles came to Brockway ten other boys came with him. He
was expelled from another institution, which so incensed his father that
he induced the parents of ten others to take their sons out, and send
them to me. If I expel Shuffles, I shall lose about a dozen of my
students, and I can't afford to do that."
"But must the neighborhood suffer from his depredations?"
"I will talk with the boy; I will keep him in his room for a week."
"I'm afraid the boy needs severer measures. If this were the first, or
even the third time, I would, not say so much."
"My dear sir, what can I do?"
"The boy needs strict discipline. If I were still in the navy, and had him
aboard my ship, I could make a man of him."
"I don't think anything can be done."
"Something must be done, Mr. Baird. My garden shall not be robbed
with impunity."
"I will do what I can, Mr. Lowington."
But the owner of the stolen fruit was by this time satisfied that nothing
would be done. The principal of the Brockway Academy had not force
nor influence enough to control such a boy as Shuffles. Mr.