The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-08-06
THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

What ?"
q Your daughter and I are engaged
and We"
- Engaged Young man, have you
lost your senses Do you know whaf
you are talking about ?"
| presume it appears presumption:
in me, but your daughter"
d" Don't mention my daughter, young
man, wont hear of it !"
1--WE hoped you would give your con
sent"
q" Never !"
Carries says"
"Never mind what she says. You
can't have my consent, nor my daugh-
ter. Do you understand p
q do, sir" And Bernard Holm
turned resolutely toward the door.
Mr.. Weltall looked after the retreat
ing form of the young man with an
impatient and perplexed frown; then
he suddenly called him back.
''What have you to support wife
with ?"
g l haven't much yet, but we are both
young and can"
What business do you intend to
follow ?"
" Well, don't know exactly; I"
" Don't know! A young man of your
age without any money, and wanting to
marry girl who has always had every
comfort, and don't know exactly what
to do in life ?"
81 Mr.. Welthall, have an ambition
which l have entertained since | was a
child; but / have never mentioned it to
any one, fearing | might fail, and then
g Are you doing anything at pres
ent ?"
Il am employed as an engraver in a
jewelry store, sir ?"
" What wages ?"
Forty dollars month"
g Is that your ambition to become a
skilful engraver ?"
No, sir; it is not. | have always
I" Well, Mr.. Holm, you yourself must
see that it would not do to consign my
daughter to you without further notice.
You are without means; without pro-
fession | might almost say f.; doing one
thing and designing something different.
This shows instability of character,
more frmness and decision are required
in order to succeed in the world Mr..
Holm, than l think you possess. But
what is this ambition of yours ?"
g 1t is to become a painter, sir, an
artist"
1" Indeed Have you ever painted
anything ?"
Yes, sir, quite a number of pieces. "
-" How much will one of your paint
ings bring ?"
g Not very much, l am afraid, | have
not sold any as yet; /"
{" No? are you painting anything at
present ?"
lam engaged upon painting which
is about half finished"
4" What will it be worth when done ?"
I" don't know, sir l am not sure
that can get anything for it; but /
am in hopes"
We'll, Mr.. Holm, all / can say at
present is, that when you have decided
upon what pursuit to follow, and you
seem in fair way to succeed in it, we
will talk this matter over again. If
you decide to become a painter, come
to me when your picture is finished and
the cash for it is in your pocket, and
we will see what can be done. If you
fail 1 can see no hope for you, sir.
Good-day !"
Mr.. Weltall was in the office of his
extensive manufacturing establishment
when the above conversation took place.
OF large and of almost aldermanic
proportions Mr.. Weltall impressed one
with sense of infexible solidity. His
head was large, his face massive his
forehead broad, with corners as hard
and well defined as those of his fire and
| burglar-prOof safe. He wore heavy
gold watch and chain, with heavy
seal also diamond breast-pin worth
thousands of dollars and the wonder of
Valleythorpe. 1t was boast that there
was no nonsense about him meaning
thereby that he excluded everything in
life from his thoughts whose practical
| utilities were problematical. Being then
the wealthiest and most imposing per-
sonage in the village and for miles
around, his establishment was complete
when Bernard Holm came to inform him
| he and his daughter were betrothed.
He could not credit his sense of hear
! ing, though it was not his habit to dis
credit anything pertaining to himself;
and he could find no words wherewith to
characterize the young mans surprising
audacity.
After recovering in measure from his
amazement, his first impulse was to utter
ly crush the young mans hopes, and put
an efectual stop to any further devel-
opment of this love affair, of which he
had hitherto been ignorant. But when
Mr. Weltall: saw that Bernard turned
away with an air of defiance, the thought
suddenly flashed into his mind that he
would not be likely to show himself de-
| faint unless supported by the young
lady's love; and if that were the case,
Mr.. WelthaH knew his daughter well
enough to know that she would marry
him, whatever he might say or do to
the contrary. This was a consumma-
| ton he would not consider for a mo-
ment. The willy Mr.. Weltall, there
| fore, called Bernard Holm back, know
| ing that if he acted In a more concilia-
| tory manner, any immediate action con-
probability, be taken; and putting him
on probation, as it were, time would be
gained; and with time many things
might come to his help.
Why Mr.. Weltall was so opposed to
Bernard as a son-in-law viii be readily
understood when it is known that he
was poor, and nobody, particularly, in
Valleythorpe. A person not of conse-
quence enough to be noticed either IA
vorably or otherwise, he was let severe
ly alone. The fast young men of Val
leythorpe, who played billiards, bet at
horse races, arranged dancing parties at
which each was floor manager turn
about, held him in supreme contempt !;
they considered him = miIk-and-water
sort of young man, whose feelings and
passions were Of such n pale cast that
he was incapable Of any action of de-