Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1890-01-18
A Life's Lesson.
"Be reasonable, father"
Hp %

"Be reasonable, father"
Reasonable !"
Old John Prime was in no reason
able mood. Recent financial disasters
had wrecked his fortune. Had his
temper even been less proud and irrit-
able than it was, it might not have
borne undisturbed, under the circum-
stances, the proposal of his eldest and
favorite daughter to exchange the
sumptuous suite of apartments he had
hitherto occupied for one small room
at the house.
The house, a costly mansion in Bel
gravia had once been his own but, on
the marriage of his daughter to the
man Of his choice, he had given it to
her, with a handsome portion besides
He had never comprehend before that
the home he had lived in so long was
no longer his.
eve are expecting visitors to stay
with us, you Know" his daughter re-
piled.
"Ah, yes-the Fitz Flashes Of
course | am of less consequence than
they"
"Be reasonable, father
81 am reasonable. | begin to see
that this house is no longer mine. If
you choose to turn me out of it | have
no right to complain. 1t would be
most unreasonable to do So
1--WE have no wish to discommode
YOU" answered the daughter; "but
Augustus and have talked the matter
over, and if you could be content, for
the present, to 60 to some respectable
"Cheap clearinghouse" broke in the
old gentleman.
"To some respectable place" con-
tinued his daughter, "where you could
be suitably accommodated, at reason
able expense
"Well ?"
at would be more agreeable for all
concerned"
"There is one difficulty, however"
said Mr.. Prime, with enforced calm
ness.
"What is that ?"
GLOW to meet the reasonable ex-
pense.
Augustus has generously consented
to take that upon himself.
crowded that it be kept within
moderate bounds, no doubt retorted
the old man bitterly.
"Of course" answered his daughter.
augustus could not be expected to in
cur unnecessary outlay these hard
times. I'm sure | think his offer ex-
ceedingly generous"
Exceedingly, indeed Let me make
sure that l fully appreciate it. 1t is to
turn me out of the house | was foolish
enough to give away, and to pay my
weekly bills provided they be not too
extravagant) out Of money which, but
for my own folly, would still be mine.
Hank you, Jane Mordaunt | have
given you and your husband over half
my fortune. Calamity has stripped me
of the rest, but if l am to live on
charity it shall not be on yours Or his. "
His lip quivered and his eye glist-
ened beneath the cold glance of the
| daughter on whom he had unsparingly
| lavished wealth and affection. With
| bowed head and faltering steps, he
| crossed the threshold, determined,
| whatever might betide, never to return.
Penniless, homeless, and childless- :
worse than childless, is he whose child's
heart is closed against him-John
Prime wandered forth, whittier he
cared not.
His younger daughter, Mary, had
married against his will. He had long
banished her, or thought he had, from
his heart But the sorrowful, loving
face she had turned upon him when he
had f rbade her his presence for cleav-
ing to the man for whom she had felt
it her duty to forsake father and
mother, now rose up in singular vivid
ness before him. Could that face ever
4 have worn the cold, unfeeling look OF
| his eldest-born when she suffered him
to go forth destitute and desolate with
4 out bidding nm larry
He walked on without needing. His
attention was at last drawn to little
| girl running toward him.
"Please, sir" said the child, who had
run away frightened from crowd
whose notice she had attracted
"please, sir, Pm lost"
The little face looking up so trust
ingly into his own diverted current O
his thoughts.
"What is your name?" he asked
patting the child's head.
"Lucy?" she answered.
"Have you any other p
No; she was just Lucy.
1 Equally fruitIess were all inquiries
touching her residence.
| Mr.. Prime was perplexed. He was
unwilling to leave the child in the