Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-06-02
BREAKING A MATCH.
Mr.. Parks Takes as His Guide q
Novel OF the Day.

One evening Mr.. Joel Parks, a wealthy
manufacturer in the thriving New England
village of Redfeld, and DIR. Mills, leading
physician Of the same place, sat chatting in
the doctors office. A stranger noting the
ago and rather prosaic appearance of the
two men would hardly have guessed the
topic of conversation. They were discus
sing works of fiction.
~ must have been going on fifty years
old when read my first novel;" Mr.. Parks
was saying "You see man that starts on
journey, as l did, barefooted, so to speak,
has got to attend to business and nothing
else for good many years, il he expects to
get anywhere in particular at last. He
doesn't have much time for light reading,
doctor. But in the last few years, I've read
a good many, and | enjoy them, especially
when they seem true to life, and think !
can generally tell when they are. like
Trollope on that account. never saw an
Archbishop or a Duke, but know as we'll
as want to that he just hits them of to a
L. And like Howells IL he does hold such
men as be up to ridicule. And let me tell
you, doctor, there's instruction in novels.
Those writers have to study human nature
I've got many hint about managing mon
from reading those books"
Yes" said the doctor, give read them
sages and all. Funny, amt it!' he con-
tinued, show two old gray heads like you
and me will follow the love story of silly
boy and girl who won't listen to their nat
ural guardians, and sympathize with them
every time. We never have any feeling
for the sensible fathers and mothers of our
own age who are being plotted against"
Il don't know about that" was the reply;
~ do sometimes sympathize with the old
folks, and think that IL / had been in their
place would have been more successful in
having my way"
swell, JOEL" said the other with laugh
81 guess that Is one point on which you
never get much instruction from the story
teller. Papa and mama always have their
ideas of their daughters future. The wrong
young man happens along and she develops
her ideas quito opposite from theirs. And
she always comes out ahead. II you want
to carry your point with your offspring you
will have to learn how outside of story
book
so, as 10 that, perhaps the instruction
is all there, only its instructions how not
to do it. don't suppose that ! shall ever
want to interfere with my daughter about
husband or lover; but, il should, am
not sure but that could learn something
from the noyclists."
Iftherc were no condolences there would
be no stories. IL was coincidence that,
later on that same evening, Mrs. Joel Parks,
an amiablo lady whose mind was i'm her
husbands keeping, said to him:
joel, have You ever noticed that Leo
Tilton and Annie seemed to be taking
notion towards each other!"
Joel was engaged with his newspaper at
the time, and he did not take his eyes from
the list Of newly-appointed postmasters
which he had been reading. But 10 cost
him an effort, for his wife's question was
shock indeed. Such an idea bad never
- H.. A..I L. - -
cally at ease, he found his thoughts sadly
crowding each other.
Lee Tiltonl Ono of his own clerks
Likely fellow enough, pleasant and honest.
But he didn't like Lee Tilton. He didn't
know Just why, and he had never thought
OF IL before, but now he was sure Of so much
Lee was nothing but Redfeld boy any
way; and neutrality-suspicious. in little
place like that and living with his mother
and sistep. And then his daughter Annie
What future was possible for that girl
his daughter should never be given to Lee
Tiltop That was one decision, absolute
and final. A subordinate question was also
discussed and settled in mental council OF
war IL would perhaps be as well that Mrs
husbands feelings In the matter. So much
having been arranged, he slowly raised his
eyes from the paper, looked at his vito
absently, and said;
"Oom-eh"
81 was asking IL you had noticed any
thing in particular between Lee Tilton and
Annie" replied Mrs. Parks placidly.
mo. ] think not; what have you no
ticed.n
"why, do know not much Of any thing
perhaps. But he kind o. comes up here
evenings and they read together some.
And-well, one thing and another has led
me to think that they might be getting in
terested in each other"
Joel did not continue the conversation
but soon betook himself to the room, half
Office and half library, where he was won't
to retire when he had leisure for reading
or when he had some perplexing business
problem to think out. Here he sat awhile
in meditation. He had accepted in full his
wifes revelation without thought of invcs-
tigating the grounds on which IL was based.
His camp had been surprised; how should
tho shelves which lined the room, and
hastily turned over the pages Of several
novels, Just as lawyer might In an erner-
gency consult books with which he was al
ready familiar.
Yes, here were plenty of cases. Here was
the girl Of high social position, the>laughter
OF Duke, who becomes enamored OF the
poor young commoner. The father inter
fcres. Girl will not disobey her father, but
neither will she give up her lover. Taken
abroad and no correspondence allowed
No use. Takes no interest in any thing
Rarely seen to smile. Father has TO give 1t
"Of course he does,- soliloquised Joel;
$50 should I. You don't want TO break
your daughters heart, and when girl has
a mind OF her own, like Annie, gets II fairly
setypon any thing, you can't change 1t for
Here IVES another caaa. youno ladv loved