The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-24
HAD A SAD EXPERIENCE,
Williams Hair Curled Up and
Made Him Look Old and
Stale.
Time Had Not Changed the Par
ent's Ideas of His Old
Boy.
Life Made Miserable by u Fond Father
of Eighty-six Tor His Boy of
Sixty-Three.

ting with his legs crossed, swinging the
foot that was off the floor in a sort of pre-
occupied way, as though nothing in par
ticular engrossed his mind, except that
lively idea of pleasure ono experiences
when homeward bound after a day of hard
work in the rumhling, dusty city, writes II.
X. Munkittrick in Harper's.
When I took a seat beside him he did not
appear particularly glad to see me, al
though l had not seen him for several
months. 1 concluded that he was deeply
irritated over something that had recently
happened. and in this conjecture l soon
learned that l as right, for he suddenly
brought his hand down on his knee and ex-
claimed:
"Great Cesar"
Then he suddenly paused, and seemed
of long duration, for he again brought his
emphasis:
ut is Just unbearable. and l don't sup
pose it will ever STOP"
II trust nothing has gone wrong with
you," I said, as soothingly as I could.
"Nothing has one wrong exactly" he
replied. but l don't suppose it will ever
stop as long as he lives"
1t was impossible to guess the cause of
his trouble from his remarks; and / felt
that it would be an i~mpertinence to ques-
ton him, even when he said, almost tear
fully:
"It made me feel very small and cheap,
before all the people present"
And after a moments pause he contin-
ned in the same emphatic vein:
cit makes me mad all over whenever I
think of it,"
Then he paused, and seemed quieted,
and l thought l might do him a kindness
by diverting his thoughts from the IN
pleasant subject that seemed to annoy him
so persistently. But before l could change
the subject in such a way as not to make it
too apparent, he turned to me and said;
II had a sad experience to-day"
l told him l was very sorry to hear it.
"ies," he continued, as though it was a
relief to make it known, "it was sad, and l
shall not soon forget the laugh at my ex-
pense. / can hear it yet. You see l went
down to my fathers Office
81 see," l replied. And when I made this
reply I could only think of the pleasant ex-
periences a boy usually has when he visits
his fathers office, especially on Saturday,
and that is about the only day upon which
he can make such a visit-how he goes out
to luncheon with his father, and demands
strawberries and ice cream, and every other
delicaoy for which he has a weakness. and
how he wheedles a baseball and a tennis
bat out of his father on the strength of the
fact that he has just recovered from a Sc
we're attack of scarlet fever, and that he (the
father) should illustrate the gratitude that
he feels or pretends to feel by some sub
stantial purchases.
And then,' he continued, while he trem-
bled with emotion, "as soon as l entered
the Office, whore l found a number of my
fathers friends congregated, he said:
William, why in the world don't you go
and get your hair cut? 1t is curling up be-
hind like the petal of a tiger-lily, and it
makes you look stale and.' Then there was
q loud laugh, and | felt very mean"
l made no comment, and he proceeded:
"My father then noticed that my trousers
were bagged at the knees, and called the
attention of his friends to it, and started
another laugh, a great deal louder and
longer than the first; and not being salts
fed with this, he told me to get my shoes
blacked, and this provoked another out
burst. His parting words were, Go and have
your shoes BACKED at a barber's shop, and
have your hair out at the same time
When I left, l half made up my mind not
70 go to my fathers office again.
AS l didn't say anything in reply, lest by
denouncing the act of the father l would
wound the feelings of the son, he went on:
WAab Indue INC particularly mAu was
the ~allusion to my hair, and his brusque
of-hand: William, why in the world don't
you 90 and get your hair cut? Those
scraggly locks give you an old. stale, worried
look that ill becomes you.' You see, he
never can get over the fact that 1 am his
boy, and that he should treat me now just
as he did when l was ten years old. Time
has changed his ideas as regards the rela-
lions of parent and child a bit. He would
think it proper to order me to bed without
supper now if / did anything to displease
him. The idea of him telling me my long
hair makes me look old, and here l am
only slxty-three."
And how old is he?' I asked.
"He? Why, he is eighty-si1; and to hear
him talk to me you would think I was
about twelve. Oh! oh! how those friends Of
his laughed when he told me to get my hair
cut! ! was never so exasperated in my life
before.'D
And what did you say in reply?" I
asked.
Say? I scarcely knew what to say" he
replied. ION account of my anger; but
finally l said: Il will have it cut to-mor-
row to please you. | am not surprised that
you should notice the stale old look my
long scraggily hair gives me, and l am not
surprised to see that you are pained to see
me looking 80 stale and old. when you are
so young and vigorous yourself"