The Forrest City times., 1891-03-20
HIS FATHERS OLD FRIENDS.
The Introduction That Brought (
 Thoughtless Youth to His Senses.


 The Introdnction That Brought .
 Thoughtless Youth to His Senses.
 '.The old gentleman played queee trick on me the other night he said, us he lit his cigar after dinner. gs.It was rather awkward for me at first, but l guess it was good thing after all.
 .You know l used to think l had done myself an injustice if did not go to the theater about five or six nights n week. Maybe it wasn't always tho theater, but if it wasn't that it was . stag party or a poker game. 1 needn't explain; you've been with mo frequent ly.
 Well, you also know how I'm fixed in the line of business. l work for my father, and 1 have to be at the office at $50 in the morning-just as the rest of the family are sitting down to break fast In consequence get my break- fast and leave the house before they are up. But can't complain of that I'm doing exactly what the man who had my place before me did, and be- tween you and me think I'm drawing more salary than he did.
 But that's neither here nor there It's the evenings. 1 used to finish work about 6. get dinner downtown, and go to the theater or somewhere else. Been doing it for about six months, and I swear when I figure back about the only times that have seen my mother and sister have been at Sunday dinners. Nothing unusual in that, of course; the same thing k true of hundreds of young men in Chi cago.
 But they haven't fathers like mina He came to me one afternoon last week and asked me if I had an engage ment for that night. '' Yes, l said, I've promised to 20 to the theatre with Will Brown |" How about tomorrow night, ho | asked
 !" 'Havn't figured ahead that far,' ! replied.
 |" Well, I'd like to nave you go somewhere with me- '' All right I said; where1l I meet youa'
 ''You see he leaves the office about l an hour before get through "He suggested the Fremont House at 7:30, and l was there, prepared for the theatre and a quiet lecture on late hours. He had combined the two on several previous occasions. But when he appeared he said he wanted me to call on lady with him. One 1 knew quito well when was a young man, he explained. We went out and started straight for home.
 |" She is stopping at the house. he said when l spoke of it. Il thought it strange that he should have made the appointment at tho Fremont house under those circunl- stances, but said nothing. Well, we went in and l was intro duced with all due formality to my mother and my sister, "The situation struck me as ludf- crous and started to laugh, but tho laugh died away. None of the thre0 even smiled. My mother and my sis | ter shook hands with me and my motll- | CT said she remembered me as boy, but hadn't seen much of me lately. | Then she invited me to be seated. l My, it wasn't a bit funny then, al-
 though l can laugh over it now. sat
 down and she told one or two anec-
 dotes of my boyhood, at which we all
 laughed little. Then we four played
 whist for while. When finally re- tired l was courteously invited to call again. l went upstairs feeling pretty small and doing good deal of think
 ing"
 | And thenp" asked his companion.
 linen l made up my mind that my
 mother was most entertaining lady
 and my sister good and brilliant girl"
 l And nowp" Now I'm going to call again, as I
 have been going quite regularly for tho
 last week. 1 enjoy their company and propose to cultivate their acquaint- l ance."
 l And the young man--he was only
 about 22-put on his coat and started
 for his car.