Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-03-02
CONFUSION OF TITLES.


'.And SO Fields had wife and six
childrenl" Mr.. Scott smiled gently to
himself as he thought of it. "And not
only wife and six children, but he had
been married twice-he had had two
wives" There was nothing absurd nor
remarkable about these facts, except as
Mr.. Scott chose to make them So He
had known Thomas Fields for ten or if
teen years ON Wall street, and he had al
ways fancied him an old bachelor, while
in truth he was mourning one wife and
counting another.
81 wonder if he made lovel' said Mr..
Scott to himself, and again he smiled.
Then he wondered if the six boys looked
like their father. And there was no rea-
son why they should not have been will
ing to look like him, for he was by no
means i'll favored, although he was tall
and spare, and had the anxious, worried
look of man whose anxieties and re-
sponsibilities outrun his resources. But
as far as money goes this was not true of
Mr.. Fields, who was very rich man in
deed.
Perhaps it pleased Mr.. Scott to be
facetious, and to take lively and con-
trary view Of life. 1t was late afternoon
and near train time, and all the young
people and the wives whose husbands
went to the city every day had gone to
the station, SO that the two men were
almost alone under the tree ON the lawn
where they had placed their chairs. They
were smoking, and Mr.. Scott was toying
with tennis racquet left in his care.
After a while Mr.. Scott spoke, not the
substance but the shadow of his thoughts:
Your boys ought to be great comfort
to you, Fields. Six sons! They ought to
carry on your business and perpetuate
your name"
They will not carry on my business
not one of them. When Dick made
up his mind that he wanted to go to
West Point, and Bob determined to study
medicine, | didn't care, because there
were the four left; but Logan has taken
to farming, Fred has gone into law, and
Harry has perfect craze about becom-
ing q minister; SO you see the business
will go into other hands. 1t is not right
NOT at all right"
but there are six of them? How
about the sixth?'
''Phill He is the greatest disappoint-
ment of all. The brightest boy have,
Mr.. Scott"
"Well?"
phil has very reprehensible ideas.
He writes verses, and will not go into
business nor into q profession. He says
he can live on his allowance. And he
does, I'll say that for him-and on his
salary"
"His salary2 Why. then. he is in
business"
"Just now he is. In brewery. He
is a clerk in a brewery. and gets $3.50 q
year. That is like Phil. Obstinate-a
perfect pig headed fellow for obstinacy."
But | don't understand, said Mr..
Scott. Don't you want him to be in a
brewery. or does he do it to spite your"
mot to spite me, but he is very ag-
gravating. I have talked to him good
deal, and have said some plain truths to
HIM One day he told me that he would
prove that he was not lazy, and that he
could earn his living at tread mil If he
chose, and so he found this situation and
took it. He says he means to stay q
year."
'Why, like that" cried Mr.. Scott.
1.-The boy has grit.
~ don't like grit" replied Mr.. Fields,
Iwhen it gets between my teeth"
"Well," said Mr.. Scott, "I've often
wished we had son, but six of them can
make life lively. My daughter is as good
Il girl as any one need desire, but she has
her vagaries.
''Your daughter is a very nice girl, !"
Mr.. Fields warmly responded, land a
very pretty one too. / have noticed her
a good deal If had daughter I
should be perfectly satisfied to have her
exactly like your Regina"
''She is very good girl, ]" repeated the
father, with modest pride: "but it is a
great responsibility to have a marriagea-
bic daughter"
Mr.. Fields grimly smiled. "She seems
to have her choice. All the young men
here have eyes for her only"
SIT is the poor quality Of the young
men, Mr.. Fields-the men of today.
Why, there is not 4 man at Oak Hill to
whom l would give Regina. No, nor IL.
New York, as far as l know. 1t is q
serious matter, and one to be looked at
from every point of view, this choosing
of husband for girl. She gives up
everything when she marries-name,
home everything into which she has
grown. To choose for girl means to
blindly take for her either misery or hap
piness.
"You are fortunate if you are allowed
to choose" Mr.. Fields dryly answered
Logan married well, and Bob is en-
gagged to very nice girl, one Of the
Hookers-Hooker. Hood & Co.; but here
comes another of Pills peryersities. he
wants to marry professional
"a professional? Is the lady on the
stasey
ssWorse than that-she-she is an ath-
lete, sort of female prize fighter"
sNVhy, that is horriblei I'd send him
away. Inever heard of such thing! ]
suppose she is prettyi"
81 do not know. have never spoken
to him ON the subject. He told Mrs.
Fields, his stepmother. l told her to say
to him from me that / would never hear
a word about her. In such matters it is
wise to be decided, and he had best I'M
derstand that we--that Twill never
countenance nor condone such match.
If he marries her he will have to keep to
the brewery
"You are quite right" firmly replied
Mr. Gooff rNrt1a Aohforf T rnvor