The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-03-19
HIS FATHERS OLD FRIEND.
An Introduction That Brought Thought
less Youth 10 His Senses.

The old gentleman played queer
trick on me the other night. he SAID.
as he lit his cigar after dinner. 1t
was rather awkward for me at first.
but | guess it was good thing after
all.
You know | used TO feel that had
done myself IN injustice If | did not go
10 the theater about five or six times a
week. Maybe it wasn't always the
theater. but if it wasn't that it was Il
stag party or poker game. / needn
explain; you've been with me ire
quently.
We'll. YOU also know how I'm fixed
in the line of business. | work for my
father, and have to be at the office at
$50 in the morning-ju as the rest OF
the family are sitting down to break
fast. In consequence | get my break
fast aud leave the house before they
are up. But | can 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 draw
Ing more salary than he dId.
but that's neither here nor there.
It's the evenings. ! used to finish
work about 8. get dinner downtown.
and 90 10 the thcater or somewhere
else. Been doing il for about six
months, and swear when ! 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 is
true of hundreds Of young men in
Chicago.
But they haven't fathers like mine.
He came to me one afternoon last week
and asked me if had an engagement
for that night.
s"Yes, | said; I've promised to 60
to the theatre with Will Brown
How about tomorrow night he
asked.
Haven't figured ahead that far l
replied.
well, I'd like to have YOU 90 some
where with me.
"'All right, SAID; wherc'll | meet
you?'
You see. he leaves the Office about
all hour before get through.
He suggested the fremont House
at 1880 and | was there. prepared for
the theatre aud quiet lecture on late
hours. He had combined the two on
several previous occasions. Bat when
he appeared he said he wanted ME 10
call on lady with him.
."One knew quite well when | was
young man, he explained.
I'VE went out aud started straight
for home.
She is stopping at the house.. he
said, when spoke of it.
II thought it strange that he should
have made an appointment for the
fremont House under those circum-
stances. bat | said nothing.
We'll. we went in and | was intro
duccd with all due formaIity to my
mother aud my sister.
The situation struck me as lodi
crous and started TO laugh, but the
laugh diel away. None of the three
even smiled. My mother and my sis.
;er shook hands with me and my
mother said she remembered me as a
boy. but hadn't seen much of me late
". Then she invited me to be seated.
MY, it wasn't bit funny then. al
though can laugh over it now. | sat
down and she told one or two anec.
dOtC> or my boNho0u, at winch we all
laughed little. Then we four PLAYED
whist for Il while. When | finally re-
tired | was courteousIy invited to call
again. | went upstairs feeling pretty
small and doing good deal OF think
ing"
And then, asked his companion.
Then | made up my mind that my
mother was most entertaining lady
and NY >i~tcra good aud brilliant girl y
And now
"Now I'm going to call again, as |
have been doing quite regularly for the
last week. | enjoy their company and
propose 10 cultivate their acquaint-
anrr."
And the Young man-he was only
about - put on his coat and started
tOr his ear CbicHi0 IrijUils.