The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-01-24


(which way are you going, Phil5"
The young man, who was already starting
off at rapid pace, returned, and said, in q
low tone:
''Can't you imagine~
The older man took his partners hand, and
seemed to want to say something.
"What is it, Mr.. Tramlay9" asked Phil, for
the silence was somewhat embarrassing.
"My dear fellow" said the merchant, "a
man who has just given away his daughter is
usually supposed to have done great favor. I"
"As you certainly have done," Phil re-
Piled
THANK you, for want to ask one in re-
turn Fathers aren't sole proprietors of their
daughters, you know Mrs. Tramlay-when
you speak 20 her about the affair, as, of
course, you will, be as-be aldo be your
most considerable, courteous self, won't your
~ beg you will trust me for that" said
Phil
''I'm sure l can--or could, if you under
stood mothers as well as some day you may"
II have a mother, you know" suggested
Phil
"True, but she had no daughters, | believe.
Mothers and iaughters-well, they're not ex-
actly like mothers and sons. Mrs. Tramlay
respects you highly, know; but she may not
have seemed as friendly to your suit as you
could have liked. Try to forget that, won't
youa-and forgive it if it has made you I'M
comfortableg'
81 would forgive bitter enemy tonight,
if had one" said the excited youth.
''That's right: that's right; man has so
few chances to feel that way that he ought
to improve them all. You'll even be patient,
should 1t be necessarily
Ac Tnl1u
"Thank you'll God bless you'll" said the
merchant, wiinging Phils hand and turning
away Phil again started. The merchant
walked toward the club, stopped after taking
a few steps, looked in the direction Phil had
taken, drew his hat down over his eyes, hur-
ried to his house, entered the basement door,
sneaked up the back stairway as if he were
thief, and quietly entered his own room,
which, to his great relief, was empty.
Meanwhile, Phil had reached the house and
been admitted. He had not to ask fol- Lucia,
for he heard through the open door of the
parlor some piano chords which he knew
were touched only by her fingers. Lucia did
not hear him enter, and as he stopped to look
at her she seemed to be in revery that was
not cheerful. He had never seen her looking
$3.50 plain, he would have said, had she
been any one else There was no color in her
face, and her cheeks seemed thin and drawn.
An involuntary motion startled her. and she
turned, exclaiming:
"How You frightened mel"
81 wish you might punish me in some way
for it," said Phil, approaching her.
at was so late that 1 did not imagine any
one would call, the girl exclaimed.
81 was quite busy in the earlier part of the
evening"" said Phil, "and needed to see your
father
Business is horrid," said Lucia. 81 should
think men would attend to it by daylight.
Well, believe papa went to the club"
eyes; found him."
"And, as usual, he sent you home for some
horrid papers of some kindr'
"No, not exactly" said Phil How I'M
comfortable it is to have dream dispelled-
even day dreaml All along the way to the
house he had imagined just how she would
look; he could see tho flush of her cheek
through the half mile Of darkness that he had
traversed, his path had seemed illumined by
the light of her eyes, yet now she was pallid,
and her eyes had none of their customary
luster, and her mental condition-it did not
seem at all appropriate to the conversation
which he had a hundred times imagined and
upon which he had set his heart that night.
Well, he would bepatient: Faint heart meyer
won fair lady"
AREN'T you little severe on your father
for his devotion to businessg" he ventured to
ask. "Out in the country we have an old
saying, Make hay while the sun Shines The
sun never shone brighter than now in the
iron business"
eyes, l know" replied Lucia YEARLY. "It's
always something for business sake Yes,
we have that same dreadful saying in New
York"
But it's all for the sake of women that
men are so absorbed in business, [" argued Phil.
"What would your father care for business,
IL it weren't for his wife and charming
daughters and younger children2 He never
sees iron, / imagine while he is talking about
1t, nor even thinks Of the money for its own
sake Greenbacks and gold and notes and
bonds all transform themselves in his eyes,
suppose, into dresses and cloaks and bonnets
and opera boxes and trips to Europe and".-.
"You silly fellow" said Lucia, with the
first smile upon which she had ventured that
evening; II wonder where you get such no.
tons. If you don't give them up you will
some day find yourself writing poetry-some-
thing about the transmutation of railroad
iron into gold. Think how ridiculous that
would SCENT"
But when iron attempts to gild refined
gold-to paint the lily" said Phil. los /,
does in your fathers case, why, 'twould be
worth dropping into poetry TO tell of at least
one instance where Shakespeare's conclusion
was wrong You know the rest of the quo
tationp
Yes, evidently UIcia knew It, for her cheek
glowed prettily under the compliment,
which, while SOMEWHAT awkward, reached
its mark by the help Of Phil's eyes, AS for
Phil, his heart begun to beitself again; whose
heart wouldn't, his asked himself, under the
of having given onc second of
pleasure to that dear girlf
"You seem to be in sermonizing mood
tonight" said Lucia. 81 know my father is
the best man alive, and supposed you liked
him-a little; but I can't imagine what
should have impressed you SO strongly with
him tonight"
Phil studied tho toes of his boots, tho tints |
Of the patternles rug, the design Of the |
frescoed ceiling. Lucia watched him with |
an amused face, and finally said, Even yon
don't seem to know"
III know" said Phil, slowly, land I'm try |
Ing to think how to express 1t properly"
Poor fellowi how he did despise himself, |
that what he had hurried there to saw would I