The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-06-14
A WORLD OLD STORY.
ny REBEcCA HARDING DAVIS.


independently
Mr.. Joseph Latimer was the owner and
editor Of daily journal in one of our large
inland cities. When his son Hugh married
he took him into partnership and made him
managing editor of the paper, which by that
time had become very valuable property.
Gradually Mr.. Latimer gave up active interest
in The Age to his son, who came, however,
to the house every evening to consult with
him.
One day. when the future policy of the
paper upon an important interstate CONNER
cial question was to be decided, Hugh found
his father waiting In the hall for him. He
beckoned him into the library. I'VE shall
not be interrupted here" he said.
But the sweet, decided voice Of a woman
sounded from the stairs: Bring Hugh up to
my room. my dear. 1t is too cold for me In
the library"
Inc young man gave an impatient shrug.
Il have vsry little time. and 1t will take so
long to explain the matter to mother!"
Yes, yes" said Mr.. Latimer. "But don't
be impatient with her. Hugh; she used to
consult with me about every point in the
paper when 1t started, and her interest is
just as keen now"
1T was little 6x10 weekly sheet then, full
of stories and Riddles" grumbled the young
man as he followed his father up the stairs.
But he smiled as he entered the CHEEKY
little room, with its warm, crimson drapery
and bright wood fire, known in the house as
Mothers Corner. and gave his mother a
hearty hug and kiss. She was slight deli
cate. dalntily dressed woman. with her white
hair curling little ON her forehead, soft
color on her cheeks and certain CLEAN Of
command In her friendly brown eyes.
The Latimer children were all proud of
their mothers beauty and charm; and they
were besides as fond of her as they had been
when they were children, she being, as Hugh
often said. "the most motherly of mothers"
us Clara with you, Hugh?" she asked.
"Yes; she.is in the parlor with Frances.
Are you not going down, mother?"
Presently. must take part In this pour
Ddrler FIRST She sat down beside her little
workable near the fire. "Go on, boys, am
all attention" nodding and smiling brightly
at them.
The two men began their consultation, but
under restraint. Mrs ,Latimer interrupted
them with incessant questions.
II am shamefuily ignorant on this matter,
Hugh" she said at last. ''Indeed, / have
not helped you at all on The Age this winter.
as l should have done. What with manag-
ing the house and taking Frances into society
and overlooking Jerry a. college, have lost
le mot on home and foreign politics."
81 keep Clara in ignorance of BOTH" said
Hugh "a foul muddle everywhere, tell
her. Women had better keep apartfrom It."
"Oh. Claralp The color rose to Mrs. Lati-
mers cheek. She was silent moment
"Pray do not decide on this matter. Joseph"
she said, until have looked into 1t little.
Your papa used to say, Hugh, Give me
Susan's intuitions before any mans reason
ings.'" She smiled fondly at her husband.
"Ah. mother, you like to put your, little
fingers into every pie!" said Hugh, with a
short, annoyed laugh.
Mrs. Latimer shot keen glance at him
The joke Jared on her. As she sat there
every day. listening to the family consul
tations, she always liked to remember
Madame de Maintenon stitching at her seam
in the council Of the king, speaking the de-
cisive word which controlled the destinies of
France.
But Hugh just now had spoken to her as to
a child who must be amused
"Hughp' m
Only the other day she was teac the
dull boy his primer; and how dull he was
They were talking now of newspaper
man from New York, who had written two
OF three articles for The Age.
"If you say SO, father" said Hugh, II will
make a permanent arrangement with Noblet
tonight. He is the very man for the times"
"rhen the times demand neither wit, logic
nor sense" said Mrs. Latimer, with acerbity.
"The man is slangy and shallow"
"He really is very popular writer just
now, my DEAR" said her husband gently.
"He will help the paper immensely"
"By lowering Its tone? His styles execra-
BILE. Surely you will allow, Joseph, that 1
am Judge of good English. You used to
say that my taste was founded on the best
models"
"Yes, yes, Susan but the models and you
and are all a little old fashioned, am
afraid"
The angry tears rose to Mrs. Latimer's
eyes. my opinion is of very little value, l
see," she said. Il shall not offer 1t again.
Do as you think best"
Hugh put his hand on her shoulders and
kissed her. 'I'm afraid we must in this case,
nanny DEAR" she said. ''Noblet will be a
big card for us. l must telephone for him
tonight. The Era is trying to snap him vi"
She knitted her brows and shipped her
thread wrathfully, but did not speak, Hugh
remembered how these signs used to make
his heart quake when he was a little chap,
standing before her knees. Dear nanny
Under all she was alwaps soft-hearted and
loving. He recollected that he had promised
Jerry to try to change his mothers opinion
in a certain matter. and with laundering dull
ness of a man he chose this most unlucky
moment to it.
"Oh, by the way, mother; about Jerry"
"Well, what about JerryP" said Mrs. Lati-
mer. coldly
1.-THE boy wishes to join fraternity at col
lege, and
"YOu need not go on; am perfectly aware
of his wishes. He will join no fraternity.
His father and you were graduated with
honor, and you belonged to no such ridiculous
organizations"
should not call them ridiculous, mother.
They belong to the confederatiye spirit of the
times. Everything is done now by clubs,
associations and guilds. This Fraternity
which Jerry wishes to join is one of the most
important in. the college The best men In
his class belong to it. Really, dear. Won are
making mistake. 1t would keep the Inv
out of much temptation"
''NonsenseI have no patience W it'll these
new-fanglej notions about coddling bows.
My brothers at Jerry's age learned their les
sons in the attic. IL they did not know them
they had a Gaming either at school OF at home.
And look at the men they made! But the
boys of this generation! They must be
coaxed to do their simple duty. Why, Jerry
came to me yesterday, asking to have a room
in the third floor fitted up for his own use
His camera and lathe and tools and all his
other jimcracks must go into it--'so that he
could invite his friends there"
IAN excellent ideaw exclaimed Mr. Lati
mer, with pleased laugh. II will order the
room to be repapered tomorrow"
''You do not suppose that consented tC
such thing, Joseph" Mrs. Latimer re-
piled, actually growing pale In her excite
ment. 81 will keep my boy under my owl
eye. lie can bridg his companions to this
room. They shall always be welcome.
win do what can to entertain and amuse